It's true forgetting your first kiss, especially one so raw, so tender, and so deeply emotional, is almost impossible.
Day and night, it played over and over in my mind like a memory set on loop.
The way his lips moved against mine, unhurried yet intense… his eyes closed like he was holding on to something sacred.
And then his right hand.slow, searching tracing along my back, sliding to my waist, his grip tightening just enough to make me feel claimed.
His murmurs still echoed in my ears, low and breathy:
"Huuhmm... uhhh... Queen... Que... ahhh... uhhh, ahhh... tama na... ahhh, Quee...,uhmmmmm,ahh,ahhhhhhhhh,Qu....e....e......nnnnnnnnnn, I love you baby. Hold me tight baby........"
It was as if my body remembered more clearly than my thoughts. Every sigh, every whisper, every touch it lingered.
Then came the knock, soft but grounding.
"Wake up, dear. Get ready so we don't miss the Mass," my mother called gently through the door.
"It's your graduation today."
Reality had arrived.
I sat up slowly, blinking away the haze of sleep.
For a moment, I couldn't tell if it had all been real or just a vivid dream. My heart hoped it was real. And deep down, I hoped he would show up today to see me walk the stage, to be proud of me.
After the Mass ended, I scanned the crowd, my eyes searching. Instead, I saw Lisa making her way toward me.
"Hi, Lisa," I greeted.
"Queen…" she said with a warm smile, reaching for my hand. I smiled back, but my mind was still elsewhere wondering if he was thinking of me too.
"Hello, Lisa. How are you?" I asked softly.
Lisa handed me a small paper bag, her smile turning a little more mysterious.
"Mike asked me to give this to you."
My breath caught. I took the bag gently and peeked inside.
There was a white envelope and a small black velvet box nestled at the bottom.
The graduation ceremony had already begun, so I held back the urge to open it right away and carefully set it aside.
After the speeches, the applause, and the awarding of honors first honorable mention for me my mother and I walked home quietly. She was beaming with pride, and seeing her that happy made my heart swell, even if part of me still ached with longing.
When we reached home, I went straight to my room and opened the envelope. Inside was a handwritten letter:
"Dear Queen, babe... wherever I go, I will never forget you. I will never fall in love with anyone else. I love you, and I want to love you forever. I'll be back. Promise, babe, I'll come back for you. I hope that when we meet again, you're wearing the ring."
" I love you.
Mike."
Tears silently rolled down my cheeks as I finished reading.
I didn't understand why he left so suddenly, or where he was going. No warning, no explanation just a note, a ring, and the echo of his last kiss.
But deep down, even through the confusion and ache in my chest, I whispered to the quiet room,
"Yes, I'll wait for you to come back, Mike."
Then, with trembling fingers, I opened the little black box. Inside was a delicate ring with a half-heart design. Simple… but meaningful.
The ring was beautifully crafted, small but striking. It shimmered softly under the light, shaped like half of a heart waiting to be whole.
Along the curve of the heart, my name, "Queen," was delicately engraved in an elegant script, becoming part of the design itself.
The fine detailing made it clear that this wasn't just any ring it was made with thought, care, and deep love.
A symbol of love, of promise, and of something unfinished yet unbroken.
I slid it onto my middle finger, closed my eyes, and held it to my chest.
A promise… sealed in silence.