Echoed Horizons

It was a warm sunny day in June when Cece walked to the edge of the cliff. The bright horizon in front of her engulfed all it encompassed. She thought long and hard of all she'd experienced in her life and kept coming to the same dangerous thought.

“Everybody else I have ever met has become more successful than me over the years.”

Envy is lethal in the mind of the depressed. Cece stared down at the jagged rocks at the base of the cliff as they disappeared and reappeared under the crashing waves. Her focus broke as she felt a pair of large arms encircle her waist and lift her from the ground.

“What are you thinking Ce?”

She knew the voice. It belonged to Adam, her best friend. She also knew that he loved her more than anything in the world although she never felt the same. Adam was tall, chubby, and incredibly awkward both physically and socially.

“Oh nothing, would you mind putting me down babe. I’m not really in the mood for playing around.

He turned around and put her down gently, his hands lingered on her waist.

“What’s wrong Ceese? Did something happen?”

Cece opened her mouth to talk but suddenly stopped and turned her face to avert gazing at him. Adam removed his hands from her waist and placed them in his pockets.

“Was it something I said?”

She turned sharply to face him and shot him a loving glare. Her big brown eyes gleamed beautifully against the harsh sunlight.

“Of course not Adam, you’re the only one I can talk to about anything. You’ve never said anything wrong, you’re perfect!”

He gently moved her hair out of her eyes, cupped her cheek, and watched in awe as she nuzzled against it.

“Then what’s wrong? You know you can tell me.”

She slowly raised her arms, gripped his hairy, thick forearm in her petite hands and sensually rubbed it.

“I don’t know shug, it’s everything. I keep thinking; what have I done with my life? What am I actually living for? The longer I seem to think, the fewer answers I seem to come up with! I guess it’s just one of those days, you know?”

“Oh Cece . . .”

Racking his brain, Adam couldn’t find any words to respond to her. He wished, nay hoped that he could find an answer for her. Adam noticed her hands receding and ran his fingertips down her jaw before placing his hand on her hips; he pulled her close to him. He bent down slightly and embraced her tenderly, she responded in kind. Cece's head rested on his shoulder and she couldn’t take it anymore.

She wept.

Adam didn’t know what to do so he did nothing. He moved his hands up her back and held her lovingly. Her tears crushed him but he tried staying strong for her.

“What would I do without you Adam?”

“You know Cece, I was just thinking the same thing about you.”

Cece chuckled slightly through her tears.

“How do you always know the right thing to say?”

“Around you darling, it comes easy. When you’re not around it’s not so easy for me, you’re the only person I feel comfortable around.”

She turned her head and faced him, her lips mere inches from his made his legs almost turn to jelly; it took all his strength to keep from falling.

“You know darling, I was thinking the same thing about you.”

He awkwardly pulled one of his hands towards her face and wiped the tears from her eyes.

“There’s that beautiful smile.”

He placed his hand behind her once more and she pulled him into a tight embrace once more. Betwixt his strong arms, all of her problems seemed to melt away. Her mind began to wonder.

“Am I growing feelings for Adam?”

Such a thought had never entered her mind as strong as it had at that moment. The thought startled her slightly and she tried to change the subject.

“What are you thinking about?”

In truth, Adam was thinking about her, only her. He decided though that he would like to lift her spirits some more, seeing her smile.

“I’m just wondering, do you think Kelly likes me?”

She scoffed, grinned up at him and playfully slapped his chest.

“What did I say?”

He was still the same old Adam, her best friend. She knew that it could never be anything more between them. She also knew that it would break his heart if he ever found out.

“You know what you said.”

He smiled slyly at her and her face turned a deep shade of red. Adam liked this game and decided to try taking it even further.

“Don’t tell me you’re getting jealous baby-doll.”

“As if . . .”

“Admit it, you love me. You’ve always secretly loved me, is that it? It’s finally all coming out.”

“You wish!”

She pushed him away from her playfully and he fell backwards, smiling in retaliation to her upturned expression. What happened next was as if it were in slow motion. His feet fumbled over one another clumsily and all of a sudden he went over the edge of the cliff. She lunged to grab hold of him but alas it was too late.

Cece stood once more at the edge of the cliff and stared down at the jagged rocks far below her, only this time there was a distorted, dark figure among the sharp peaks. She knew that there was no way that he could be alive.

The waves receded and she finally saw Adam’s face smiling up at her as one of the peaks disappeared entirely behind his head. His twisted remains only further concreted her earlier fears. She realised at that moment that she had loved him. Here was the only boy she ever loved and the only person who ever loved her lying dead amongst the waves, a couple of hundred feet below her.

She knew then what she had to do. She took one last look towards the horizon before she leaned forward, and slipped away.

A local fisherman found their bodies a few hours later, their remains intermingled in a tangled romance of morbid desire.