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.
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