~*~*~ Reasons For Darkness ~*~*~
Chapter 3: Love
The following two years were the best of my life. In the midst of them, I began not only to worship her beauty and love of life, but began to care for and even love her whole person. She was never tied down by petty troubles, and instead was always in high spirits. I was too afraid of losing the friendship we had to mention my feelings to her. But one night, the night of the Cherry Blossom Ball, we were dancing to a particularly beautiful, melodious song, when suddenly she broke free of my arms and ran out of the room. I followed her, racking my brain for any explanation of what had just happened, but there was none. Finally I found her, leaning against the tree facing the lake. When she heard my approaching footsteps, she looked up. Her face was tearstained. Overcome with emotion and confusion as to what to do, I took her into my arms, in an attempt to console her. She struggled against me, pushing against my arms, she furiously looked up at me.
"I can't take it anymore! How can it be that we're so close, but so much farther than I want us to be? Why do you always hold me, but never as tightly as I want you to? Why is it that friendship is enough for you, but it isn't enough for me?" she demanded in a quavery voice, as her eyes spilled over with tears. She continued in a quieter tone, "I love you, I'm sorry I've ruined everything, but I do."
I was overcome. I had no idea what to do or say. All the words that I had for her, came jumbling in my mind, so quickly that I didn't know which to choose. I stared at her incredulously for a moment.
It was a moment too long.
She pulled away. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said it." She turned, so that her back was to me. "I see how repulsed you are. Well, you don't need to worry. I'm sure after a few months I'll get over you. If you try to avoid me, after this, I won't blame you." She began to leave.
"NO!" She looked over her shoulder, at my outburst. "No," I repeated, in a quieter tone. "No, I'm not going to avoid you, and I don't want you to get over me. You shouldn't have to be sorry for what you said or felt. It's my fault."
"Lucius, you are so kind, but" she offered me a sad smile, "but I don't want you to pity me or say something you don't feel."
"Sylvia, wait." I grabbed her arm, and tried to find the words to explain.
"It's been a long time now, since I had first began to feel something for you-something that wasn't platonic. But, I was a coward and was afraid that I would spoil everything that we had. So I waited and prayed that you would say it first. I'm sorry for that."
She seemed frozen to where she stood. Her mouth slightly open, her eyes glued to my lips, as if she could see the words I was saying. I moved closer to her. "Ever since before I even met you, I've always felt that you and I would be great together. At first I was attracted to you because you are so beautiful; but after I got to know you, I knew that somehow we were connected: our minds, our spirit. If soul-mates really do exist, I think I've found one in you. Sylvia, I don't know what else I can say to prove to you that I am being truly, truly honest with you."
She looked at me, her eyes clear and unclouded. She was smiling, her artful, fun-loving smile, put her arms around my neck and simply said, "Kiss me, Lucius."
And I did.
Chapter 3: Love
The following two years were the best of my life. In the midst of them, I began not only to worship her beauty and love of life, but began to care for and even love her whole person. She was never tied down by petty troubles, and instead was always in high spirits. I was too afraid of losing the friendship we had to mention my feelings to her. But one night, the night of the Cherry Blossom Ball, we were dancing to a particularly beautiful, melodious song, when suddenly she broke free of my arms and ran out of the room. I followed her, racking my brain for any explanation of what had just happened, but there was none. Finally I found her, leaning against the tree facing the lake. When she heard my approaching footsteps, she looked up. Her face was tearstained. Overcome with emotion and confusion as to what to do, I took her into my arms, in an attempt to console her. She struggled against me, pushing against my arms, she furiously looked up at me.
"I can't take it anymore! How can it be that we're so close, but so much farther than I want us to be? Why do you always hold me, but never as tightly as I want you to? Why is it that friendship is enough for you, but it isn't enough for me?" she demanded in a quavery voice, as her eyes spilled over with tears. She continued in a quieter tone, "I love you, I'm sorry I've ruined everything, but I do."
I was overcome. I had no idea what to do or say. All the words that I had for her, came jumbling in my mind, so quickly that I didn't know which to choose. I stared at her incredulously for a moment.
It was a moment too long.
She pulled away. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said it." She turned, so that her back was to me. "I see how repulsed you are. Well, you don't need to worry. I'm sure after a few months I'll get over you. If you try to avoid me, after this, I won't blame you." She began to leave.
"NO!" She looked over her shoulder, at my outburst. "No," I repeated, in a quieter tone. "No, I'm not going to avoid you, and I don't want you to get over me. You shouldn't have to be sorry for what you said or felt. It's my fault."
"Lucius, you are so kind, but" she offered me a sad smile, "but I don't want you to pity me or say something you don't feel."
"Sylvia, wait." I grabbed her arm, and tried to find the words to explain.
"It's been a long time now, since I had first began to feel something for you-something that wasn't platonic. But, I was a coward and was afraid that I would spoil everything that we had. So I waited and prayed that you would say it first. I'm sorry for that."
She seemed frozen to where she stood. Her mouth slightly open, her eyes glued to my lips, as if she could see the words I was saying. I moved closer to her. "Ever since before I even met you, I've always felt that you and I would be great together. At first I was attracted to you because you are so beautiful; but after I got to know you, I knew that somehow we were connected: our minds, our spirit. If soul-mates really do exist, I think I've found one in you. Sylvia, I don't know what else I can say to prove to you that I am being truly, truly honest with you."
She looked at me, her eyes clear and unclouded. She was smiling, her artful, fun-loving smile, put her arms around my neck and simply said, "Kiss me, Lucius."
And I did.