Forbidden Love 

 Whether it was from the warm, purple twilight, the sweet smell of roses, or the sounds of the little, brown finches fluttering around on the wood beneath her, Stella wasn’t sure. All she knew was that her heart was pounding, her stomach was fluttering, just like the finches, and her lips couldn’t turn up any further. She replayed the memories in her mind from moments before, continuously. His dark, blue eyes staring into hers, the nervous chuckle he gave as he wobbled down to one knee, and his hands shaking as though there was an earthquake. Timothy had been her best friend since she could remember. He grew from the annoying boy that strutted around, trying desparately to ge ther attention, to the caring, young man who was always there when she needed him, to now a grown man who loved her more than she thought she deserved.

Stella jolted herself from her porch swing; just to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. She leisurely headed to her bedroom, humming the song that she and Timothy had danced to at their first prom. As she sat on the edge of her bed, gazing at her extraordinarily beautiful ring, Timothy was humming the same song, as he strolled along the lamp lit streets, soaking in the moonlight.

He had a bounce in his step, a tune in his heart, and a beautiful fiancé that he was sure he didn’t deserve. His hands were still shaking, just as much as they were when he awkwardly stumbled to one knee. He was the luckiest man in the world, and he knew it. Stella wasn’t only beautiful, she was kind, loving, forgiving, caring, and most of all his best friend.

Calling a cab seemed only too easy. As he slid into the back seat, his ears hallowed in on the locking doors, his heart gave a sudden leap, and not due to the thought of his beloved. The driver turned around in his seat, letting Timothy soak in the black, ski mask and the gun a few inches away.

“Please!” Timothy yelled. “Don’t hurt me. I’ll give you anything you want.”

“Shut up!” The criminal yelled. “Just-Just give me your money!”

Timothy searched his pockets. Nothing. He scanned his mind, thinking of a way-anyway-he could survive this.

“Now!” The other one shouted.

“I-I don’t have anything. I promise. Search me!”

“Liar!”

“No! Please!”

Timothy stripped off his denim jacket, unbuckled his gold watch, and pulled off his shoes. The robber appered  to be satisfied with these items, and the second Timothy heard the doors unlock, he jumped from the already moving cab, onto the black pavement. As he tried to stand, his knees caved in from under him. He glanced nervoulsy around, until he saw a phone booth on the corner of the street. While running as fast as he could, he thought only of Stella. Her alluring smile, her bright green eyes, and her soft laugh. As he reached the booth, the smell of burning rubber, and the screech of grinding tires flew through his ears, assaulting his senses. The cab raced toward him at a blurring speed. Timothy's world stopped the moment the bullet pierced his abdomen. He stared blankly at the retreating cab, tasting the blood in his mouth. As he slowly felt his life slip away, his thoughts were stuck on Stella as he fell to the ground again.

Stella rested her head peacefully against her cold pillow, thinking of her best friend. How in the morning, she would be calling every one of her family members, and spending every waking moment with the man that would forever treasure her. As she willed herself to relax, their song serenaded her mind, as she fell asleep.