I never really understood the meaning behind the quote, “You don’t know what you have till you lose it.” Throughout the 20 years of my life I never really grew attached to things, so I wasn’t too worried about losing anything. My parents didn’t really care for me, because to them I was an accident. I’m not really sociable so I don’t have that many friends. The last pet I had died, I didn’t shed a tear, I don’t even remember being sad. Though…there was this one time I did grow attached to something without realizing it. If I remember correctly…it was during my second year of college and it was between fall and winter.
Maya walked out of Starbucks, her hot chocolate in hand. She shivered visibly and pulled her scarf up above her nose. Maya hastily walked into the nearby park. “Hmm…where can I sit to drink this…without being bothered?” Maya thought, she glances to her left where there is nothing but trees. To her surprise there was a clear and narrow path not yet covered in fallen leaves. Curious, Maya follows the path. Her surroundings were nothing but trees as far as the eye can see, she felt a shiver run down her spine but even so she continued to follow the path.
Maya came to a complete halt when she reached a somewhat decent clearing. The only thing in that clearing was a single bench. Maya shivered, “Maybe I should go inside…its cold out here.” She said to herself as she turns her back from the bench. “I think…” someone said. Maya turned around quickly to see a man sitting on the bench. “The weather is just right to sit down and enough some coffee outside.” Maya stared at the man; he didn’t seem that much older than her, maybe just in his mid-twenties. He wore a black beanie and his hair was just above his shoulders. He seemed to be wearing casual jeans and a sweater with, what looked like a raincoat. Maya looks around then at him again, “Its not coffee…it’s hot chocolate.” She walks over to the wooden bench and sits next to the man; there was possible less than two inches between them. The man smiled, it was a warm yet playful smile and it caused Maya’s heart to skip a beat. She looked down at her cup of hot chocolate and drank some.
“My name is Vince.” He said hold out a gloved hand to her. “Vince Sampson,” Maya looks at his hand then finally shakes his hand. “Maya Foreman,” she mumbles. Vince smiles at her again and Maya quickly pulls her hand away from his. Vince looks straight ahead in silence as Maya drinks her hot chocolate. Finally Maya asks “Why are you here?” Vince glances in her direction without moving his head, “Why…” he says more to himself then to her. Maya looks at his face and it seems to be recollecting memories and then he suddenly looks straight at her with his unusual green eyes. “I guess its because this is the only place for someone like me.” They stared at each other; Maya could see the seriousness of his words gleaming in his eyes yet what she said was, “Are you saying you’re a hobo?” Taken aback Vince’s eyes widen slightly at Maya’s words. He begins to laugh. Maya watched has he placed a hand over his stomach and laughed more. A deep yet carefree real laugh, Maya loved the way it sounded.
Once Vince had finally stopped laughing he looked at Maya and smiled, “I haven’t laughed like that in a really long time. Thank you.” Maya blushes slightly, looking away as she pulls the cup to her mouth and realizes there isn’t any more hot chocolate inside. She lowers the cup and looks at the ground. “I see…” She says “I...I don’t might coming to meet you here more often so you can laugh.” Vince looks at Maya’s flushed face and smiled, “That would be nice.” Maya stands up quickly, Vince stands up as well. Maya sees him shiver slightly, “Aren’t you cold?” Vince looks at his thin jacket then back at Maya and smiles. “Are you worried about me?” Maya throws her scarf at Vince, it lands over his face. “Keep it! You need it more than I do.” She says as she quickly runs away back down the path. Vince wraps it around his neck and shouts “See you tomorrow!” He stands there for a while pulling her scarf over his face. He inhales slowly then lets out a soft sigh, “Maya Foreman.”
Now that I think back to then, that was the first time I had those types of feelings. After that I kept going back to that bench. And every time I went Vince was there waiting. We would laugh and talk and smile for hours even when it was cold. He told me about when he went to college and his job, even weird stories about his family. I was at my happiest when I was sitting on that bench with Vince. However, I started to notice something off about Vince. I believe it was one the anniversary of our meeting.
