My Heart Will Always Remember (part 2)

One step closer…

“Izzy…” he breathed my name in a hopeful whisper, and something tugged at my heart like I had to remember him. I had to know him. Who he was. What he meant. To me.

“Lizzy. Lizzy. Lizzy.”

I suddenly broke my eye contact with him, turning my attention to George Manchester, who was still holding me upright, with a concerned look on his face. “Y-yes?” I asked in a somewhat breathless voice as if I ran a marathon I hadn’t realized I couldn’t really do but had to finish until the end.

“Are you okay? Do you need anything?” he asked politely. Ever the gentleman. So, so good. And nice. And so sweet to me.

But it can’t be… “I…I need…umm, nothing. I think I’ll be fine here.” I said, trying to make him leave.

“Are you sure?” He looked so concerned I felt so bad for doing this to him. All those months I’ve remembered him…all those times he would approach me, and Mom would tell me to go talk to him and spend time with him – now, it would come to this.

I nodded slightly and offered him a small smile. “I think it’s just the bright lights here. Maybe I’ll just go outside for a while. Breathe some fresh air.” He unwillingly left me, but at that moment I didn’t care. I had to go to him.

But when I turned back to where I saw him standing, he wasn’t there anymore…

There’s a reason I hide my heart

It’s out of sight, out of mind

And when I find out just who you are

The door will be open for you

“Izzy.”

I just went out through the balcony doors when I heard it again. His voice. Saying my name.

It felt like butterflies were overwhelming my insides because it’s like I can almost remember him.

Almost.

“Izzy?”

“Hmmm?”

“Would you stay with me? Always?”

“I’m here right now, aren’t I?” Smiling. Silly question…

“Yeah, but I want to be with you. I was serious, you know. On that cliff. Even if my heart was beating wildly because of how high up we were. I was serious when I told you that I’ve got you. Just saying, I’m not planning to let you go now, whatever happens.”

Heart fluttering. So much happiness. So much…love. I never want this to end. “I know. I also wasn’t joking, what I said to you afterward…When the world turns upside down, and fate decided that we didn’t deserve each other and there would be brain-eating zombies and fires exploding from under the ground, you’re the only one that will matter to me. You’ll be the only thing that my heart will remember, Asher, because you’ll be staying there whether we both like it or not.”

But don’t you remember? Don’t you remember?

The reason you loved me before

Baby, please remember me once more

“Asher,” I said out loud, looking into his gray eyes. The same eyes that I’ve always stared many years ago. The same eyes that gave me the best memories of my life. The same eyes that used to stare back at me when he’d sketch me, and when he’d play for me on the piano my favorite tunes. The same eyes that made me realize how much he meant to me, how much I wanted to be with him before. Now. Forever.

This was what I needed. I needed him. I needed Asher. Forever. Always.

How could I forget about him?

He smiled at me, and my heart felt so much emotion because I haven’t seen that smile in years. Years.

He approached me and caressed my cheeks. “Sshh…shhh, it’s okay. It’s okay. I’m here. It’s okay, I found you,” he’d say over and over. I didn’t realize I was crying, and he was wiping my tears away. I appreciated it, but it wasn’t enough. With him, nothing was ever enough.

I wrapped my arms around him, wrapped my arms around him real tight. So tight. But he didn’t care, and I didn’t care. Because this is what matters. This is what I just needed, what we both needed. They didn’t allow me to remember him, but he didn’t need to be remembered. He was there all along. He was where he always belonged – in my heart. And that’s where he’ll always stay.

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**A/N:

Songs used (in bold):

Find A Way To My Heart (Phil Collins)

Don’t You Remember (Adele)

A Thousand Years (Christina Perri)