Lessons In Love

• Tleyah Turner, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2017

Have you ever been in love with someone so much that when you see them your stomach is congested of butterflies as if they cannot find a decamp? But you know that you cannot control them, and you’re even more sure that they have no feelings comparable to yours. When I see her, her face seems to never show any emotions, as if everything goes on inside her head and never finds an escape. The only feature you are ever able to capture any of her feelings from are her eyes, when I look into her eyes I feel as if I am going to sink into them. They’re shaded cyan, yet seem to grow darker and lighter depending on her mood, lighter when she is exultant and darker when she is attentive. Her skin always seems burnished and sometimes it is translucent enough for you to perceive your own self. Her hair smells of Jasmine and seems to cleanse my stress just from the scent of it, it falls superbly on her shoulders and is evenly cut at the ends. She is well built for a girl, which gives away her athleticism and she is not stubby nor lanky. Although the most engaging thing about her is she is in fact my best friend, I’ve been granted 10 years of being able to see her almost every day. Throughout these years I’ve figured out that you cannot ask for love as a favour, rather you’re given it as a gift. I’ve become used to being such a person to her that she feels comfortable around and she is able to let out all her personal emotions to, yet not in a way of affection, rather trust. Loving someone in such a way I love her has taught me self love too, it has taught me that making her happy would mean me being happy. Loving someone and not being loved in the same way back has also taught me patience, patience to allow a small delay to be passed before a good outcome, I guess I am still waiting for this outcome but I hope it will come soon. Time, energy and motivation are the best gifts we can give to someone if we love them and caring and concerns seem to add on to all the positives as side effects. The lessons we can learn about love are priceless when our hearts are driven for one person who doesn’t love us the same way in return.