You and I

She was sitting across from me, talking on the phone. She leaned back and giggled uncontrollably. I like it when she does that. Thank you, whoever it is on the other end. Oh, how I love her laugh. Nothing but music to my ears.

“Think about the places we have seen together,”

I hear the familiar tune playing. Instinctively I brace myself.

“Back when it was just you and I.” I sing along with the song in my head, and breathed a gentle sigh.



Images start flashing through my mind. The time we first met, at school through a mutual friend. Our first date, an awkward but memorable lunch together. Sunsets by the beach. A formal dinner.

“And all the finger tips that touched our hearts and wandered
Where we found the things we have in life.”

We went on many adventures together. We went wherever our imagination would take us. We were perfect for each other. It seemed too good to be true. Who would’ve imagined that the surgeon’s pretty daughter would fall for the kid who grew up with robots?

“But now I wonder where did it go...”

That one night changed our lives forever. The leaves were falling, lit up by the artificial glow of the streetlight. She was wearing jeans and a hoodie; I had a striped shirt and my favorite olive trousers on. Funnily enough, the blotches of red painted a nice pattern across our clothes. I like this shade of red.

“But it's alright.”

I start to notice the pool of red liquid forming on the ground. Wait a minute. No, it’s not alright! I frantically look around for her. She was lying down right beside me, but unconscious.

“ 'Cause I'll be fine as long as I know, ”

I’m here, Sakura. I’m here. Hush now. You’re going to be fine. I got you. I got you. Don’t worry now.

“There are many ways to... ”

I see lights flashing, I hear the blaring sounds. And then the world turned black.

“There are many ways to… ”

To what? What are you trying to tell me?

“There are many ways to change a life.”

What do you mean? I’m sorry, Sakura! It was all my fault. It was my fault. My fault… All my… fault.

“You and I… You and I… You and I…”

I try to open my eyes, but my eyelids are heavy. The bright white lights blind me. Blurrily, I see her lying on a bed beside me. I feel relieved. I reach out my hand to stroke her hair. I feel it between my fingers. It is… rough? And hard? I cannot believe what I am feeling. I close my fist, trying to grab some of her hair. My fist ends up empty.

Slowly I start to come to my senses. No! I continue clawing at the wall in disbelief. No, no, no, no, NO! I rip the cable off of my head and sit straight up. The blank walls of my bedroom stare back at me.

“Dammit!”

Good Morning, Gio.

“Shut up!”

Just that one night ruined everything. And I thought artificial dreams would get rid of nightmares. Well now I get to re-live these half-remembered memories. Why do I even plug in every night?