“Phoenix.”
Raven whispered her name and she automatically turned and let out a triumphant lopsided grin, “I hate you.”, she announced while looking straight into his eyes that never looked away.
“You don‘t.”, he grinned back and was deeply amazed at the sudden change in her mood. Such a tease.
She frowned. With a bored expression on her face, she spoke, “What are you doing?”
“I’m looking at you.”
“Hmmn.”
“I can’t look away.” he hopelessly whispered.
“You’re a bastard.” she childishly blurted out, her head tilted to one side.
“You look beautiful.”
“Jerk.”
“I can’t look away.”
“How about you look at your girlfriend instead?.”, she wittingly suggested.
He smiled a broken smile.
Phoenix arched an eyebrow, “You‘re not going to say anything?”
“What I wouldn’t give to want to look at her instead of you.”
She let out a naughty chuckle and started to touch the collar of his suit, “You are one corny man Raven.”
“Hmmmn.”
Phoenix looked up at him playfully, “Stop looking at me.”
“Why?”
“Because you might do something we’ll both regret later.” she whispered right next to his left ear as she pulled on his collar. Raven felt a course of heat pass through his skin.
“Will you stop me if I do?” he whispered as she casually ran her fingers across his nape.
She pulled away a few inches from him and smiled sweetly, “No.”
“Why not?”
“I dunno, because I don‘t want to?” she inquired gingerly.
Raven slowly pulled her into his arms and stared at her with a passion that mirrored his own.
“I‘m going to kiss you Phoenix.” he whispered. Then he held her face and trespassed her lips into a soft, gentle kiss. She sighed and put her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer by her waist. The kiss deepened, and his lips coaxed her innocence into kissing him back - and she followed. It went deeper, enflamed by the emotions that raged inside their beings. She moaned as Raven’s lips continued to weave it’s own magic. He lifted her and lay her atop the table that stood a few feet away from them. He grunted as she impulsively pulled his hair as he grazed butterfly kisses along the side of her neck. Then he went back to her lips and planted soft kisses that calmed them both down.
The faint sound of the piano echoed as Raven helped Phoenix to her feet, fixing her cocktail dress that got folded in some places. She was breathing deeply, and she was shaking, so Raven smiled ever so softly and held her. And he felt her regain her balance and sense of time and space as she strongly pushed him away and took a few steps back.
“You‘ve never been kissed before.” he said.
Phoenix looked at him in her usual confidence, “You’re an asshole.”
“Maybe.”, he whispered.
She sighed dramatically and stared back at him, “This won‘t happen again.”
“Keep telling yourself that honey.”
She pouted, “Collin is a good man.”
“You mean Mr. Young and boring who you were dancing with?”
“You‘re mean.”
“I‘m honest.”
Phoenix raised her arms in surrender, Raven laughed.
“But he is a good man. He‘s perfect.”, she insisted half-heartedly.
“But I‘m not him. Just as you are not Tamara. And she‘s just as good as Collin is.”
“Evil.”, she sneered.
“I‘m honest.” he quipped.
“Hey, you‘re here.” they both turned towards the direction of the voice and saw a sleepy Tamara with her friends and Marcus and Jessie - who smiled at Phoenix warmly.
“That‘s right, you‘re here.”, Marcus blurted out meaningfully as he discretely stole a look towards Phoenix’s direction.
“Get lost.” he mumbled.
Tamara came to him with a hug and entwined their hands together. “Let‘s go home. I‘m getting a little sleepy.”
“Sure.”, he whispered and looked at Phoenix who watched with amusement in her pretty face.
She pouted, turned her head into the dance hall and back at him, “Goodbye Raven.”
He smiled dramatically. “You look beautiful tonight Phoenix.”
She chuckled beautifully and with a grin, she whispered, “I always do.” Then she waved coyly at all the others and walked away.
They said angels walk the earth.
Watching Phoenix walk away, the hem of her gown trailing behind her ever so beautifully, Raven believed in the ‘angels walk the earth’ bullshit.
But somehow, he was convinced that this angel hid a tail.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Chapter 5: Waltz and Bossa (part 1)
Tamara woke up to a kiss and a gentle nibble at her lobe. She moaned sleepily and with eyes closed, pulled Raven to her chest and sweetly swept her hands through his hair. He chuckled, pulled away and gathered her into his arms.
“Sleepy head.” he whispered to her ear and kissed her slowly until they were both out of breath.
He saw her smile contentedly, and then she opened her eyes, looking straight into his, “I love you.”
“I love you too.”, he whispered and they lay there, in the warmth of each other’s arms, totally unaware of the world outside as it went on busily, chasing time and wasting money.
Love and life - such sweet irony.
+
Phoenix woke up - not to a kiss or to a hug - but to the blares of her alarm clock as it selfishly filled her room. Her right hand swung automatically by her bedside table and swiftly shut the screaming mechanism up. With a yawn, she stood up floating, and walked to the sink without her slippers to brush her teeth. Then, she walked back to her room, got her dear old basket of shampoos and soaps with her to her journey to the bathroom. The water was cold, but she didn’t mind. It was going to be another day in her oh so colorful life.
