A Night To Remember

By: Melly

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The lights were dimmed to a soft golden glow that filled only the center of the room, casting the corners into a mysterious darkness. Nick turned the lock and heard the loud click before walking slowly to the open shoe box laying on the floor. One by one, he pulled photographs out and laid them out on the floor. Every capture had the same girl in it, her long brown hair and brilliant green eyes embedded on the paper and in his mind forever.

Once the box was empty, his blue eyes roamed the collage, carpeting showing between pictures to form a mosaic of her face before him. He sat there on the floor, one leg bent before him, the other forming a triangle with the floor: his large foot flat and the knee pointing skyward. He looked at each photograph, the tears coming into his eyes.

By his foot was one of the two of them. The bright blue sky was a stunning background, though it was nowhere near as beautiful as the smile on her face. Nick shut his eyes for a moment, the day reenacted in his mind. They were in Canada...she had traveled with him and the band for a few weeks. The band had a day off, and Nick wanted to spend every minute by her side. They walked around the city for most of the day, the winter chill biting at their cheeks and noses, but no match for the winter jackets wrapped and zippered around their bodies. They soon found a small park and had their photograph taken by a professional photographer anxious to get his first celebrity snapshot. They let him take it as long as they could get copies...and they did. Nick's eyes snapped open, now deep with sadness as they moved to the next picture.

As the evening moved onward, Nick relived the memories of the 2 years they spent together. Two years of loving each other ruined by his foolishness. How could he forget the important things in life and give them up for more money? He shook his head and moved on to another picture. His eyes rested on a favorite, the memory flooding his mind in a vicious attack he never saw coming.

The black gown contrasted with her pale skin, the low neckline and tight bodice revealing curves his hands knew so well. Her dark hair was piled atop her head at the crown, long tendrils escaping and falling onto her shoulders and back. After the hellish night of sitting at an award show and then socializing at parties, both of them needed to escape. The moonlight fell onto her perfectly as she sat in the outdoor garden of their hotel, her eyes distant as she looked out at the beautiful display of flowers. She didn't realize Nick had joined her until she heard the click of his camera. He had wanted a picture of her that night in the exquisite gown, but this was perfect. Her diamond necklace shone in the blue light of the moon, and her skin was so smooth and soft...

Nick couldn't stop the tears now. He missed her. He still loved her. But he had the memories. And it was his night to remember...