The Sweetest Smile On Earth

According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary – Ninth Edition, a smile bears the following definition; relaxing the features into a pleased or kind or gently sceptical expression or a forced imitation of these, usually with the lips parted and the corners of the mouth turned up.

Well, in my opinion, a smile is a plain but incomparable gesture. Sometimes, when you smile, you might just be making someone’s day a little endurable.

I know someone whose smile always cheers me up, even when I’m already, well, up. I’ll constantly remember her; she was always around for me. She was a friend that helped me through my troubled times. She was an adviser when I needed one.

But most of all, she was just – there.

Then, it happened. We were at school at that time, both busy trying to study for the impending test. As usual, I was distracted by a series of joyful (yet futile) day-dreaming. Something my mathematics teacher evidently didn’t approve of.

“Mr. Hariz Amir!”

I was (crudely) brought back to earth by the firm drawl of my teacher’s voice.

“Y- yes?” Uncertainty was creeping onto me as I was taken by surprise.

“Since you were so busy pondering on the question that I gave, can you please tell us your answer?”

“I – I – um – It is …” I answered nervously. I tried winging it, but nothing came into my mind.

“Psst – here,” ‘she’ whispered from somewhere beside me as she pushed a piece of paper closer so that I could see the answer she wrote down on one corner.

“It’s – um – y = 6x + 1, ma’am,” I replied.

She, my teacher, raised an eyebrow, clearly bewildered.

“Well - that’s correct. Keep it up, then,” she turned back to the blackboard.

I let out a sigh of relief before turning to thank ‘her’. I froze. She was smiling warmly (my heart skipped) for a moment before frowning.

“Hariz, please study. The test is the day after tomorrow and you still have your head in the clouds? Sometimes, I just … argh!”

“Hey – relax, will you? It’s just a test!”

She rolled her eyes.

“That was what you said last time!” and jotted down her notes

“Em – Pumpkin?” I said, teasingly.

She looked up and just glowered at me.

“Can you wait for me at the usual place after school? I need you to tutor me on this bit about valence electron. Please?”

She continued jotting for a while before saying, without even looking up, “Okay.”

-----

She will kill me! I forgot I was on duty today. I just hope she’s still waiting for me!
I ran out of the main gates as fast as I could. My eyes immediately darted towards a corner where we were suppose to meet. I wanted to see her so badly that I oblivious to my surrounding.

Then -

I saw her bag. I jogged, panting all the way, (I had to clean the whole classroom! *Sigh*) towards where it was leaning, neatly on the curb of the sidewalk. She must have gone to buy ice-cream or something. I turned to a corner where the vendor usually was, and only then did I notice that a crowd was gathering there.

I rushed quickly to join in the commotion (probably another fight over some girl). When I got there, I asked the nearest guy (or was it a girl?) what had happened.

“There was an accident. A girl got hit by a car.”

At that moment, my mind was engulfed with fear. I pushed myself to get a better view at the scene, all the while praying to God that it wasn’t her.

What I saw would haunt me for the rest of my days.

Blood was everywhere. I arrived in time to see a couple of paramedics loading a pale, lifeless figure onto the ambulance. I didn’t see the face, though. Amidst all the blood, I could make out a small, white handkerchief.

It was hers. I recognized it because I gave it to her as an anniversary present last month.
I dropped the books I was holding. The notes that she’d borrowed me scattered on the tarred-road as the wind swept it away.

I took a minute or two before it finally dawned to me. I was never going to see her again.

I felt my eyes water involuntarily.

I shall never see that cute, innocent smile of hers. Then, someone pushed the ambulance door closed with a loud thump. I looked up to see her (although her uniform was smeared with blood) standing there as the sirens of the ambulance blared and it went on its way.

She followed the ambulance progress. When it was no longer in view, she turned.
She noticed me and smiled as she walked slowly towards me, pausing just to pick up her handkerchief.

“Sorry about the handkerchief. It was the only thing I could use to stop the girl’s bleeding. Honestly, the others just stood there like stupid idiots.”

I was still in shock to say anything.

“Are you alright? You look a little pale,” she asked, concerned.

A few moments later, I found my voice.

“I – I’m just glad your safe.”

She smiled again, even more broadly this time. To me, it was the sweetest smile on Earth.

by
WWizard/2005