Private Conversations -- Part 2: There's So Much Beauty -screen_writer-

The next morning Leslie woke up on the floor of her bathroom. Sleep overtook her at some point during the night – she couldn’t remember when, but was grateful that it did (sleep may have saved her life, she thought). The stiffness in her body was just about unbearable. She hobbled out of her bathroom, and into her room, immediately picking up her phone. She dialed Jimmy, her boyfriend. They met two years earlier on the first day of school, the year she started tenth grade. Jimmy was one grade above her, but shortly after they met, they became inseparable. The two even shared the same birthday; Leslie thought this was one of the reasons they were so close.

She wanted to call him the previous day, but didn’t know how to tell him that she may have cancer. At first she thought she would just see what the test results would be, and then tell him. But after last night she needed to talk to him.

They agreed to meet at the school, on the football field’s bleachers, and a half an hour later they did meet to have their own private conversation. Leslie told Jimmy what she heard from her parent’s bedroom, and how she felt that she was unwanted, and that her whole life with them has been a lie. Finally, she told him about the razorblade, and her intentions.

That’s when Jimmy spoke up, “Killing yourself is not the answer Leslie.” He said, “You told me that you feel unwanted… but I want you to know that that’s not true. I Love You Leslie. And I want to be with you. I really love you.”

“What do you mean?” Leslie asked.

“Just what I said. I love you. I mean, when we first met I liked the way you looked on the outside; I think that’s how all relationships start out. It’s wasn’t love at first… it was just, you know, I thought you were pretty. But that led to me finding out about the person you are, and what on the inside. That’s when I first began to fall in love with you. Then, after that, I started noticing the little things; like the way you laugh, and the way you walk, and the way you turn your head when I call you. And that’s when I knew I loved you. And finally, I fell in love with the unflattering things about you, like your stubbornness, and your loud snoring.” Leslie laughed at that. Jimmy continued, “And when I fell in love with those things… that’s when I knew there was no one else for me. That’s when I knew it was true love… I knew you were the one for me. If you have cancer, your not going to be alone, we’ll work through it together, and we’ll conquer it. But please don’t think you’re unwanted. I want you, and I don’t know what I can do without you.”

Leslie had tears streaming down her face once again, but this time they were tears of joy. She and Jimmy hugged one another tightly. Once their embrace was broken Leslie said, “I don’t snore that loud.”

“Oh, yes you do.” Jimmy joked. The young couple laughed, and hugged again; this time ending the embrace with a kiss. Jimmy spoke, “I want to take you somewhere.”

“Where’s that?”

“I can’t tell you. It’s a surprise.” Jimmy said. He then took Leslie’s hand, and led her down, off the bleachers to the football field. That afternoon Jimmy drove Leslie out to western Maryland.

He pulled off to the side of the road, and got out; Leslie followed by getting out of the passengers side. She joined Jimmy, who was standing in front of the steel barricade that separated the road from a two hundred foot drop. The day was overcast, and threatening rain. The spring air was cool, blowing against Leslie’s face. All Jimmy did was stare out over the steel barricade. Leslie wasn’t sure what was going on until she looked out over the barricade too. What she saw took her breath away.

A beautiful green valley; the green of the grass, and trees was so vibrate it hurt your eyes
Then Jimmy spoke up, “It’s wonderful isn’t it.” Leslie shook her head up and down without bothering to look at him. He continued, “I wanted to bring you out here to remind you that there’s nothing that can ever take away any of the beauty this world has to offer. There’s so much beauty, that no one should ever be so sad that they want to hurt themselves. If anything the sadder you are the more you should notice the beauty. It’s like… you can appreciate it more… you can feel it more. I know from experience. This valley… the clouds in the sky, a church on a hill, whatever you find beauty in… can never be taken away from you. Just remember that.”

Suddenly, an overwhelming feeling of love shot through Leslie, and she took Jimmy into her arms, and gave him the biggest hug of his life. The embrace lasted and lasted.

The tests came back negative, She and Jimmy married, and though Leslie’s relationship with her parents was never the same – she never told them why – the thoughts of suicide were gone. She was angry with herself that she ever thought about suicide. Life is too short as it is, there’s no reason to make it shorter… especially with as much beauty this world has to offer.

THE END.

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