Light travels faster than sound.

A second before the explosion, her face reflected the dull lavender glow of the fireworks which set the sky alight. The night was warm, unusually so for a November evening. She was close. She was so close- I could feel her electric soul shocking my skin through my silk shirt.

I stood up, breaking the static connection and shuffled further into the shade of the Wisteria tree. Leaning against the rough trunk, I craned my neck and stared at the sky. My view was constricted by the waterfall of precious petals; they formed frames for a hundred different scenes of splitting colours. Red, dark blue, forest green. Masterpieces!

She turned her head to look at me when the sky fell silent. Her eyes twinkled and her lips quivered. As she opened her mouth to speak, more beautiful bullets struck the heavens; her words hid- entangled within the sound of the blasts. She closed the distance between us, small, dry branches crunching under her boots with every step.

“I’m sure you weren’t able to hear what I just said,” she smiled, wrapping her arms around my neck.

“Yes, but I still know what you said. I love you, too.”

She laughed, the sound dancing through my ears to my heart.

“How did you-?”

“Light travels faster than sound.”