And though she was too proud to admit it, there really is the ‘bored, single and lonely’ part.
+
“Oh my goodness, I think I broke my back.” Tamara groaned as she dropped the boxes full of papers, paint and decorations for the upcoming ball and sat on one of the bleachers.
“Where‘s your dear, sweet boyfriend Tammy?”, Kylie asked and sat beside her, in front of all the scattered gigantic boxes and Styrofoam letters.
“Class.”, she smiled automatically at the thought of Raven arguing passionately about his dear old Philosophy. If his students only knew what she knew about him, they’d probably get jealous of everything she ever learned under the hands, eyes, lips and body of that man - in and out of the sheets. She giggled unconsciously and laid her head by her friend’s shoulder which began to shake with joyous laughter.
“Well, am I glad you found your prince.”
Tamara sighed and smiled at Kylie, her eyes sparkled with happiness, “So am I Kylie, so am I.”
+
Raven looked up from the book he was reading to see a laughing Phoenix who walked to the ice cream stand with her usual crowd of interestingly different people that formed a surprisingly strong bond of friendship. Suddenly the world wasn’t so boring anymore and a lopsided smile lit up his face. There was something raging underneath, but he was too honorable to acknowledge it - and the truth is, so was Phoenix.
She looked at his direction and caught him watching her. She smiled and turned back to her friends who continuously changed their flavors of ice cream. The sudden erratic beating of her heart was drowned in her silence, kept from the world that she chose to love, or hate.
She would, she could.
But she was too proud to care. And so was Raven - who remembered Tamara and the kisses they’ve shared. He frowned, and went back to reading his book, as his mind and heart spiraled into two different directions.
“Cupid is such a tease.” he grunted.
+
It was the annual college ball, where all the freshmen were to come and get acquainted with all the others. They came in cocktail dresses and gowns of chiffon and silk. The young men wore tuxedos innovated in many ways. Some never came - it was all too corny: at least for them.
“Hey.”, Raven held Tamara’s waist from behind and kissed her exposed shoulder.
She turned and fixed the folds of his tuxedo, “No need for crappy bull my love, I‘m already yours remember?” she playfully said. Raven laughed and wrinkled his nose.
They stood there and watched the dance floor get filled by friends and couples. The stereos sang love songs in Bossa, and the moon that shone majestically heightened the feeling of romance.
Feeling light and bubbly, she turned to face her boyfriend and smiled sweetly, holding out one hand, “May I have this dance?”
Raven laughed for the second time that night and gamely took her hand, “My pleasure.”
+
They waltzed in sweet surrender. Tamara contentedly laid her head on Raven’s chest as he held her in gentle possession, and closed her eyes. In silence, they took in the beauty of the moment and listened to the lyric of the song.
“you give your hand to me
and then you say hello
and I can hardly speak
my heart was beating so
and then oh I can tell
you think you know me well
but you don’t know me”
The air seemed to change as Raven turned and faced a different direction as they danced. He raised his eyes and was taken by the beautiful face of the very same girl he unconsciously searched for as he arrived two hours ago. She danced with a young man just about her age. She had her arms around his shoulders and his hands were around her waist. He watched the way she smiled lazily and whispered something into her partner’s ear who chuckled lightly and freely stared at her face with a soft expression on his young and handsome face.
“no u don’t know the one
who dreams of you at night
and longs to kiss your lips
longs to hold u tight
oh I am just a friend
that’s all I’ve ever been
coz u don’t know me”
And then she tilted her head, and their gazes locked. The crowds disappeared and they stood there, trapped in the arms of someone else and somebody.
“I never knew the art of making love
afraid and shy I let my chance go by
the chance that you might love me too.”
She sadly smiled at him. Her eyes briefly grazed through the arms that held him.
“you give your hand to me
and then you say goodbye
I watch you walk away
beside a lucky girl
oh you will never know
the one who loves you so
well you don’t know me”
He smiled the same sad smile as he deeply stared into her eyes that glistened ever so slightly as she held back the tears. Their eyes locked in silenced passion, they danced in somebody else’s and someone’s arms. Until she released the breath that started to grip her chest, broke the connection and politely excused herself from the floor. Her partner nodded and dreamily looked at her as she walked away, her heels clucked in rhythm as she breezed through the crowds.
“Raven?” Tamara gently patted him on his arm, “are you alright?”
He turned his eyes to her, “I am perfectly finr honey.”
She nodded and smiled. “You sure? You looked a little pale.”
He chuckled, “I‘m alright. Just… I should get some air I guess.”
“Want me to come with you?”
“No, no. Don‘t let me ruin this night for you. Go have fun with Kylie, she‘s waving at you see?”, he softly said and pointed to Kylie who excitedly waved at Tamara and him.
Tamara let out a little laugh, kissed him and said, “Ok. I‘ll be right at our table.”
