SOPHIE'S CHOICE

I first saw the loneliest boy as he was staring at the ocean. He turned his head towards me, and I noticed his eyes were full of salt and broken shells. We stared at each other for a while, speechless, separated by our languages.
He then slowly opened his arms towards me, to be hugged, to feel loved; to have his lonely heart held from falling into pieces.
Unable to turn around and walk away, I stepped closer to him. I walked towards his withering arms, and that hopeful face glowing like the ocean…
I stopped at arms’ length, and saw my reflection in his exhausted, salty eyes. I cringed, as all I wanted to do was to give him everything he lacked and yearned for… Yet I just couldn’t hold him, for my own hands, clenched at my chest tightly, had been struggling to keep my own heart from falling...

The sun was red with shame as it was leaving. We both faded into darkness shortly after.