CHAPTER ONE
Longing, deep, unresistable longing fills my cavernous chest as sitting through another lecture on the importance of spelling terms accurately becomes nearly impossible to bear. My eyes drift towards the clock, eyeing the minute hand, urging it to go faster, so that I can escape the arms of the classroom and fly into the arms of June, my beloved.
Chills creeped up my spine as I shuddered with excitement, lost in my fantasies of what being with June would feel like. I hadn't seen her in months; ever since her parents had sent her off to some fancy private school at the beginning of first semester, I had heard less and less from her. I feel my hands tremble with excitement, longing to stroke her soft cheeks, longing to curl a loose piece of hair behind her pixie like ears. I can feel her smooth curves pressing against my body, leaning into me as I lean back into her; I can feel her soft lips as they feverishly seize mine, a moment of everlasting love.
Young love, love that was never meant to be some may say. Me, from a small family, a family that struggled everyday to pay our dues and stay out of poverty, falling in love with her, the daughter of the city mayor, a man of never ending power and wealth, a man who was planning on running for president. How could a man so cold-blooded and twisted possibly be connected to such a charming and sweet girl.
I will never forget, the circumstances under which I first laid my eyes on such a beauty. The skies were bleak and a gray drizzle of rain soaked into my shirt, my shoes worn from years of wear becoming heavier and heavier with each step. I proceeded into the school building to complete the BAC early at the young age of fifteen. Looking at the meticulous murals on the wall, I accidentally ran into someone. Glancing up at that unfortunate someone to apologize, my apology got caught in my throat as I stared into beautiful green eyes flecked with golden spots. Staring dumbly, I felt my cheeks blush beet red before I quickly brushed past her and proceeded to my testing room. That was to be my first run in with June Iparis, and it was the beginning of something, something fresh like a blooming rose in a thunderstorm, a piece of light to hang on to.
Fresh does not last forever though. Like the mildewy musky smell of the rotting boards in my living room, our love soon fell short of the freshness it once was. However, the fault was not in June and myself for that change. Not in the slightest bit did our feelings differ, not in the slightest bit did our love waver. What was lost was the acceptance from our families, from our peers, from the nation.
I am nothing, yet she is everything.
That is exactly what everyone sees, and so that is what everyone believes.
I am nothing, yet she is everything.
That's what they all say. I can see it in the newspapers when the headlines read, "Presidential Candidate Daughter to Attend Best Private College in France". I can hear it in the gossip of students as they whisper impolitely about June's reckless, yet admirable behavior. I can feel it in my pounding heart when I am turned away like a lowly peasant by the disapproving look the uptight butler gives me when I visit the Iparis' sprawling mansion.
She tells me I'm important. She tells me I'm everything. She tells me I'm worth it. I've given her every reason to walk away. Every reason to leave me. Every reason to find someone better, someone who's worth every bit as she is, someone who can provide you your every want, someone who doesn't have to worry about the costs required to provide you what you want, someone who can treat you the way you deserve to be treated.
Yet she does not walk away, does not leave me in the dust. I fondly remember the bittersweet day on which I planned to let her go so she would not have me to hold her back from an amazing future. I can still picture a frighteningly accurate image of the blazing heat from the sun over head mixed with the heat of June's glare as she tried to process what I was explaining. I can imagine the feel of the heavy humid air, weighing down on my weary shoulders, with all its water particles, refusing to accept the myriad of sweat glistening on my rough skin. Then her gaze softened, and I could swear the whole world suddenly cooled down, though I was still sweating like crazy. She had looked at me straight in the eye with her beautiful speckled ones and green met rippled blue. Her voice, slow, yet caring breathed, "I love you too much to let you go now."
Thoughts continue to fly around my head. Thoughts of love, thoughts of lust, though they are all centered around my one and only, June. Memories also bounce around my head. I get a good glance at our first kiss. That is probably my fondest memory. I can vaguely remember the smooth tile walls and the hard plastic stall of the school bathroom. Yet, clearly, I can still feel June's soft lips on mine. The caution was evident, as it was our first, but the passion sparkled through. The wild passion pulling us together overtook my lovestruck mind, making me forget about all my troubles. I smile, thinking back to the good old days of sneaking out of class, hearing June whisper my name in the abandoned hallway, deserted by students except for us. Even in the emptiness, I can still hear June's voice calling my name, over and over again, until it is not a whisper anymore. "Day, Day," the voice calls. "Daniel!" it yells. I twitch, feeling a heavy hand on my shoulder, and shake out of my stupor. "What is the trick I told you on how to spell xenophobia," my teacher, calmly asks as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Remembering nothing of the lesson I feebly question, "David and Goliath, mister?" And with that the bell rings, the mocking laughter of my fellow students leave me with the shocked countenance of my teacher with whom I collectedly pass by, excitement booming in my chest. Nothing can weigh me down, not now, not while June is so close by.