• "So, what did you have planned for today, Shana? Another trip to the park?"

    This sentence broke the unusual, stifling silence that pervaded the couples' midday excursion. It was awkward and uncomfortable, in the 3 years that they had been dating, Aaron had never seen his girlfriend so... distracted. He watched her in earnest, worry spreading through him like a poison. Something was wrong. She was barely lifting her head, and her normally outgoing, cheery self was concealed beneath her bleak facade.

    "Umm... Aaron?"

    Relieved that the voice he longed for had finally emerged, Aaron turned to face Shana. Still, he could not find her eyes.

    "So you DO have a voice! I was starting to think you'd traded it for legs." Shana smiled wryly at the joke, continuing on for a while without responding. Passing the graffiti that had been the sole decoration on the drab brick wall for longer than either of them could remember, she finally stopped. Drawing a deep breath, she uttered a terrible curse, carried onwards by the wind. The 4 words of darkest magic, a curse that haunts all for many, many days.

    "Aaron," she said, "We need to talk."

    Aaron's heart started to race, and he could feel the adrenaline building in his anxious body, forcing the hair on the back of his neck to stand at attention. Stumbling for what to say, he managed to stutter out "O-oh? What about?" Aaron turned his back on Shana swiftly. He didn't need to look, he didn't want to know, and he didn't really need to ask.

    Shana came towards him slowly, he hadn't cast such a small shadow in a very long time. Letting her hand fall gently on his shoulder, she leaned forward until her whispers could be heard readily, simply stating, "... You don't really need me to tell you. You must already know."

    "No," replied the crestfallen Aaron, "I do need you to tell me. I understand in my head already, but if you don't make it clear my heart won't get the message." Pausing for the shortest eternity, he shrugged off her hand and, taking a step further away, turned to face her. "Please. Tell me."

    "Aaron, I'm breaking up with you." Her words though softly spoken came out callous and sharper than a thousand knives. Looking beyond his damaged pride and broken heart, Aaron saw the truth. Gazing into her deep, blue eyes, Aaron could tell that Shana was fighting back tears. They'd been together for so long, not just as a couple... It was amazing that the eyes of the two had not yet flooded with emotion.

    Aaron shifted his focus, searching no longer her eyes, but the long path they had just walked. The familiar path that had been so comforting to them both, laden with memories that could never be replaced. He recounted all the he could, searching for... something. It turns out, all he was looking for was words. For all he knew, this could be the last time that the star crossed lovers would meet. What is he going to say? Something harsh? Something kind? Memorable? Shana was waiting for a response, that much was clear. Tracing the path of a passing ladybug with his eyes, Aaron finally thought of something. "You can't... You can't dump me. Not here, not now!" His voice carried with it a cruel humor as he spoke.

    "Aaron.... I know it's hard to accept, but it's not easy for me either! Why are you trying to make this more difficult? I just...!"

    Aaron cut her off quickly with a hand gesture. Then, directing Shana's gaze with his finger, he showed her where his insect muse had guided the conversation. "You can't dump me," He announced with ironic chagrin, "because, as you can see - It's against the law. This is a 'No Dumping' zone."