“Shush, I don‘t want to say anymore.“
“You don‘t have to.“
An owl hooted on the nearby tree as they lay on the grass and stared up at the stars. His fingers touched hers quietly seeking to give comfort. His hand fell over hers and squeezed. For few more moments, the silence lay like a blanket over them, caressing and lulling them. She turned to face him.
“Hey.“
“Yes?“
“Why are you holding my hand?“
He turned to face her. They lay face to face on the hard grass oblivious to the discomfort. “Why?“
“Because it feels right.“
“Hmm?“
“It feels good when I hold your hand.“
“Oh. Ok.“
The invisible blanket fell over them again. Streetlight reflected on his jet black hair and his eyes gleamed golden brown. She closed her eyes tightly, drinking in the memory. Saving it for later. Obviously it couldn‘t last. She felt a warm hand on her waist, pulling her closer. ‘What is happening?‘, she mused and held back tears that threatened to spill over.
Her face was in the shadows but her hazel brown eyes glinted in the dim light. Her soft black hair fell in waves over her shoulders. ‘Beautiful... But this would never work‘, he told himself. Too beautiful to be trusted. Yet... When those eyes suddenly gleamed with a sheen of tears to come and then hid behind dark lids, dark from many sleepless nights... His hands, his body seemed to develop a mind of its own. He had never felt like protecting someone this way, so intense... And his hand found a way to her waist where it lay like a puzzle piece which had found its other half.
“May I hold you?“, a whispered question he couldn‘t believe was leaving his mouth. A slight rustling of grass and a small, lithe body lay snuggled into his. Finally accepting the bit of comfort he offered.
“The past doesn‘t matter. Let it go, it will be ok.“
Her eyes opened and looked straight at his. Their faces were an inch apart. Suddenly they froze.
She held her breath. He was just a friend.
He held his breath. She was just a friend. Then he lifted his face and kissed her forehead. He sat up and offered his hand.
He touched his lips to her forehead with a feather-light touch that spoke volumes to her. He pushed himself up and offered a hand to pull her up which she dazedly accepted.
They sat on the grass with their blanket of silence wrapped around them comfortably. Their eyes were on a street lamp across the garden from them but seeing something else.
They were in different worlds.
“Let‘s go. It‘s past 11.30“, her soft words shook him from his reverie. Her face bore no signs of sadness of any kind. It was back to the cool, soft features with the hard, dry eyes. The only part that betrayed any sign of fatigue were her dark-rimmed eyes. As he watched, she stood up.
‘Please don‘t betray me‘, she prayed. To him or herself, she wasn‘t sure. She wanted badly to just let go. To let go in his strong, lean arms which would protect her when she was vulnerable. She stood up saying, ‘Let‘s go‘. But that was what she wanted in the least. It would have been a chance to continue to spin the magic of the night. Her eyes were on his broad feet. ‘He has hair on his feet‘, she noted the light sprinkling of dark hair over his feet.
He looked up at her silhouette. She was standing against the light but he thought he could make out a slight trembling. He caught her wrist and said a clear “No. Stay.“
She caught her breath when he caught her wrist and it came out in a rush at his next words, “No. Stay.“
“Why?“
“Because you want to.“
“What?!“
“Because we want to. Stay.“
“No... It‘s...“
“Come. Lie down.“
“I... Ok. Ok. Only for a little while.“
“Half an hour?“
“Fine.“
She sat down and lay back on the grass, her heart thudding. He sat and watched her. She was in the light. Her hair was messed up and pieces of grass stuck in it. Her face was pale making her dark circles look like greyish bruises around her eyes. Her lips were the palest of pinks, almost white. The rise and fall of her chest was too even as though controlled. Her arms were folded and kept on her belly. He couldn‘t take his eyes off this thin wraith-like waif of a friend. He took one small, delicate hand in his rough one and kissed the inside slowly, his eyes on her face. Her breath hitched and she tried to feebly take her hand. He let it go and turned and bent such that he was on top and gazing down at her. Her face registered shock for a moment before her lips curled into a slow smile,“Just what do you think you are doing?“
“Nothing“, he replied and bent his head towards her.
