My Bride (An analogy)

-PART ONE-

The touch was not sensual. The holding of hands merely signified that the two were together-inseparable. As it was, the two were engaged, though they had not set a date for the wedding. It had been over a year since Elijah had proposed to Leylah, and each day of it seemed like an eternity. Leylah would often ask how long until the wedding, and Elijah would always answer, "Soon."
When time mattered little, were the days the two spent together. These moments were so few. Elijah was working hard in a faraway city. He would write often, however. Elijah would tell Leylah about the work he was doing, how much he missed her, and the home he was building for the two of them.

Today Elijah had surprised leylah with a a weekend visit. The two walked hand-in-hand through the center of the city's most attractive park, which happened to be just across the street from Leylah's house. As the two walked they discussed wedding plans, old memories, and quite everything else. Too soon they arrived at Leylah's home. Elijah and Leylah stood facing each other just before the door. Behind Leylah, Elijah noticed a light coming through the living-room window. Leylah's father must still be up reading. Leylah's father was very skeptical of Elijah, and he prayed that the man might one day believe in him.
Elijah felt Leylah take his left hand in her right.
"I love you." Leylah sweetly whispered.
Elijah brought her close, and began to comb his fingers through her soft hair.
"I love you too."
Leylah smiled brightly, gave Elijah a soft kiss on the cheek, and said goodnight. Elijah watched as his love walked into the house. He listened to her say hello to her father, and then he began his long walk back home.
As Elijah walked he thought only of Leylah. His thoughts drifted back to the first day he had seen her.
~
It had been a tuesday in first grade. Elijah had sat in the third chair on the left, four rows back. A minute before class had started, Elijah heard someone sit in the desk behind him. He turned and was about to say hello when he discovered that he could not speak. Before him was an angel, gently brushing her heavenly blonde hair from her...
Elijah realized he was staring and quickly turned around. He could not breathe. Should he say hello? He noticed the teacher rising from her desk and knew he had to make up his mind quick. Quickly turning around, he spoke to the angel.
"Hello."
That was the best he could manage. She smiled, and Elijah nearly fainted. He swallowed hard.
"I'm Elijah." He said.
"I like that name. My name is Leylah."
Elijah smiled.
"I like your name too."
~
PART TWO
Leylah laid in bed thinking. She felt as though she had just arrived home from her first date, madly in love. She thought back to grade school.
~
She and Elijah had become such good friends. The relationship did not last long, however, as one day Leylah did not show up at the swings as she always did at the beginning of recess. Poor Elijah waited several minutes, and then spent the rest of recess searching the playground. He called out her name.
"Leylah! Where are you?"
At last, Elijah found her at the basketball court, giggling with her friends as they watched Brock show off with the basketball.
Elijah ran to Leylah out of breath.
"Why weren't you at the swings?"
"I'm sorry." she said. "I decided not to play with you today."
Just as soon as it had began, it was over.
Elijah began homeschooling the very next day, and would not return for a very long time. Throughout the years, Elijah would ride his bike to Leylah's house to see if she wanted to play. She would never answer the door. After this failed, he would send her own friends to tell her that he still wanted to be her friend. In sixth grade, Elijah had asked his best friend, Abe to give Leylah a letter promising that one day they would he would come back to school, and they would renew their friendship.
Abe tried gave Leylah the note. She laughed and tore up the letter after reading it.
"What is his problem?"

