When You Were Here Before

by Sarah Pegram 

He rested his head on her shoulder as she studied his journal from 10 years ago.The pink exercise book with a collaged cover, phrases that must have meant something at the time, tattered pages and old love letters hidden inside. Maybe it was awkward, having someone read the words and secrets of your sensitive, wallflower 17 year old self. She ran her fingers over the words on each page, and felt her heart breaking as she kept her tears at bay and read on. He was scared, quiet, unsure, dominated. She wanted to cry for the lost boy in the past, the boy that still echoes in the man beside her. She took a deep breath as she set the book aside and rested her head on his. She took his hand and whispered 'I wish I had known you then. I would have been your friend'. She would have saved him.