Just one more day

It was 3 AM

When you woke me up

Then we jumped in the car and drove as far as we could go

Just to get away

We talked about our lives

Until the sun came out

And now I’m thinking about

How I wish I could go back

Just for one more day

One more day with you

“Psst… Adriano! Wake up, wake up!” The dozing boy was jolted awake by the tapping sound on his window pane. He gasped and got up to open his windows to let the girl in. She was shivering and dripping wet. Adriano glanced outside, it had been raining, he could smell it. He grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around her. He looked at the digital clock on his desk next to his bed, it was only 3 am and the sun wasn’t even up.

“You alright? What’re you here for?” He asked, concerned as he sat her down on his bed. She nodded in response to his first question and grabbed his sneakers and thrust them to him in response to his second. His expression must have showed confusion as she rolled her eyes and against his protests, put them on for him. Grabbing his wallet off the table, she stuffed it into his pocket. She dragged him to the window and climbed out onto the tree outside it again, “Come on!” Still befuddled, he climbed out after her and slid down the tree. She ran to his car parked in the driveway and waited. He understood immediately and shook his head in refusal.

“Please, Adriano…” He could almost hear the pain in her choked voice. Relenting, he unlocked the door and they jumped in. He drove off aimlessly. She started crying, it was her useless jerk of a boyfriend again. He had cheated on her for the umpteenth time and each time she had forgiven him. This time was the last straw. He listened as she sobbed, and didn’t flinch when she laid her head on his willing shoulder. They drove on; her voice echoing through the car as the sun rose slowly, igniting the sky, causing it to burst into a passionate mix of orange and yellow.

Adriano stoked the fading photo in his hands, the photo of him and her taken four years ago, smiling cheekily at the camera. He had his arm around her shoulders and her beautiful eyes were twinkling. They looked so happy back then, no worries, no troubles. Just a couple of happy fifteen-year-old kids. He was always there for her, and she for him. He flipped the photo over and instantly missed her again. In her neat cursive handwriting, she had written in a silver marker: For Adriano. Best friends forever! Thanks for being there. Love, Alyssa. He smiled wistfully. If only he had the power to turn back the clock, to have just one more day with her.

Everytime I see your face

Everytime you look my way

It’s like it all falls into place

Everything feels right

Ever since you walked away

It left my life in disarray

All I want is one more day

It’s all I need

Is one more day with you

When the car broke down

We just kept walking along

‘Til we hit this town

There was nothing there at all

But that was all ok

He glanced at her, she had fallen asleep, strands of her black and red hair covering half her face. He smiled. Just looking at her made him smile. He drove the car to the side of the road and drove slower so that he could tuck those strands behind her ear. Her pixie-like face looked so sweet and peaceful and she dozed, her dark eyelashes a stark contrast to her pale skin. He had the urge to kiss her soft, plump lips when she awoke and curved them into a pretty smile. He gave her head a soft pat.

“Hey sleepyhead,” he smirked as she snuggled back onto his shoulder again to sleep. She swatted playfully at him and her eyes shut once more. The car drove on till the middle of a deserted highway. He cursed as the engine died. She awoke one more time and laughed at his stricken expression. Unbuckling their seatbelts, she dragged him out of the car, rubbing her eyes. They began walking straight ahead, making idle chit-chat.

“There’s a sign!” She exclaimed excitedly and ran to the signpost ahead. “Just a few more miles to Denvour! Let’s go!” He caught up with her as they went on walking till they saw the “Welcome to Denvour!” sign. The town looked sparse, with a few kids playing in the streets and ladies doing their shopping. They entered the only café there and perched themselves on stools near the counter.

Adriano thrust the photo into his pocket and got up. He threw his jacket on and grabbed his car keys. It had been two years. Two whole years. He left the house and jumped into the car, revving up the engine and sped off to Denvour.

We spent all our money

On stupid things

But if I look back now

I’d probably give it all away

Just for one more day

One more day with you

Everytime I see your face

Everytime you look my way

It’s like it all falls into place

Everything feels right

Ever since you walked away

It left my life in disarray

All I want is one more day

It’s all I need

Is one more day with you

The shopkeeper placed the shop’s breakfast special before them - an apple pie with a gigantic scoop of ice-cream on it. They stuck their fork into that pie and ate it with relish, fighting over the last tiny piece. She dared him to finish the shop’s recommended apple cider in five seconds. He agreed. He dared her to finish an ice cream sundae in three minutes. She agreed. They went on daring each other to do stupid things. And when the bill finally came, they had barely enough between them to pay for it.

As they stumbled out of the café laughing giddily, she stole a glance at him and caught him looking right back at her. They both blushed and mumbled illegible stuff to cover up.

He was back at the café, back at where they had sat two years ago, staring blankly at the apple pie in silence, watching as the cold ice cream melted and merged with the piping hot apple filling. He missed her. He missed her a lot. She had been his friend for years. Ever since they were in junior high. She was his first friend. And his best friend. It just wasn’t the same without her, he really missed her. He left the money on the counter-top with tips and left.

Now I’m sitting here

Like we used to do

I think about my life

And now there’s nothing I won’t do

Just for one more day

One more day with you

Everytime I see your face

Everytime you look my way

It’s like it all falls into place

Everything feels right

Everytime I hear your name

Everytime I feel the same

It’s like it all falls into place

Everything, everything feels right

When it was time for school again, everything went on normally. She hung out with her friends, he hung out with his. They met up every day after school to walk home together but they never mentioned that embarrassing incident again. They went to the beach every evening, sitting on the rocks and skipped the pebbles over the water, competing with each other. He always won. One day, he promised to meet her there later. She was skipping the pebbles happily when someone dangled a pretty silver locket before her. She looked up and grinned at her best friend.

He stepped behind her and put it on. Brushing her hair away, he leant his chin on her shoulder and whispered into her ear, “I like you, Alyssa. I’ve liked you since forever.” She said nothing and just froze there. She laughed. It sounded cold and empty. “Don’t joke with these things, Adriano. They’re not funny.” He stared at her in confusion. She shrugged off the hands he had placed on her hips and yanked the locket off. She got up and raised her arm back. He scrambled to his feet too and grabbed her waist, holding her close.

“Why?” He asked. She merely shoved him aside and threw the locket into the horizon. They watched as it made a splash when it entered the water. She walked away. He didn’t follow.

And now he regretted it. But it was too late. Adriano picked up a pebble and flung it out. He took the photo out and caressed it gently. He never meant to make her leave. He never meant to make her upset but he knew it was because she didn’t dare to open her heart out to any other guys after what her boyfriend had did to her. And he never chased after her. But she had cut off all contact with him ever since that day and he could no longer find her. All he wanted was to go back in time, to apologize. Just one more day so that he could say sorry, so that he could see her, touch her, hear her again. The high tide was coming in. He let his clothes get wet as the waves washed over him. Something had been washed up next to him. Picking it up, he recognized it immediately. It was the locket she had thrown out that day.

You walked away

Just one more day

It’s all I need

Is one more day with you

He laughed mirthlessly as he tucked it into his pocket along with the photo. Just one more day.

Credits:

Everytime by Simple Plan