Raven nodded and stayed for a moment. Once Tamara has settled in her seat, he turned towards the direction Phoenix ran off too. He needed to see her.
He wanted to.
“Sleepy head.” he whispered to her ear and kissed her slowly until they were both out of breath.
He saw her smile contentedly, and then she opened her eyes, looking straight into his, “I love you.”
“I love you too.”, he whispered and they lay there, in the warmth of each other’s arms, totally unaware of the world outside as it went on busily, chasing time and wasting money.
Love and life - such sweet irony.
+
Phoenix woke up - not to a kiss or to a hug - but to the blares of her alarm clock as it selfishly filled her room. Her right hand swung automatically by her bedside table and swiftly shut the screaming mechanism up. With a yawn, she stood up floating, and walked to the sink without her slippers to brush her teeth. Then, she walked back to her room, got her dear old basket of shampoos and soaps with her to her journey to the bathroom. The water was cold, but she didn’t mind. It was going to be another day in her oh so colorful life.
And though she was too proud to admit it, there really is the ‘bored, single and lonely’ part.
+
“Oh my goodness, I think I broke my back.” Tamara groaned as she dropped the boxes full of papers, paint and decorations for the upcoming ball and sat on one of the bleachers.
“Where‘s your dear, sweet boyfriend Tammy?”, Kylie asked and sat beside her, in front of all the scattered gigantic boxes and Styrofoam letters.
“Class.”, she smiled automatically at the thought of Raven arguing passionately about his dear old Philosophy. If his students only knew what she knew about him, they’d probably get jealous of everything she ever learned under the hands, eyes, lips and body of that man - in and out of the sheets. She giggled unconsciously and laid her head by her friend’s shoulder which began to shake with joyous laughter.
“Well, am I glad you found your prince.”
Tamara sighed and smiled at Kylie, her eyes sparkled with happiness, “So am I Kylie, so am I.”
+
Raven looked up from the book he was reading to see a laughing Phoenix who walked to the ice cream stand with her usual crowd of interestingly different people that formed a surprisingly strong bond of friendship. Suddenly the world wasn’t so boring anymore and a lopsided smile lit up his face. There was something raging underneath, but he was too honorable to acknowledge it - and the truth is, so was Phoenix.
She looked at his direction and caught him watching her. She smiled and turned back to her friends who continuously changed their flavors of ice cream. The sudden erratic beating of her heart was drowned in her silence, kept from the world that she chose to love, or hate.
She would, she could.
But she was too proud to care. And so was Raven - who remembered Tamara and the kisses they’ve shared. He frowned, and went back to reading his book, as his mind and heart spiraled into two different directions.
“Cupid is such a tease.” he grunted.
+
It was the annual college ball, where all the freshmen were to come and get acquainted with all the others. They came in cocktail dresses and gowns of chiffon and silk. The young men wore tuxedos innovated in many ways. Some never came - it was all too corny: at least for them.
“Hey.”, Raven held Tamara’s waist from behind and kissed her exposed shoulder.
She turned and fixed the folds of his tuxedo, “No need for crappy bull my love, I‘m already yours remember?” she playfully said. Raven laughed and wrinkled his nose.
They stood there and watched the dance floor get filled by friends and couples. The stereos sang love songs in Bossa, and the moon that shone majestically heightened the feeling of romance.
Feeling light and bubbly, she turned to face her boyfriend and smiled sweetly, holding out one hand, “May I have this dance?”
Raven laughed for the second time that night and gamely took her hand, “My pleasure.”
+
They waltzed in sweet surrender. Tamara contentedly laid her head on Raven’s chest as he held her in gentle possession, and closed her eyes. In silence, they took in the beauty of the moment and listened to the lyric of the song.
“you give your hand to me
and then you say hello
and I can hardly speak
my heart was beating so
and then oh I can tell
you think you know me well
but you don’t know me”
The air seemed to change as Raven turned and faced a different direction as they danced. He raised his eyes and was taken by the beautiful face of the very same girl he unconsciously searched for as he arrived two hours ago. She danced with a young man just about her age. She had her arms around his shoulders and his hands were around her waist. He watched the way she smiled lazily and whispered something into her partner’s ear who chuckled lightly and freely stared at her face with a soft expression on his young and handsome face.
“no u don’t know the one
who dreams of you at night
and longs to kiss your lips
longs to hold u tight
oh I am just a friend
that’s all I’ve ever been
coz u don’t know me”
And then she tilted her head, and their gazes locked. The crowds disappeared and they stood there, trapped in the arms of someone else and somebody.
“I never knew the art of making love
afraid and shy I let my chance go by
the chance that you might love me too.”
She sadly smiled at him. Her eyes briefly grazed through the arms that held him.
“you give your hand to me
and then you say goodbye
I watch you walk away
beside a lucky girl
oh you will never know
the one who loves you so
well you don’t know me”
He smiled the same sad smile as he deeply stared into her eyes that glistened ever so slightly as she held back the tears. Their eyes locked in silenced passion, they danced in somebody else’s and someone’s arms. Until she released the breath that started to grip her chest, broke the connection and politely excused herself from the floor. Her partner nodded and dreamily looked at her as she walked away, her heels clucked in rhythm as she breezed through the crowds.
