FOURTEEN

I'm hurting.

I'm hurting.

Maddie, i'm hurting.

His unspoken words

ring in her head,

like the last note

a piano hums

as the a piece

comes to its end.

There are so many questions

that want

to spill from her lips

but Maddie has never been 

so afraid

of asking 

as she is now.

The bright flash of headlights 

flutter twice before it shuts off,

and the engine rumble of the engine

dulls to its resting breath.

They stand on a cliff,

one that faces the ocean

just behind them,

is the golden gate bridge,

its golden lights

like little jewels

written into the sky.

Ash has gone quiet,

his attention

on the golden gate.

Her eyes slowly glide

to her right,

and land

on the tips of Ash's

bright glowing lashes.

She traces 

the outline of his nose,

down to the curve of his lips,

his sharp and defined jaws,

the slight and slender lines 

that had defined his features.

He glances at her,

and she quickly darts her eyes

to a random piece of bread 

that was stuck onto a rock.

His eyes rings of silver

in his eyes glowed

under the golden lights.

"Quite lovely isn't it?"

Ash asks her, 

his lips lifted

in a mischievous smirk.

"The piece of bread?" Maddie asks.

"I was referring to myself,

it is the face of which millions

have thrown themselves to." 

"Oh, you are so full of shit-"

He sticks out his tongue,

and suddenly he's twelve again,

on his bed, 

boyishly grinning at her. "I'm only messing with you,

Miss Madhatter."

Maddie's pulse quickens,

and she's suddenly thankful

for the lack of light in the car.

Ash reaches into the back seat

and grabs a couple of items,

before getting out of the car,

with Maddie slowly in pursuit.

"What are you-"

he places a small white paper lantern

into her hands.

"Make a wish and let it go."

he explains,

before giving her a small

shy smile.

"I'm not sure i know what to wish for...

I'm also very bad with flammable objects,

I mean i'm awful at dealing with regular things,

now throw in a bit of fire,

and I'm a literal walking catastrophe." 

She rambles into the darkness,

unsure of what else to say or do,

simply because of that one smile.

Maddie exhales, 

and decides on her wish.

I wish this night 

will never have to end.

She smiles to herself,

and releases the glowing lantern 

watching it float from her fingertips,

and into the starry beyond,

with Ash's lantern in steady pursuit.

The two lanterns

emit a different glow

that stands out and apart

from the sea of stars.

They radiate the warmth

of two infinite wishes,

amongst a world of obscurity 

and unknowingness.

"Four, be a light

in the dark, 

check."

He laughs softly to himself,

but is a laugh

that tugs at her heart,

and causes thorns to dig

deep into her ribs.

It is a sad,

bittersweet laugh

that sounds so much more

like a cry.

It is a laugh of melancholy

and despair.

I'm hurting.

I'm hurting.

Maddie, I'm hurting.