Oh my god, I’m so sorry. The first thing you ever told me as I squatted down and picked up the books off the floor.

That’s okay. I smiled at you and you returned it with a nervous one. After that, we kept meeting on numerous other occasions, hell, even our friend groups became the same soon enough.

Slowly, we started developing feelings for one another and I swear that was possibly the best thing that happened to me. You were so sure we were the ones for each other since we fell in love at the same time.

But you’re wrong though. I liked you way before you did. How many people do you think, walk exactly into each other at the exit of an empty cafe?

How many people do you think purposely approach people they don’t even know and befriend them, for they lead to you.

Call me stupid, but all I ever wanted was you.

And you, I did get. It was new and we were shy around each other like newly weds and as time passed we got better.

You held me close on one summer night, cold as ice and you were shivering even with multiple blankets on.

Are you okay? I asked, concerned that you may have had a fever. Simply nodding your head, you snuggled closer and pecked my cheek, whispering soft assurances.

One year had passed and we rarely met. Work and life, taking the best of us. We met once in a while and you looked weaker each time.

What’s wrong, love? Aren’t you taking care of yourself? I asked and you always shook it off.

Work has just been tough on me, don’t worry. You always replied and I believed you like a fool.

We met your parents one day, a smile always placed on their face. Almost like it seemed fake. Something they showed to the world but their own hath left them years ago.

Two years had passed and I remember that night like it was this morning. The night you changed my life.

What’s with the smile?

Oh.. nothing. Well, I’m hungry!

Then, eat?

Well, it’s not just for one now…

Why? Have you got a little monster in your stomach? I joked and you looked at me with glee in your eyes. I looked back, almost missing the point, until I didn’t.

You laughed as I picked you up. Rubbing the tears from my face, you smiled and promised me that tears weren’t permanent, but you lied.

Four months later, during the doctor’s appointment, she asked me to stay a little longer. She said you had some “complications”.

For four years, you hid from me that you had leukaemia and I, like a fool, never asked you about the tablets you got whenever you stayed over or why there were random strands of hair on the beanie you always wore.

We both pretended that we didn’t know about this and continued to live by ourselves. It was an unspoken desperation that neither of us realized.

I’m going to be fine! You said as you were being strolled into the operation theatre, holding my hand tightly.

We both knew that was a lie and that it was either you or the baby that would come out. Even until the last minute, we hoped for something so hopeless.

Hours passed and your screams turned into cries, I pushed my face against the door of the room until a nurse opened it with remorse.

She shook her head and tugged her lips in a frown. Sprinting in, I saw you sitting in bed, head down in your palms. Your body was shaking from the effect of your cries.

It’s okay. It’s going to be okay. I kept repeating, tears almost painfully close to falling.

I pulled your face by the chin and made you look at me. Both of our eyes dried red. I kissed you on the lips, one more time. Without any desperation. It felt pure, like a comforting one and you kissed back with the same grief.

Before I knew it, you took a series of deep breaths and your monitor started beeping so loud. I called for the nurses and they came running and pushed me out of the room in a rush.

A few more hours of tension and stress, before the nurse slid out through the door and gave me a disapproving shake.

All I did was sit on the nearby bench and look towards the ceiling, asking god why the bad things always happened to the good ones.

I had one look at the body of yours and that was when the tears ran down.

Nothing compares to the memories you gave to me. But the more the memories, the more the pain. My heart shattered like a glass and all I saw for days was black. A future without you seemed so lifeless anyway.

The greatest stories have the saddest endings, isn’t it? I laughed to myself. Ours was a great one indeed.

I was like Icarus and you were my sun, I knew I shouldn’t follow behind you but your warmth and brightness pulled me anyways until all I had left to do was fall down.

But Icarus died with the taste of the sun on his lips, and I died with yours on mine.