Maya walks down the path with two cups of hot chocolate in her hand. She smiles to herself “I bet Vince will love this.” Maya looks up and sees Vince standing staring at the bench. The scene looked as if it belonged in a magazine. The fallen leaves were floating around Vince and his hair was blowing in the breeze. “Vince!” Maya called, Vince turn to look at her and a force smiled spread across his face. “Maya…you came back,” He said softly. Maya stood in front of him, “Came back?” She tilts her head and smiles at him, “Of course, didn’t you say you wanted to tell me something important today?” Vince looks at Maya and chuckles a little. “You look so nice today,” Maya was wearing her long brown hair up in a side pony tail neatly curled, and she wore tights and a long sweater stopping just above her knees. Maya blushed, “Yeah…well I thought it would be nice to dress up a bit.” She looks away slightly, “Since today marks a year of our meeting.” Vince looks at her with sad eyes but smiles, “Yes…it’s been a year.” Vince takes the cups of hot chocolate and throws them into the trees. “What are you doing!?” Maya shouts and Vince immediately embraces her. Maya face flushes face, “Vi...Vince!” She gasps.
Vince holds Maya tightly, and then he pulls away from her to stare into her light blue eyes. “Maya, the moments we had here at this bench for the past year were my happiest.” Maya stared into his eyes, “Vince…” Vince bites the inside of his jaw. “I would love to ask you to be my girlfriend but I…can’t,” Maya’s eyes widen. “What do you mean you can’t? I’m not going to refuse you!” She said. Vince placed his hand against her cheek, “I know. I know that’s why I can’t.” Maya puts her hand over his. “Vince, I don’t understand.” Maya states just as Vince seem to have become transparent and Maya could see the tree behind him, right through him. Maya gasps. Vince smiles sadly, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I didn’t even realize it myself until half a year ago.” Maya felt the threat of tear at her eyes, “What are you saying Vince?” Vince presses his forehead against hers and says, “I’m…actually in a coma, in the nearest hospital here. And I was seriously injured in a terrible car collision a year ago. My heart was beating but I could wake up.” Maya’s tears began to fall. “No more. It’s okay don’t take no more.” She whispered pulling Vince in for a hug.
Vince rested his head on her shoulder. “It seems my soul comes here to this bench allot, because, I came here often when I was awake. And recently I have felt my consciousness slipping, meaning-” “Don’t say it!” Shouted Maya, more tears were flowing down her face. “Please…Vince, tell me you’re lying.” Vince tilts her head up so she was looking at his face, “I love you Maya Foreman, and I’m sorry we can’t be together anymore.” He kisses her on the lips. It was a light kiss as if it wasn’t even there to begin with. Vince pulls her in for a hug, “The doctors are going to stop my life support soon so let’s stay like this for the last moments.” Maya pulls away. “No…No! I’ll make them save you! I’ll stop them!” She takes off running down the path. “I won’t let them pull us apart!” She screamed, “Maya!” Vince called but she was already gone. Vince stood staring blankly ahead of him, and he smiled a single tear falling as his being faded away, “Maya…I’m sorry….”
Maya run into the nearest hospital and slammed her hands on the front desk, “Vince Sampson!” The frightened nurse quickly blurted out “Room 103!” Maya rushed down the hall and scanned the rooms and spotted the name plate “Vince Sampson Room 103” Maya’s heart began pounding in her ears, “Vince! Vince! I’ll save you!” she thought as she swung to door open, “VINCE!” She shouted and the doctors looked at her. The sound of her heart pounding in her ears were replaced with the sound the loud drag of the heart monitor letting everyone know, it was over. Maya eyes blurred with tears as she slowly walked over to Vince motionless body. “No…he isn’t dead.” She whispered. One of the doctors placed a hand on her shoulder “Miss, I’m sorry but we had no choice. Even if we did save him…his brain would not be able to function correctly.” Maya started at Vince’s face, “He…looks peaceful….” She collapsed to her knees, with her face in her hands she cried loudly. “Vince! Vince! I’m so sorry! Vince!” The doctor knelt beside her and attempted to comfort her but it was useless. Maya, for the first time in her life, was in a serious state of grieving.
Ever since that day, I’ve learned to love everything I’m given in life and to value what I have, for as long as I have it, because you never know, when it’s going to be taken from you.
(Hello! Tanisha K. Wright aka Mizuki A. Yoru here! From today on I'm starting a the "Picture Story Event"! Meaning I read a story mostly shorts based on pictures! This is not only help me get used to finishing things I story but also let you readers enjoy so stories! Therefore! If you see a picture you like and want to see if there can be a story behind it! Send it to me and I'll do my best! SO LET THE EVENT BEGIN!} BTW: If you would like to see the picture for this please go to my youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/MizukiYoru620
[P.S: Thank you to Brooke for helping come up with the name of this story and reading it for me!]
THANK YOU FOR READING!!! I HOPE YOU ENJOYED!
This is the picture for the story. In case you don't wanna go on YouTube.
(There is nice music on the video with the picture though.) 