“Raven?” Tamara gently patted him on his arm, “are you alright?”
He turned his eyes to her, “I am perfectly finr honey.”
She nodded and smiled. “You sure? You looked a little pale.”
He chuckled, “I‘m alright. Just… I should get some air I guess.”
“Want me to come with you?”
“No, no. Don‘t let me ruin this night for you. Go have fun with Kylie, she‘s waving at you see?”, he softly said and pointed to Kylie who excitedly waved at Tamara and him.
Tamara let out a little laugh, kissed him and said, “Ok. I‘ll be right at our table.”
Raven nodded and stayed for a moment. Once Tamara has settled in her seat, he turned towards the direction Phoenix ran off too. He needed to see her.
He wanted to.
Chapter 4: Smart, sweet.. Captivatingly Sarcastic
The rush of footsteps fills the now crowded halls as college students poured in from all directions. Phoenix sat in observance by the foot of the stairs by the entrance, glancing at her watch that ticked away endlessly. She found things rather interesting, how these students and crowds moved and breezed away like the whole world was but their own. The youth of their age has kept them thinking that life was theirs alone, that somehow, what they held now was everything. All the little things they loved to do, oh how foolish young minds could think. But even the old and the learned chase things that existed only in an abstract universe and confuse themselves a lot by the multitude of lessons that their age has brought. How interesting indeed.
Phoenix smiled and thought, “What would these people do if the world was to end tomorrow?”
“Interesting yeah?”, a familiar voice came behind her ear and she abruptly turned to that direction to find herself staring straight into Raven’s eyes that lit up with tenderness as they stared at each other for no certain reason at all. She chuckled at the simplicity of the moment and looked away.
“Interesting.”, she whispered and accepted her professor’s hand that helped her stand up. She smiled at him and turned her head to look over Raven’s shoulder. She raised an inquiring brow, “Aren‘t you with them?”
Them. “Them” was the usual group of faculty and tourism students that went with him to go somewhere. Tourism students who happened to be three girls, one of who was his girlfriend - the short haired, somehow tall girl who now looked at Phoenix and Raven with an impatient look on her face. And then she turned away and stood there with “them”, waiting for Raven to catch up. “Uh, yeah.” Raven answered a little uncomfortably.
Phoenix tried to hide the smile that lazily crept up her lips, she tried but failed. “I thought the mice only played when the cat was away?”
Raven chuckled. Put his hands inside both his pockets and gazed briefly at Tamara who clucked her shoes on the pavement irritatingly as she glanced at her boyfriend and Phoenix chat casually by the stairs with silly smiles on their faces. “The mice isn’t playing.”, Raven said with a hint of uncertainty as he watched Phoenix’s lips curve a little more into a smile that sent shivers and waves of anonymous emotions that made him nervous.
“What?” Phoenix asked blankly, her enigmatic smile in place.
“That smile you‘re wearing right now. It’s a little too..,” Raven started and felt the urge to alert his defenses as he finished his sentence with the very word that betrayed his secrecy into escape, “dangerous.”
Phoenix chuckled and looked at her professor’s dear girlfriend who was now desperately trying to look alright and that she didn’t mind at all by talking and laughing with the “company” her boyfriend left her with.
“Dangerous eh?” she quipped and looked straight into Raven’s eyes and playfully said: “Goodbye Raven.”
He looked back at her, disbelief passed his eyes briefly. With a grin, he spoke, “Take care Phoenix.”
She nodded, adjusted her sheer dress, and walked pass him. With easy steps she crossed the distance, and gave a little smile as Tamara and the others looked at her as she walked pass them. Raven watched in amusement at the confidence he never thought could be successfully pulled off by a seventeen year old with a face that fooled you into believing that he is an angel, or that she is an impending evil that crushed the weak. Maybe she was, or she wasn’t. Maybe she was both. Raven didn’t know yet of course, but something tells him it was going to be one heck of a ride to revelations.
Phoenix was no ordinary girl,
Smart, sweet, captivatingly sarcastic…
He chuckled lightly and walked towards Marcus, Dana, Kylie and Tamara who walked ahead of him without a word. Marcus looked at him teasingly and grinned as he whispered, “Way to go Raven. You are such a lady killer.”
“I didn‘t do anything.” He innocently whispered back, looking at Tamara with her girls who now entered the café with him and Marcus in tow.
“Really?”
“No.”
“Honest aren‘t we?”
Raven just grinned as he hurried to Tamara and put an arm around her shoulders, “Hey.”
Tamara looked away and sighed, “I hate you sometimes.”
“I know.”, he softly said and kissed the top of her head.
“But I love you too much to hate you.” she whispered.
