“COULDN’T LOVE HER BACK”
“Alright, girls, which one of you is Lily?” The woman eyed me and my mate with a knowing smirk.
“I’m Lily. Why?” I frowned, confused.
“Got a letter for you. From William,” the stranger said, pulling a crumpled envelope from her coat pocket and handing it over.
“William? Where is he?” I asked, surprised.
“Hes been moved to a care home for adults. Waited for you like rain in a drought, he did. Nearly wore his eyes out watching for you. Gave me this to check for spellingdidnt want to embarrass himself. Anyway, Ive got to dash. Lunch soon. I work here as a carer.” She gave me a reproachful look, sighed, and hurried off.
It had all started one summer when me and my mate, Sophie, had wandered onto the grounds of some unfamiliar place. We were sixteen, bored on holiday, itching for a bit of excitement.
We plopped down on a bench, laughing and chatting, not noticing the two lads approaching.
“Alright, girls? Fancy a chat?” The taller one stuck out his hand. “Names William.”
“Im Lily. This is Sophie. And your quiet friend?”
“Edward,” mumbled the other lad.
They seemed old-fashioned, oddly proper. William frowned at us.
“Why dyou wear skirts that short? And Sophiethat necklines downright scandalous.”
“Oi, eyes front, lads. Wouldnt want them wandering where they shouldnt,” Sophie shot back, giggling.
“Hard not to look. Were only human. You two smoke as well?” William pressed, dead serious.
“Course we do. Just not properly,” I teased.
It was only then we noticed something off about their legs. William shuffled awkwardly, Edward had a heavy limp.
“You here for treatment?” I guessed.
“Yeah. Motorbike crash,” William said quickly. “Ed here messed up a dive off a cliff. Getting discharged soon.”
We bought the story then. Never crossed our minds theyd been disabled since birthdoomed to live in that home. To them, we were a taste of freedom.
They lived in that locked-down place, hidden from the world. Every resident had a made-up talea car crash, a bad fall, a fight gone wrong.
Turned out William and Edward were clever, well-read, wise beyond their years.
Soon, me and Sophie visited every week. Partly pity, partly because we liked them. Our little chats became routine.
William started bringing me flowers nicked from the garden. Edward folded origami for Sophie, handing it over shyly. Wed squeeze onto that benchWilliam glued to my side, Edward facing away, riveted to Sophie. Shed blush but never minded.
Summer melted away. Autumn came, school started, and we forgot all about them.
Exams, prom, graduationthen suddenly, summer again. On a whim, we went back. Sat on that same bench, waiting. Two hours. Nothing.
Then a carer rushed out, straight to usthats when I got the letter. I tore it open:
*”Dearest Lily, my sweet blossom, my unreachable star. You never knew, but I loved you from the first second. Those afternoons were my whole world. Six months Ive stared out that window, hoping. You forgot me. Cant blame you. Our paths were never meant to cross. But thank youyou showed me real love. I remember your voice, your smile, your hands. Hurts to breathe without you. Just one more glimpse*
*Ed and I turned eighteen. Theyre moving us come spring. Doubt well meet again. Thisll kill me, but maybe Ill heal.*
*Goodbye, my darling.”*
*Yours always, William.*
A dried flower fell out.
Guilt crushed me. Too late to fix it now. That saying flashed in my head*were responsible for those we tame.*
Id had no idea what he felt. Couldnt love him back, not like that. Just friendship, curiositymaybe a bit of harmless flirting. Never meant to set him alight.
Years passed. The letter yellowed, the flower crumbled to dust. But I still remember those afternoonshis jokes, the easy laughter.
Theres a postscript. Sophie fell hard for Edward. His parents had abandoned himborn with one leg shorter. She trained as a teacher, works at a care home now. Married Edward. Two grown sons.
William, Ed said, stayed alone. At forty, his mum finally came. Took one look at him, wept, and brought him home to her village. After thatno one knows.
