Short Story: “The Message In The Card” (So Touching)

I have an extremely close friend and he has always been with me since 6th grade. We have known each other for a while now and we are currently 20 years old. We went to the same high school and go to the same college, so it's basically impossible for us to lose contact.

Everyone would assume we were dating back in 6th grade and throughout high school, even though we said we were just friends millions of times. This was because he is a guy and I am a girl, but it made me think why a girl and a guy can't be friends without people assuming they're dating. A lot of male and female celebrities are rumored to be dating because they are friends and I've always found it stupid.

''Dylan and Mia sitting in a tree! K-I-double s-I-N-G'' they would chant in the cafeteria, halls and even in class. It annoyed me so much but I enjoyed it just a tad. That's when in 8th grade at age 14, I found out I had feelings for Dylan. As the years passed, my feelings for him grew bigger and bigger that I was basically in love with him.

He had many girlfriends in the past and it made me jealous to the max. The way he spoke about them was the way I wanted him to speak about me. He had his first kiss with one of them and he told me the whole story one night. I wasn't really listening, I was too busy wishing I was that girl. When him and his girlfriends would break up, I would be very happy. I was sad he lost someone he loved, but I was mostly happy.

Me on the other hand, I had never had a boyfriend. I would always reject all the guys who asked me out, in hopes of Dylan asking me out one day. To my surprise, that day eventually did come. On my 18th birthday, Dylan had admitted that he loved me. I admitted it too and we're two years strong.

''Here, take this'' Dylan said as he handed me an envelope. I opened it and pulled out a red card with a love heart on the front. I opened it and read the message.

''I am in love with your smile. I am in love with your voice. I am in love with your body. I am in love with your laugh. I am in love with your eyes. I am in love with you.'' is what he had written in the card. I thanked him and gave Dylan a hug and a kiss.

This started to become a habit of his. Every date we went on, Dylan would hand me the same card. It was the exact same card and message inside of it. Since the first card, we have had 15 dates. But because I love him, I leave it in an extra drawer in my room even though it is the same gift every time.

Dylan had planned yet another date with me. He took me to an Italian themed restaurant where he gave me another card.

''Here, take this'' Dylan said, handing me the same envelope. I opened it and there was the same card. I knew what it said in the card, yet I still read it. I always thanked him and gave him a hug and a kiss.

Weeks passed and I had a lot more than 15 cards. We had been on 57 dates in total which meant I had 57 cards. I started to get a little bit worried about Dylan, so I made an appointment with the doctors. They diagnosed Dylan with Alzheimer's Disease which explains why he gave me the same gift all the time.

I was so devastated that Dylan has Alzheimer's Disease, I would cry myself to sleep most nights. He would always comfort me asking me why I was crying, but he would forget he already asked me and would repeat the same question which made me cry even harder.

A few months passed and it was time I look for another drawer to put other cards in. Dylan never knew that I kept the cards, so he always thought I owned one card. I have 260 cards now. Looking at them made tears stream down my face, thinking that I could have 260 different cards or just 1 card, but instead I have 260 of the same cards. Not even one was different.

Dylan planned another date that night. We couldn't find a parking spot near the restaurant so we chose to park further away and just walk there. I found it weird but sweet that Dylan gave me the same card every date not knowing I have many more, but always took me to different places. +

We walked hand in hand, on our way to the restaurant. We stopped on the sidewalk as he handed me another envelope.

''Here, take this'' He said as he passed me the white envelope. He told me not to open it, which was weird because he usually tells me to open it. As we were walking further down the sidewalk, I dropped my envelope. I bent down to pick it up but a gust of wind blew it onto the road.

''I'll get it'' He said, letting go of my hand to get the envelope. I saw headlights getting closer to Dylan as I told him to get off the road.

''Dylan! Get off the road! There's a car heading your way!'' I don't think he could hear me since he didn't even look back. I took a few steps closer to the road, in hopes of Dylan hearing me a second time.

''Dyl-'' right before my eyes, Dylan had been hit by the car that was heading his way.

''Dylan!'' I screamed, running closer to him. I saw the envelope fly in the air. The driver of the car didn't even bother to check if he was alright. They just sped off into the distance, tires screeching against the road like nothing had happened.

I bent down and cradled him in my arms. I felt for a pulse but couldn't feel one.

He's gone.

All the tears that filled my eyes came streaming down my face. I was sobbing uncontrollably as cars drove by. Nobody cared that someone had just gotten hit by a car. I felt lonely. I felt like I had no one.

The envelope had floated down beside me on the road. I hadn't opened it yet, and I felt like I should even though I already knew what it was. I opened the envelope once again and pulled out the same card. I covered my mouth as my cries got louder and harder.
''I am in love with your smile. I am in love with your voice. I am in love with your body. I am in love with your laugh. I am in love with your eyes. I am in love with you. Will you marry me?'' is what he had written in the card.

I looked in front of me and saw a diamond ring. It must have fallen out when I opened the card, I just didn't notice.

God it was beautiful.

I grabbed the ring and placed it on my ring finger.

''Yes, yes I will marry you'' I said through my cries, looking at him as I held his hand.

''I love you Dylan'' I said quietly.

''I love you too Mia'' I heard his voice say in the wind.


THE END.