A Distant Memory: Part III

"Hey." Xander said as he pulled his lips in a grin, running after Diane who noticed him.

Diane's wide opened violet eyes indicated how surprised she was as it was clearly written all over her face. She then averted her hazy and cloudy gaze as she turned around, ignoring the boy clad in a fully covered outerwear who was chasing after her.

"Hmm? Diane! ...Did she not hear me?" Xander wondered aloud as he noticed Diane not stopping regardless of how many times he had been calling out to her.

"Diane?" Xander finally called out to her, his voice filling Diane's ears as she felt the ticklish sensation of his hot breath on her ear. She finally brought herself to a halt when Xander held onto her shoulder, bringing his face close to hers as he grinned widely at her.

"... What do you want?" Diane breathed out as she ignored the warm tingly feeling she felt in her chest and the burning sensation on her shoulder beneath his touch.

"What do you mean? I came to see you. Let's hang out!" Xander said in one breath, smiling innocently as he cocked his head and watched Diane's expression expectantly.

"... I'm busy." Diane blurted out as she shrugged off his hand from her shoulder, walking off as she left a confused Xander behind.

Her face contorting with an unreadable expression as she left the warm hand that she had been waiting for so long. She lowered her gaze to the ground as she comforted and steeled herself to leave that place as she calmed her now pierced heart, not understanding her own emotions.

"Huh? But... the flower shop... ... is closed..." Xander said as he watched Diane walk off, his voice dying out in the midst of the loud interactions of the people around him.

***

Diane sighed as she leaned against a large oak tree located in a rural area located far from the heart of the town. She looked up towards the majestical crown of the huge tree, staring at the streaks of sunlight that escaped through the leaves as she slowly closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep as she was lulled by the gentle wind running through her hair.

***

Upon reaching a remote location from tailing Diane through the crowd of people, Xander found himself in a field of lush greenery where the sun shone all the brighter, gleaming off the blades of grass, giving it a streak of yellow and a brighter hue of green.

However, his eyes found themselves locked on something he found more fascinating and majestic. He gasped as he stared at a huge oak tree located in the middle of the vast field as his legs moved towards it, almost as if he were drawn to it.

Upon closer distance with the tree, his eyes wandered until it stopped, falling onto the image of a beautiful girl clad in a light hue of a green one piece dress. Her wavy light brown hair fluttering about from the gentle caress of the wind as her chest rose and fell in a slow rhythm. 

Xander watched Diane for a moment, taking in her lovely visage as the soft rays of light fell so gracefully on her pale skin. He almost wanted to touch her just to make sure she was there, almost.

Holding back his outstretched hand, Xander resigned himself to sit beside Diane as he promised to etch the lovely image in his memory.

As he was watching her with tender eyes, Diane fell onto his shoulder as she leaned a little too far to the right where Xander had sat.

Xander's eyes bulged as his face flushed red. The sweet scent of flowers tickled his nose as Diane's light brown hair filled his left view. His heart began to race as he heard the soft sighs of Diane's breath so close to his ear and the strands of her hair that fell against his own pale skin.

He had thought of gently pushing her off but instead, his wandering hand pulled her closer as he began to gently stroke her silky smooth hair.

She has such long eyelashes... and really silky wavy hair... Xander thought to himself as he studied Diane's sleeping figure, his eyes slowly turning red from the lack of water. He hadn't even realised that he had not blinked once.

***

As Diane stirred from her light slumber, she felt herself leaning on a hard surface. Thinking that she was just leaning on the tree bark, she snuggled closer and breathed in the scent of her favourite oak tree but was met with a different scent.

The scent reminded her of summer and had a slight tinge of spice. She breathed it in once more before she pulled herself off of the hard surface. Diane's eyelids then fluttered opened as her face was now painted with confusion.

"... X... Xander?" Diane said with a little uncertainty as her eyes slowly adjusted to her surroundings.

Silence ensued as Diane brought her hands towards her face, rubbing her eyes to get them to focus quickly.

Just as she had expected, Xander sat in front of her with an unreadable expression. His gaze lingered on her face before he turned to look at the empty space to his right.

Diane felt a slight twinge in her chest as Xander turned away from her. Her expression now being the unreadable one.

"Xander... why... are you here?" Diane asked, filling the silence with her sweet voice, catching Xander's attention.

"... I told you. Let's hang out." Xander said with a conflicted smile after a long pause.

Diane stared at his face, taking in the image of the boy. The streaks of sunlight bouncing about on his dark blue hood as it hindered his handsome visage.

Her hands unconsciously reached out towards his hood as she slid it off. Her eyes now widening in surprise as she fell backward, slowly inching her way further from Xander.

His beautiful silver hair reflected the sunlight, almost as if there was a ring of halo around his head. His unwavering sapphire eyes staring at her violet ones, reminding her of a glistening flowing river.

She tried to avert her gaze, but to no avail, the gentle sunlight that danced on his pale skin drew her eyes, and all that she could do was gape at such a beautiful sight. He looked... perfect...

"... Diane?" Xander asked as he inched towards her, concern laced in his word as he reached his hand towards her.

"Don... don't touch me!" Diane exclaimed as her eyes widened from her sudden outburst.

What... why did I...? ... He... might be soiled by me.... Such a perfect person... wouldn't want... someone like me...

"... Why?" Xander asked as his hand was still hanging, his eyes expectant as he kept his gaze in line with Diane's. 

"... Be... because... I..." Diane stuttered, her mind drawing a blank as she stared at the beautiful image before her.

"Because you...?" Xander urged as he lowered his hand, reaching for hers as he squeezed her fingers gently in his.

Diane's eyes finally averted from his as it landed on their hands, staring at Xander's hands that gently held hers. She then turned her gaze back to his as her voice felt as if it were a lump that was stuck in her throat.

"... I... really wanted to see you... for these past two months... I missed you." Xander smiled sadly as he gently rubbed Diane's hand with his thumb, circling on the back of her hand.

"... I missed you too..." Diane finally breathed as she noticed Xander's eyes widening. Did she say something wrong? Why is he reacting like that?

As Diane was lost in her thought, she felt Xander's calloused thumb reach out to her face as it swiped something close to her eye. Was she crying?

Diane immediately touched her face as she felt the wet surface of her cheeks. Her expression turning to one of confusion as she swiped the tears off with the back of her hands.

Why aren't they stopping? Why... am I crying? Why is Xander looking like that...? Diane thought as her eyes fell onto Xander's worried expression. 

Before Diane could say anything, Xander had pulled her into his arms as he gently stroked the small of her back. Comforting Diane in his awkward embrace.

Breathing in the scent of summer and spices, Diane calmed down as her heavy eyelids began to close. Her thoughts now fading to black as she drifted off into the summer paradise that embraced her.