“I know that too.” he raised her face and planted a kiss that lasted 10 seconds. Tamara buried her face into his chest and wrapped her arms along his waist. Raven looked up and saw Marcus shake his head in disbelief and mouthed the words: ‘evil git’.
Later, after he drove Tamara to her apartment, he went back to the university and fetched Marcus who waited by the entrance.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Raven blurted out, catching the contorted, twisted expression on his friend’s face as he looked at him.
“Because you‘re evil.” he jokingly replied.
“I just wanted to console her and make her feel alright.”
“You kissed her.”, this time he sounded disgusted.
“So? She‘s my girl.”, Raven said with a grin.
Marcus chuckled, “Oh I know and that’s totally fine. “
“So what‘s with the look?”, Raven asked and arched an eyebrow.
“That‘s simple Raven, - you kissed her while you were thinking of another girl.” Marcus said a matter-of-factly and let out a triumphant laughter as the car screeched into a sudden halt.
“Marcus!” Raven called his name warningly.
He just laughed.
Phoenix smiled and thought, “What would these people do if the world was to end tomorrow?”
“Interesting yeah?”, a familiar voice came behind her ear and she abruptly turned to that direction to find herself staring straight into Raven’s eyes that lit up with tenderness as they stared at each other for no certain reason at all. She chuckled at the simplicity of the moment and looked away.
“Interesting.”, she whispered and accepted her professor’s hand that helped her stand up. She smiled at him and turned her head to look over Raven’s shoulder. She raised an inquiring brow, “Aren‘t you with them?”
Them. “Them” was the usual group of faculty and tourism students that went with him to go somewhere. Tourism students who happened to be three girls, one of who was his girlfriend - the short haired, somehow tall girl who now looked at Phoenix and Raven with an impatient look on her face. And then she turned away and stood there with “them”, waiting for Raven to catch up. “Uh, yeah.” Raven answered a little uncomfortably.
Phoenix tried to hide the smile that lazily crept up her lips, she tried but failed. “I thought the mice only played when the cat was away?”
Raven chuckled. Put his hands inside both his pockets and gazed briefly at Tamara who clucked her shoes on the pavement irritatingly as she glanced at her boyfriend and Phoenix chat casually by the stairs with silly smiles on their faces. “The mice isn’t playing.”, Raven said with a hint of uncertainty as he watched Phoenix’s lips curve a little more into a smile that sent shivers and waves of anonymous emotions that made him nervous.
“What?” Phoenix asked blankly, her enigmatic smile in place.
“That smile you‘re wearing right now. It’s a little too..,” Raven started and felt the urge to alert his defenses as he finished his sentence with the very word that betrayed his secrecy into escape, “dangerous.”
Phoenix chuckled and looked at her professor’s dear girlfriend who was now desperately trying to look alright and that she didn’t mind at all by talking and laughing with the “company” her boyfriend left her with.
“Dangerous eh?” she quipped and looked straight into Raven’s eyes and playfully said: “Goodbye Raven.”
He looked back at her, disbelief passed his eyes briefly. With a grin, he spoke, “Take care Phoenix.”
She nodded, adjusted her sheer dress, and walked pass him. With easy steps she crossed the distance, and gave a little smile as Tamara and the others looked at her as she walked pass them. Raven watched in amusement at the confidence he never thought could be successfully pulled off by a seventeen year old with a face that fooled you into believing that he is an angel, or that she is an impending evil that crushed the weak. Maybe she was, or she wasn’t. Maybe she was both. Raven didn’t know yet of course, but something tells him it was going to be one heck of a ride to revelations.
Phoenix was no ordinary girl,
Smart, sweet, captivatingly sarcastic…
He chuckled lightly and walked towards Marcus, Dana, Kylie and Tamara who walked ahead of him without a word. Marcus looked at him teasingly and grinned as he whispered, “Way to go Raven. You are such a lady killer.”
“I didn‘t do anything.” He innocently whispered back, looking at Tamara with her girls who now entered the café with him and Marcus in tow.
“Really?”
“No.”
“Honest aren‘t we?”
Raven just grinned as he hurried to Tamara and put an arm around her shoulders, “Hey.”
Tamara looked away and sighed, “I hate you sometimes.”
“I know.”, he softly said and kissed the top of her head.
“But I love you too much to hate you.” she whispered.
“I know that too.” he raised her face and planted a kiss that lasted 10 seconds. Tamara buried her face into his chest and wrapped her arms along his waist. Raven looked up and saw Marcus shake his head in disbelief and mouthed the words: ‘evil git’.
Later, after he drove Tamara to her apartment, he went back to the university and fetched Marcus who waited by the entrance.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Raven blurted out, catching the contorted, twisted expression on his friend’s face as he looked at him.
“Because you‘re evil.” he jokingly replied.
“I just wanted to console her and make her feel alright.”
“You kissed her.”, this time he sounded disgusted.
“So? She‘s my girl.”, Raven said with a grin.
Marcus chuckled, “Oh I know and that’s totally fine. “
“So what‘s with the look?”, Raven asked and arched an eyebrow.
