She Lit Up The Sky

She Lit Up The Sky

By: Bikerider

After being away so long, it was strange being in town again. My Army enlistment ended after ten-years, and I thought it would be nice to see old friends again. Receiving the invitation to my tenth class reunion made up my mind.

Besides, maybe she would be there.

Donna and I dated all through high school. We were voted the couple most likely to get married. When I went into the army we promised to write every day, and we did, for a while. During two weeks of leave, before I went to Vietnam, we spent every day together, and we agreed that when I came home, I would bring her engagement ring.

At first the letters came every day. After a few months of seeing them become shorter, they stopped altogether, two months later I received the last one; she met someone else and they were engaged. I buried my sadness and wrote back, wishing her all the best.

Two-years later, when my enlistment was up, I tried to find her. There was a new family living in her parents house; they didn’t know where the former owners were. I didn’t know where her sister lived, and I couldn’t find Donna in the phone book. I assumed she was married, and I didn’t know her name. Returning to base, I signed my reenlistment papers.

Fidgeting as I dressed, I wondered what my reaction would be if she was there. Would it make me sad? Would I still feel something? Would she? Taking a deep breath, I walked to the school. After signing in I strolled around the courtyard looking for familiar faces. I sat at a table and talked to someone I didn’t remember.

“Andy?” The word floated in the warm air, “Andy, is that you?” Turning, I saw her standing there.

“Hi, Donna, ah, it's..it's good to see you,” I stammered. I took a step toward her, and we hugged. We stopped and looked at each other and hugged again—longer this time. “How have you been?”

“Great, thanks,” she said. Her wide smile still lit up her face, like it always had. The blue eyes I loved were even brighter than I remembered; her golden curls were caught by the over-head paper lanterns and glowed around her face. Her soft, fair skin was as supple as it was those many years ago.

My question was answered…I felt the old feelings. I was back in high school again, and there was no letter, she was not engaged, and we were still together. As we stood in the quiet, warm evening air, hugging, she whispered.

“Please don’t ever leave me again.”

“What about your husband? Aren’t you married?”

“I never got married, I realized my mistake…I’ve been searching for you.”

Looking at her while I held her, she lit up the sky.

*****

Word Count: 477

Written for, “Coloring My World” contest for week ending March 272011.

Write a story with, She lit up the sky, in it. 500 words or less.