Chapter Two
Germany 1934
Almost a year had passed since the young American came to Germany, wide eyed and alone. Eleanore had since become fluent in German with the help of her agreeable tutor, Hugo Stiglitz. When she began attending school with him, Hugo was the only person she knew there. On several occasions, when she found herself in a pickle, Hugo had to help her out. Today was no exception.
Usually when school let out, Eleanore would wait for Hugo. But today was her birthday, causing her to become inpatient, and she figured Hugo would catch up to her. Eleanore left the school, her books wrapped up in her arms.
"Hey guys, it's the American bitch," a small gang of boys encircled her, the leader a bully in her classroom.
"Leave me alone, Burnard." She threatened, continuing to make her way towards her grandmother's home.
Suddenly one grabbed the back of her dress, lifting it up to expose her white panties.
"Leave me alone!" She screamed, dropping her books to the ground.
Burnard pushed her up against the stone wall nearby, lifting her dress to her thighs as he pushed his way between her legs. He pushed into her roughly, allowing her to feel the hard bulge in his pants. He touched her breasts forcefully as she screamed out.
"I've heard Americans love this kind of stuff." Burnard laughed, his buddies joining him.
"I said leave me alone." Tears began streaming down her face as she feebly tried to get away from him.
"Yeah? And why the Hell would I do that?" He asked, his crooked teeth showing, his friends were silent.
"Because you don't want to deal with me." A deep voice broke Burnard's concentration, forcing him to turn and look back . Suddenly, without warning, an unyielding fist collided with his teeth. Hugo straddled the smaller boy, his wide shoulders blocking Eleanore's view of the beating. What she did see when Hugo was finished, however, was Burnard's broken nose, two missing teeth, swollen eyes, and his blood on the sidewalk. Had Hugo hit the boy anymore, he could have been gravely injured. Hugo knew when to stop.
"Learn some manners, you pig. If you ever touch her again, I'll kill you." Hugo spat on Burnard's bloody face as the kid laid still on the side walk. His buddies picked him up, dragging him away. Hugo came over to Eleanore, blood sprayed on his shirt.
"Are you hurt, Eleanore?" Hugo cupped her face, looking into her swollen eyes.
"A little..." She confessed. "I'll show you when we get home..." Eleanore went to pick up her books but Hugo stopped her, picking them up for her and carried them in his large arms.
"Will you be alright?" Hugo asked softly once they made it to her porch.
"Of course," She replied.
Hugo gave her a small kiss on her cheek, reassuring her.
"Happy 14th birthday, Eleanore. I'll give you your present later, okay?"
Eleanore kept a strong face during the party, smiling as if nothing had happened earlier. Her party was small, but a lot of thought was put into it. Her cake was beautifully decorated and she loved every present she received. (Even the socks from her grandfather.) Her grandmother even allowed her to go with Hugo past her curfew but not without a few light-hearted warnings from her grandparents. After assuring them it would be alright, she spent the rest of the day with her best friend.
Hugo took Eleanore to one of his favorite places, a secret garden hidden behind his grandmother's home. He had taken Eleanore there before but this time, it would just be them. Alone.
Hugo brought with them a picnic of desserts, two kerosene lamps, and a wrapped gift. Since it was still daylight out, he laid the blanket down and put aside the lamps for later. He sat down and beckoned Eleanore beside him.
"Can I show you where I'm hurt first?" She asked him timidly, her arms behind her back.
"Of course, Eleanore. I brought some medical supplies with us in case you decided to show me." Hugo told her in a soft voice.
Eleanore lifted up her dress, showing him the long scabs that spanned the length of the back of her thighs. When Burnard pushed her against the stone, it had scratched her.
Hugo had slight difficulty concentrating, he had never seen that much of a woman before but the wounds she had received looked slightly infected.
He had her hold still and dipped a rag in water. He gently washed the gashes before applying peroxide.
"The peroxide might burn," he warned and waited for her to nod her head when she was ready.
Eleanore gasped as the concoction began to work, causing her to shake with pain. Hugo finished and invited her to sit with him on the blanket.
"I should have waited for you at school... It was just that I was so excited to get to my birthday party..." Eleanore looked up into Hugo's eyes, tears beginning to swell.
"Sweetheart, you didn't know. It's not your fault, you should blame those pricks not yourself." Hugo held her hand as he pulled the desserts from the woven basket.
"These look amazing," Eleanore's face lit up, looking around at the selection she had. "Did you make these yourself, Hugo?"
Hugo laughed and shook his head.
"My grandmother should take the credit for them, really. I didn't do much."
As they feasted on the delicious desserts, the sun began to fall. Hugo lit the kerosene lamps, and laid on his back. He stared at the stars, sighing heavily.
"Hugo? I just wanted to thank you." Eleanore smiled at him, as she leaned back resting on her arms.
"For taking care of that guy earlier? I-"
Eleanore quickly cut him off, resting a hand on his cheek.
"Not just for that, Hugo. For everything... You taught me German when you didn't have to, you were there for me as a friend whenever I needed one... Without you... I'd be so lonely," Eleanore confessed. Hugo sat up from his position, and handed her the small package.
"Open it," he smiled.
Eleanore carefully ripped the brown paper from the gift, revealing something shiny. Once she had taken the paper off, she could see what it was. It was a beautifully ornate hair pin, with shining diamonds. Eleanore gasped and looked up at Hugo who had a smile. He didn't smile often, but when he did the whole world knew it.
"Oh... Hugo... It's beautiful..."
"Let me help you," He offered, gently placing it in her hair. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.
"There's one more lesson I haven't gone over yet," he told her, sitting up straight.
"A lesson? On my birthday... Hugo..." Hugo laughed and ignored her.
"Translate for me, Eleanore." Eleanore nodded and sat in front of him. "Ich wollte Ihnen diese für eine lange Zeit zu erzählen."
"I've wanted to tell you this for a long time." With a nod from Hugo, he continued.
"Ich liebe dich, Elenore, mit ganzem Herzen."
"I love you , Eleanore, with all my heart."
"Du bist das schönste Mädchen, das ich je gesehen habe."
"You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." Eleanore's voice became a whisper, as she studied Hugo's face.
"Willst du mich küssen, Eleanore?"
Eleanore knew what the last sentence meant, 'Will you kiss me, Eleanore?' Eleanore felt her cheeks become flushed, she had never kissed anyone before. Sure, she had seen it in movies (usually when she had Hugo with her) but actually doing it? She studied his steel eyes and he repeated the question.
"Willst du mich küssen, Eleanore?"
Eleanore answered this time by slowly leaning forward, her face inches from his. She felt his hot breath on her lips, causing a shiver to move up her arms. She looked down at his soft lips, remembering the feeling of them brushing against her hand. Her eyes fluttered shut as he closed the remaining space when he gently pushed his lips to hers. Their lips moved in a slow tempo at first, their muscles become used to one another. Hugo grabbed the back of her head, pressing himself harder against her. He had kept his feeling in for nearly a year, dropping small hints now and then. Now he had her, the beauty of his dreams.
In nearly every movie Eleanore had seen, the protagonist always got a sensual and passionate kiss from the girl. This kiss blew them all away.
As they parted, he gave her a small kiss on the cheek. He laid back down on the blanket, gazing up at the stars.
They thought everything would be perfect.
It wasn't.