Grace

A faint rosy tint graced her cheeks and complimented the freckles sprinkled on her nose, which had taken on a reddish hue. Wisps of chocolate brown hair moved freely in the wind, perfectly framing her face. Every few minutes she would sniffle as she stared out at the vast lake. Neither of us spoke as the sound of the water lapping against the shore was enough to keep our company. I studied her face and could tell her mind was somewhere else. She fixed her eyes on some point in the distance, and her face wore an absent expression.

She looked down, and a dismal look came over her face. She sniffled, but this time, it was not from the cold. A single tear smoothly crawled down her left cheek. I grabbed her hand, and she gave it a comforting squeeze. I took note of the familiar lines on her palm, and the silver ring hugging her finger. Silently, she stood up. She looked me in the eyes and had a slight but pained smile on her face. She turned away, and, reluctantly, I let her hand slip out of my firm grasp. I whispered “bye” under my breath. The image of her walking away quickly became blurred as a flood of tears began building up in my eyes. That was the last time I saw her.