“That‘s simple Raven, - you kissed her while you were thinking of another girl.” Marcus said a matter-of-factly and let out a triumphant laughter as the car screeched into a sudden halt.
“Marcus!” Raven called his name warningly.
He just laughed.
Chapter 3: Disenchanted
The rain splattered violently against the almost empty streets. It was early morning and Phoenix’s radio blared with rhapsodies and sonnets of rock bands that she believed wrote actual poetry. She wore her hair loose - draped along her shoulders. A coat of cherry lip gloss stained her virgin lips, her perfume coated the casual sophistication nature ascribed in her. And she smiled at her reflection in the mirror, then she frowned - realizing that she was going to watch the movies alone.
She looked at the framed photograph that innocently lay atop her dresser, she saw the face of the man she chose to fall in love with.
A blank smile crossed her lips as she gently carried the frame to the trashcan just beside her desk. It was time…
Everything has lost their magic: disenchantment came. And now, the once perfect love has lost its meaning.
Theirs was a boy meets girl story, where the beginning scene was alright. But as the reel ran, promises kept breaking and she was a dream-turned-burden, and he hated her the way she hated him.
“I have problems.”, he scoffed blankly.
“Like what?”, Phoenix asked, the impatience in her face mirrored in his own.
“You‘re one of them.”
Bull. “So now I‘m causing you problems?”, she asked blankly. The pain was gone and she could only laugh at him when he complained of her demands. Suddenly, she was the selfish one who never waited or even cared.
Then he comes back later, repentant and ever so loving. And at first, she gave in. They ran their meaningless play for four damn months, till nothing hurt her anymore - not even the thought of losing him forever.
There was no love, nor hate, nor regret - there was nothing.
And she wondered why it felt so human, to not feel anything at all.
“You wanted to talk?”, he asked.
“I‘m breaking up with you.”, she coolly said, looking straight into his eyes. She watched as he took a deep breath.
“Why?”
“Lies aren’t truths.”
Silence filled the air. Phoenix closed her eyes and took in the rewarding warmth that filled her after she said what she just said.
“Friends?”, she later asked with a genuine smile.
He harshly exhaled, stood up and walked away.
The prince has turned into a toad long before midnight, and she was thankful her first kiss wasn’t stolen by her gorgeously sinful ex. She chuckled as he turned and looked at her intently with his beautiful brown eyes that didn’t make her heart flutter anymore, “Did you ever really love me Phoenix?”
Phoenix crossed her legs and crossed her arms across her midsection, leaning her back more closely to her chair. Her hair ethereally cascaded around her face, highlighting the beauty that made men fall in love with her - the very same beauty that sent them all away. With a smile that made the world fall to its knees, she softly answered, “You never did.”
He once said he wanted to grow old with her in Milan, said he’d take her to Paris and spend nights with her by the sea. Funny. Standing before her own reflection, Phoenix saw the woman that once disappeared into the abyss of a confusion between love and wanting.
Fairytale stories tell us of enchantment and the happiness it brings - the songs, dances and magic wands that fairy godmothers tend to misplace, of glass shoes and dwarves and mirrors that spoke to tell the truth.
But reality teaches us that fairytales exist in parallel, divided and most of the time, dark dimensions of the modern universe and of modern love,
and that disenchantment is sorcery at it’s best.
She looked at the framed photograph that innocently lay atop her dresser, she saw the face of the man she chose to fall in love with.
A blank smile crossed her lips as she gently carried the frame to the trashcan just beside her desk. It was time…
Everything has lost their magic: disenchantment came. And now, the once perfect love has lost its meaning.
Theirs was a boy meets girl story, where the beginning scene was alright. But as the reel ran, promises kept breaking and she was a dream-turned-burden, and he hated her the way she hated him.
“I have problems.”, he scoffed blankly.
“Like what?”, Phoenix asked, the impatience in her face mirrored in his own.
“You‘re one of them.”
Bull. “So now I‘m causing you problems?”, she asked blankly. The pain was gone and she could only laugh at him when he complained of her demands. Suddenly, she was the selfish one who never waited or even cared.
Then he comes back later, repentant and ever so loving. And at first, she gave in. They ran their meaningless play for four damn months, till nothing hurt her anymore - not even the thought of losing him forever.
There was no love, nor hate, nor regret - there was nothing.
And she wondered why it felt so human, to not feel anything at all.
“You wanted to talk?”, he asked.
“I‘m breaking up with you.”, she coolly said, looking straight into his eyes. She watched as he took a deep breath.
“Why?”
“Lies aren’t truths.”
Silence filled the air. Phoenix closed her eyes and took in the rewarding warmth that filled her after she said what she just said.
“Friends?”, she later asked with a genuine smile.
He harshly exhaled, stood up and walked away.
The prince has turned into a toad long before midnight, and she was thankful her first kiss wasn’t stolen by her gorgeously sinful ex. She chuckled as he turned and looked at her intently with his beautiful brown eyes that didn’t make her heart flutter anymore, “Did you ever really love me Phoenix?”
