"Our memories play a
Hide & Seek game with me
They hide in the sunlight
and chase me down at the twilight."

-xEena101x

~~~

Dear A,

Did you know that a snake's scales are made up of layers of cells? The outer cells being dead and still protecting the living ones underneath them.

They shed their skin by piercing the outermost dead layer and sliding right out of it. I tried doing that. It hurt a lot. It wasn't the needle piercing my skin, it was the memory prickling my heart. I didn't shed my skin, I tattoed you permanently on it.

A tangled pencil with a broken lead and a rubber on the crown.   

"Why the rubber?"

I asked as you skillfully filled the dark strokes in your hasty sketch that you doodled on the last page of the book. The teacher droned on and on about the gravity theory.

I felt the pull towards you.

"To remind myself that I can erase the mistakes made by lead..."

But you pushed me out.

A snake sheds its skin to facilitate continued growth. I learned to suffer the pain of growing in a dead skin.

I wish I could shed my skin that itches to feel your firm grip around it. I guess a light finger brush or a firm shoulder pat wasn't enough for them. Will you let them trace the wrinkles that appear at the corner of your eyes when you laugh at my corny jokes?

Did you know that I got a small tattoo on the same day you left the city? On my left inner wrist. The same spot where you kissed me goodbye before disappearing forever.

A tangled pencil sliding out of a snake's dead skin. 

A part of me tattoed with a part of you. The crown of the pencil laid bare with no space for rubber in my tattoo. I feared you erasing me out of your life. Forgetting me forever.

I like you...

I wrote the three words in my best handwriting and neatly packed it in a glittery wrapper to catch your eyes.

I never got a reply back.

"Your farewell gift was the best amongst others" You fiercely stated. I smiled at your lie. How can a battered heart compete against the huge boxes containing opulent comfort of life?

You didn't really bother opening my gift, did you?

You ran deeper into my skin. You sank in further and ran wild in the veins of my heart, and made my heart beat faster. 

Maybe I can peel my body bare of my skin, but what about my heart that craves your warmth?

I wish I had enough courage to type "I like you", instead of "I am there for you" in my last message to you. I wish...

I guess you weren't the only one cheating in this game of Hide&Seek. I lied to you. I wasn't up for my history revision. I just wanted to see you type "nerd" and smile at three in the night along with the citylights.

I miss you.

Forever and ever,
J.

~~~

Thank you so much TeenFiction for conducting this award.

I had fun writing it.

~~~

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