Our Hill

• Alana Christiansen, Grade 10, Our Lady Of Sion College
• Short Story
• 2015

Excellence Award in the 'The Write Track 2015' competition

I remember the first time we locked eyes, it was like an avalanche knocked me down. A cold rush took over my body, and I could see that the same avalanche had hit him too.

He talked to me the next day, his voice was like a coursing river, swift and gentle. I would like to hear him speak for the rest of my days, till the time I leave this planet.

Our first date was nothing short of how I wanted it to go, he took me up to the top of the hill, we watched as the sun went down, and as our city lit up. There was barely any light on that hill, but I could still see the sparkle in his eyes.

We were together happily for awhile, but when we had our first real fight the storm clouds above us were black. Yelling caused the thunder, and crying called the rain. It was scary, just like any other storm, but there was something specific about this. As much as I wanted to hate him in that moment, I just couldn't. When we were both out of breath, we sat down together on the couch and just looked at each other. All the anger and frustration was evident in both of us, but we sat still in silence.

We bought a house together, and he carried me over the threshold. He pretended that we were in some sappy love movie, but when it came around to dinner time, he helped me cook. Every now and then he would bump my hip with his and chuckle to himself when I would push him or tell him off for doing something wrong. We were so in love.

This beautiful man took me to our hill one night, his smile stretched across his face and he looked so happy, it made me happy too. He had gotten down on one knee, I could barely even breathe.

I had just put on my white dress when my Father walked in, he told me I looked beautiful. My Dad took my arm as we walked down the white carpet leading to my fiancé, everything was so peaceful. I saw him at the end of the aisle, he was looking at me too. I stood next to him as we spoke our vows, our promises. He was so nervous he dropped the ring, his cheeks flushed crimson.

There was a plus sign on the test I had just used, I started to cry. He came into the bathroom and got down in front of me, he had thought something was wrong. He saw the test and cried with me, we were so happy.

Our daughter had grown up and so had we, she left home and left us behind on the porch.
We still go up to our hill, and till this day, I still see the same sparkle when he looks at me, and feel the same avalanche.