PART THREE

Three years later, true to his word, Elijah enrolled back into the school as a freshman. He had instantly become popular. He was funny, kind, and extremely talented. It did not take long before Leylah approached him.
"Maybe we could hang out some day?" Leylah asked one day after school. Elijah turned and looked at his friends behind him. They were the outcast of the school; the gothic, punks, and nerd.
"You are welcome to come with us." Elijah replied.
Leylah rolled her eyes, and walked away.
On the third day of the third month of school, everything changed.
Leylah was at the lowest point of her life. She was popular, sure. But only because of her body. and she had offered it to many lust-hungry men. Elijah had instantly become one of the most popular guy in the school, and Leylah did everything she could to be as different as she could from him. Her latest boyfriend was Josh Core. He was tied with Elijah for being the most popular, and for opposite reasons. Josh was the school bully. On this particular day, school had ended two hours ago. After basketball practice, Josh walked up to Leylah, who was waiting for him. Before Leylah could blink, their bodies were tightly pressed against one another. Josh's hand were just above Leylah's waist, pulling him even tighter against his body. When Elijah came out of the weight room, the two had been making out for some time, and Josh's hand was slowly slipping up Leylah's stomach. Elijah couldn't breathe. He stood...frozen.
"Rescue her!" his heart screamed.
Elijah ran, and swapping away Josh's right hand away, he managed to separate the two. Josh slapped Elijah hard across the face.
"That's a warning."
Elijah nodded, looked at Leylah, then back at Josh.
"And if you ever touch her again, you'll be sorry." Elijah said. "That's a promise."
Josh grabbed Elijah's collar, twisted it slightly, and brought their faces within inches.
"Watch it kid."
Elijah looked behind Josh, noticing four others joining his foe. Josh saw the fear in Elijah's eyes and laughed.
"I get whatever I want man."
Elijah swallowed hard.
"You can't have her."
Josh released Elijah's shirt and punched him hard in the left eye. Elijah staggered back, but did not fall. SMACK! Another blow landed just below Elijah's nose. He fell to the ground.
"Hold him down!" Josh ordered to his friends.
One grabbed Elijah's right arm, another the left, and a third his legs. The fourth only looked on from several feet away. Amazingly, Elijah did not struggle at all. Josh landed kick after kick against Elijah's bleeding, bruising flesh. After having his fill, Josh pointed to the one holding Elijah's feet.
"Finish it."
Elijah was moaning, and could hardly breathe. He looked straight into Leylah's eyes.
"I forgive you."
With that, his eyes rolled back.
Getting up, the third friend landed one final kick to Elijah's ribs. Josh and three of his friends began to walk away.
"You coming?" Josh said the fourth friend, Steven.
Steven couldn't take his eyes off of Elijah.
"He didn't deserve that," was all he could say.
Josh grunted, and went off laughing with his friends.
Leylah ran to Elijah's side, saying so many things at the same time. At last she turned to Steven.
"Go get help" She screamed.
Steven ran off as fast as he could.
Tears soaked Leylah's face. Minutes passed like days.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" she said over and over.
Three minutes later, Steven returned.
"Everyone's gone!"
"It's okay." Elijah said, opening his eyes.
"Elijah?" Leylah gasped.
"Dude. Are you okay?" asked Steven.
"I'm fine." Elijah said, as he began to stand.
"No. Don't stand." Leylah pleaded.
Elijah chuckled.
"It's okay."
The pain was gone. Only the bruises proved the beating. Leylah checked for broken bones, but there were none.
After reassuring Steven several times that he was fine, Steven went home. Elijah smiled at Leylah.
"Let me walk you home."

PART FOUR

A tear fell from Leylah's eye as she recalled that day. Two years later, after the two had been dating for year, she had mustered the courage to ask Elijah why he would do such a thing.
"You needed rescuing."
"But I didn't ask for rescuing." Leylah replied.
"And you'll never need to."
Leylah's eyes narrowed.
"What does that mean?"
Elijah lowered his head, reached in his coat pocket, and slowly removed a gold necklace. Leylah gasped. It was a think gold chain, with a heart pendant made of white gold. Elijah lifted his head and look into Leylah's eyes.
"I know it's not the time yet..." he began as he placed the necklace around her neck. "But this is my promise to you, that one day you will be my bride."
"Aren't you supposed to ask me how I feel about this?"
"Oh no." Elijah said with a wink. "I'm just informing you of a fact."
Leylah couldn't help but giggle.
"I love you Leylah.
Happiness flooded Leylah's entire being, and as the two embraced she softly whispered,
"I love you Elijah."

PART FIVE

Leylah stared into the eyes of the most handsome man in the universe. They were both dressed in white, standing on the beach, holding hands. Leylah had grown up planning her wedding. She had every detail ready before her first boyfriend, but Elijah had planned a surprise wedding. To Leylah's greater surprise, it was so much better than she could have imagined. The ceremony ended just before sunset. And as the sun fell below the horizon, Elijah and his bride rode away to the home he had prepared.

The End.