Phoenix crossed her legs and crossed her arms across her midsection, leaning her back more closely to her chair. Her hair ethereally cascaded around her face, highlighting the beauty that made men fall in love with her - the very same beauty that sent them all away. With a smile that made the world fall to its knees, she softly answered, “You never did.”
He once said he wanted to grow old with her in Milan, said he’d take her to Paris and spend nights with her by the sea. Funny. Standing before her own reflection, Phoenix saw the woman that once disappeared into the abyss of a confusion between love and wanting.
Fairytale stories tell us of enchantment and the happiness it brings - the songs, dances and magic wands that fairy godmothers tend to misplace, of glass shoes and dwarves and mirrors that spoke to tell the truth.
But reality teaches us that fairytales exist in parallel, divided and most of the time, dark dimensions of the modern universe and of modern love,
and that disenchantment is sorcery at it’s best.
Chapter 2: Mathematics
Boy stood up, woke up to the sound of her voice. She was calling him. Memories flashed - skin on skin dances burned their little heaven into an inferno. She called him again, he looked up and met her dark eyes. She stood by the doorframe in her underwear and shirt. And her lips bore his name:
“Raven.”
He smiled and walked towards her honeyed skin, “Tamara.”
Girl smiles, hand in hand they walked to the kitchen and shared a breakfast of bacon and eggs. The day has begun.
+
Raven walked with an automatic smile as college students poured in and greeted him good morning. It was warm and sunny; everyone seemed to have the energy for the day. He reached the door of the office and he curiously looked at the mistletoe that hung proud above his head. It was November - the second semester has started and Christmas was to come.
“Hey there Raven.” Marcus greeted as he shuffled with his own pile of class schedules and outlines. They taught Philosophy, and Ethics, Logic, Humanities. It was in one of those classes that he met her. She was his student. And they had their share of odds. Yet time and space switched and they weren’t forbidden anymore.
“Early today yeah?”, he asked. Marcus chuckled.
“My brother‘s alarm clock was blaring and practically woke the whole neighborhood up.”, Marcus grinned and carried his trusty journal. “Where‘s your next class?”
Raven glanced by his schedule, “Franco Building.”
“Better start walking now, it‘s a good thousand steps from here.”, Marcus said - it was the truth. “Anyway, I‘ll be off now then.”
“Don‘t give your students much of a hard time Marcus, it‘s the first day.” He heard Marcus chuckle. He grinned to himself and started to walk the thousand steps.
+
A pair of 40 something eyes looked at him curiously as he walked in and introduced himself. Raven glanced around - his eyes paused however, as he saw a hauntingly familiar face that looked back at him with unmasked lack of interest. She looked back at him and grinned sarcastically before she spoke with a voice that didn’t sound seventeen at all, “How would you define life Sir?”
It was a challenge, and the whole class suddenly fell silent and watched. Raven stared straight into her eyes that glinted with mysterious emotions. He smiled a lopsided smile - remembering where she saw her, by the ice cream stand a few months ago, wearing her uniform. And even Marcus praised how she spoke with a tone and gait that made you wonder if she ever cared about what you said. She looked like someone who listened - and then make you fall to your knees.
Her name was Phoenix Margaux.
“How would you?” he asked back.
Phoenix looked outside the window and smiled at her own reflection that smiled back at her through the glass, “Life is anything we want it to be.”
“Oh?”
She looked back at him and stared straight into his eyes, “Philosophy ‘Raven’, it gives me the right to drill you.”
The class chuckled, and so did he.
“Phoenix?”
“Yes sir?”
“What area of studies do you hate?”
She pouted, “Math.”
“Don‘t we all?” a grinning Peyton said loudly, making them all laugh again, she was one of Phoenix’s friends and she sat beside her.
“Why?”, he asked, addressing them all.
“Because it’s suicide Sir.” John, who sat at the back wittingly exclaimed.
The room was filled with chuckles but Raven threw a questioning look in Phoenix’s way and the whole class was suddenly silenced, watching with keen eyes and alert senses.
“Math has a clear distinction of what’s wrong and what is right. Right is right, wrong is wrong.” she whispered loud enough for everyone to hear. The intensity in her eyes calmed by her very grace.
Raven wrinkled his forehead, “And you hate that?”
She smiled coolly and softly said, “Don’t we all?”
“Raven.”
He smiled and walked towards her honeyed skin, “Tamara.”
Girl smiles, hand in hand they walked to the kitchen and shared a breakfast of bacon and eggs. The day has begun.
+
Raven walked with an automatic smile as college students poured in and greeted him good morning. It was warm and sunny; everyone seemed to have the energy for the day. He reached the door of the office and he curiously looked at the mistletoe that hung proud above his head. It was November - the second semester has started and Christmas was to come.
“Hey there Raven.” Marcus greeted as he shuffled with his own pile of class schedules and outlines. They taught Philosophy, and Ethics, Logic, Humanities. It was in one of those classes that he met her. She was his student. And they had their share of odds. Yet time and space switched and they weren’t forbidden anymore.
