Everyone says that it takes a special, independent, strong woman to date a marine. For thinking it
would be easy would be foolish and delirious, like tricking your mind into webs of lies so deep there is
no escape. Everyone said that they would come home safe as heroes, but to prepare for the worst
possible scenario. He was my angel though, he saved me from my darkest points of life, he would have
to come home safe and I would prove to everyone they were wrong. As my fingers grasped the
envelope tightly my palms began to sweat and my heart started to rapidly beat, faster, quicker, beat
after beat. I knew in my gut that felt twisted with nervous butterflies that this single sheet made from a
tree would change my world. My fingers vigorously opened the letter which held his information my blue
ocean like eyes skimmed each section date, birthday, height, weight, and something much more serious.
Sundays were like any other Sunday in his family. They were early, full of loud buzzer noises
and kids screaming from one end of the court to the other. The bouncing of the basketball was almost
like the sound of a heartbeat getting faster and thumping at a pace. The buzzer never failed to make me
jump and hit back down against the oak bleachers. Looking around I met eyes with the man who could
only manage to make me grin from one side of the cheek to the other in any situation. He was the man I
wanted to marry, the one I held close to my heart, and the one who rushed through my thoughts like a
million of bees rushing to produce honey. A new yet, exciting chapter in my life which he created.
This chapter ran through my mind till I realized the game was over and I found myself in his green old
pick up truck. Staring out the window I tried to listen as he told me he enlisted for the marines. He
explained that he had this dream ever since he was eight years old and finding an old essay he wrote
was nothing less than a coincidence and sign from god. Each word he said felt like it lasted longer and
that seconds turned into milliseconds. My cheeks felt like they were burning from emotions and I could
feel the wetness of the tears as if rain falling on them. Anger arouse in my soul and I could feel my
heartbeat slow down. I had to save him, I had to do anything possible to keep him from getting hurt.
That day I got home I grabbed the scissors from the drawer messily I started cutting each lock of hair
falling down beneath me towards my feet. I washed away the makeup, grabbing a baggy sweatshirt, put
on a pair of his sweats he had left behind and grabbed his I.D. knowing today was the day he was
deploying I was going to take the biggest risk of my life for him. Soon I found myself approaching
security hoping they wouldn’t make me go in the full body scanner and realize I was not him, but instead
I was me. It felt as if all eyes were peering on me and I began to grow anxious as I went through the
metal detector. The officer asked me to step aside because there seemed to be a problem. Looking
around I spotted the different exits in case of the need to escape.
The officer grabbed my bag and took out all of my stuff asking where I was headed. I tried the deepest
voice I possibly could and replied politely Afghanistan. Handing back my stuff he thanked me for my
service and as grabbing my bag I ran towards my flight.
Sitting by the window had always been my favorite not because I had to make everyone move just so
I could use the bathroom, but because I felt like it was the closest feeling to flying. Taking off I felt my
stomach jump into my throat and my ears beginning to pop. The older lady whose hair was as white as
a fox in winter, eyes as green as the leafs you see in the summer sun, and outfit fit for spring made
conversation with me about her grand kids. I listened and took every little detail in until I felt the plane
shake furiously. Everyone making eye contact with panic helped children around them and others get
fastened. This didn’t scare me I was used to turbulence from the summer trip I took to Maine so I
reassured others around me with this story. The plane shook again this time rougher and started falling
fast I remember the lights for the safety belt, the screaming of children, the phone calls trying to be made
to loved one. Yet, I reminded myself that this was the closest feeling I had to flying. The crash was
sudden the people around me flying up to the ceiling, others hanging from the seat belts, I started to feel
a pain in my chest. A piece of metal had landed perfectly into my heart keeping me to the seat. Tears
not from the pain of the metal, but the pain of never seeing his face again was the true meaning of a
broken heart. White spots started to form in my vision as I felt my breathing get slower I grabbed his
I.D. and kissed it as if kissing him goodbye for the last time.
My eyes began to open back up and I was laying on my back. There was a clock ticking behind me, a
t.v blaring with news reports, and my dog scratching against the back door. As I got up slowly my body
felt like it was stung by wasps, my eyes swollen were burning, my heart felt as if stabbed. Realization
finally kicked in when my emotions and thoughts became one. I was in my home again. It must’ve just
been a nightmare nothing more than that I thought to myself. hearing something hit the kitchen floor
startled I looked around. There was a piece of paper lying there, as I crept up towards it I felt a rush of
emotions. My hands began to shake when I skimmed it with my blue ocean eyes each section. Date,
birthday, date of birth, and reason of death, He had gotten on his plane to go to Afghanistan on the way
the planes engine fell off causing his plane to crash. The only words I could murmur was goodbye my
marine.