“Early today yeah?”, he asked. Marcus chuckled.
“My brother‘s alarm clock was blaring and practically woke the whole neighborhood up.”, Marcus grinned and carried his trusty journal. “Where‘s your next class?”
Raven glanced by his schedule, “Franco Building.”
“Better start walking now, it‘s a good thousand steps from here.”, Marcus said - it was the truth. “Anyway, I‘ll be off now then.”
“Don‘t give your students much of a hard time Marcus, it‘s the first day.” He heard Marcus chuckle. He grinned to himself and started to walk the thousand steps.
+
A pair of 40 something eyes looked at him curiously as he walked in and introduced himself. Raven glanced around - his eyes paused however, as he saw a hauntingly familiar face that looked back at him with unmasked lack of interest. She looked back at him and grinned sarcastically before she spoke with a voice that didn’t sound seventeen at all, “How would you define life Sir?”
It was a challenge, and the whole class suddenly fell silent and watched. Raven stared straight into her eyes that glinted with mysterious emotions. He smiled a lopsided smile - remembering where she saw her, by the ice cream stand a few months ago, wearing her uniform. And even Marcus praised how she spoke with a tone and gait that made you wonder if she ever cared about what you said. She looked like someone who listened - and then make you fall to your knees.
Her name was Phoenix Margaux.
“How would you?” he asked back.
Phoenix looked outside the window and smiled at her own reflection that smiled back at her through the glass, “Life is anything we want it to be.”
“Oh?”
She looked back at him and stared straight into his eyes, “Philosophy ‘Raven’, it gives me the right to drill you.”
The class chuckled, and so did he.
“Phoenix?”
“Yes sir?”
“What area of studies do you hate?”
She pouted, “Math.”
“Don‘t we all?” a grinning Peyton said loudly, making them all laugh again, she was one of Phoenix’s friends and she sat beside her.
“Why?”, he asked, addressing them all.
“Because it’s suicide Sir.” John, who sat at the back wittingly exclaimed.
The room was filled with chuckles but Raven threw a questioning look in Phoenix’s way and the whole class was suddenly silenced, watching with keen eyes and alert senses.
“Math has a clear distinction of what’s wrong and what is right. Right is right, wrong is wrong.” she whispered loud enough for everyone to hear. The intensity in her eyes calmed by her very grace.
Raven wrinkled his forehead, “And you hate that?”
She smiled coolly and softly said, “Don’t we all?”
Chapter One: Of Love Defined by Sex and Drinks
It was a love story. Boy meets girl and girl meets boy. Boy takes girl to the cinemas; girl goes with boy to the club. Share drinks with friends and begin to party. Boy likes girl who learns to like boy, she dances and in seduction smiles in the middle of the dance floor where murder and lust collide with fantasies. Secrets were bared and clothes were shed and flesh was scarred and bruised in sweet caress of earthly longing. A boy meets girl story…
The blinding passion overrides the question of rules and deceit - it was love and as blind as love is, it is right in the eyes of a lover. Man in love loses logic and ethics, bound to the call of the heart and of carnal longing brought by scorching kisses.
She was young and he was not so old, the exchange of shy smiles and feigned innocence taunted the seduction that lay beneath. The faces of friends proudly scream and tell the world of nights and days that boy and girl spent with them - bathed not in secrecy, but in classic romance of man wooing woman, worshipping the ground she walks on. And she was not so plain - her eyes glint with the treason and fire that mirrored his own as the night went on and sang its song of moonbeams and stars, of naked truths and supposed love.
It went like Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and it took them both not too long. As she gave her heart to him and he opened up his soul. Yes, the days passed and voices talked and criticized. But they held ground and dwelt in the righteous revolution as they shared their dreams in bed - lights turned off and doors locked up. The beating of hearts went faster and breathings became shallow. Then they are reborn.
It was fate.
It was lust.
It was a boy meets girl story,
And of love defined by sex and drinks.
The blinding passion overrides the question of rules and deceit - it was love and as blind as love is, it is right in the eyes of a lover. Man in love loses logic and ethics, bound to the call of the heart and of carnal longing brought by scorching kisses.
She was young and he was not so old, the exchange of shy smiles and feigned innocence taunted the seduction that lay beneath. The faces of friends proudly scream and tell the world of nights and days that boy and girl spent with them - bathed not in secrecy, but in classic romance of man wooing woman, worshipping the ground she walks on. And she was not so plain - her eyes glint with the treason and fire that mirrored his own as the night went on and sang its song of moonbeams and stars, of naked truths and supposed love.
It went like Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and it took them both not too long. As she gave her heart to him and he opened up his soul. Yes, the days passed and voices talked and criticized. But they held ground and dwelt in the righteous revolution as they shared their dreams in bed - lights turned off and doors locked up. The beating of hearts went faster and breathings became shallow. Then they are reborn.
It was fate.
It was lust.
It was a boy meets girl story,
And of love defined by sex and drinks.
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