She sat on the porch at the two story bungalow across the street, twisting a silver diamond ring on her pinkie finger and stared at me with single-minded determination.
So I pretended not to notice.
The drive from Boston was supposed to take eight and half hours. Somehow, we made it in six and didn’t stop once. And now Mom, who couldn’t get over the fact that I’d only driven a quarter of the way, parked the Mercury in the garage and had fallen asleep in the front seat. It was between unpacking by myself or checking out the neighborhood.
I started unpacking, my stuff mainly. I knew I’d get killed for it later when she woke up, but right then all I cared about was finding my skateboard and making a break for it.
Next door, eyes were still on me. As I moved boxes in and out. As I placed item after item to the side.
If she’d realized how much she was creeping me out, I doubt she would’ve stopped. There was too much dedication in her eyes. I noticed it once when I glanced over my shoulder to see if she had gone inside. And there they were. Greenish- grey, cold and steely, like a jade stone.
I couldn’t breathe for a moment until I turned away.
I went inside, thoughts spiraling in my head. There was nowhere to sit and so I leaned against the wall, trying to support myself. I swallowed hard, tried to catch my breath, swiped the sweat on my forehead with the back of my hand. And then the image of her, the girl next door with the jade eyes appeared back in my mind, and suddenly I fell.
Hard.
In love.
"You're an artist," she said that night.
I'd gently moved a strand of auburn hair from her face so she could sense the evening sky just how I saw it. Bright, shining, careless.
"I'm just for you, Rachael " I said. "I'm anything you want me to be."
"It's just like you said. I feel it. Tiny diamond crystals waltzing around the crescent moon, illuminating its world."
She didn't blink, not once the whole time. And I loved her for it. I wanted to show her how much.
"Do it again," she said. "Create another one for me."
"Slow music, R&B," I started. "Entwined in one another, moving gracefully yet swift. Every step involves passion. Compelling. Beginning with a caress on the cheek."
She continued to stare up ahead at the night sky, never blinking. After minutes of silence, she laid down on the grass.
I kissed her tenderly on her left cheek. Then I moved to her lips and nuzzled down her neck.
"Stop," she whispered between cold breaths.
And I obeyed, forcing myself off her.
Tears trickled from both jade eyes.
"I'm sorry, Ray," I said, taking her hand.
She squeezed it tightly. It seemed like forever before she spoke again, but it was only a few minutes.
"You're the saddest place I've ever been," she let out.
She'd never seen me before, didn't know me enough.
"I can feel you Milen," she said, as if reading my mind. "You haven't smiled yet, not since you moved here and not since we've met. I've been thinking about it for a while now. "
I bit my lip, nervous for a reason I couldn't explain. "So I'm the artist and you're the philosopher, huh?"
She smiled weakly. "I only see what I think and I can feel what I see."
Then we both grew quiet. I wondered why I let myself get here, at this park in a new neighborhood with this girl. Why I left Mom at the new house to bear everything alone.
"You were about to run," she said. "When I sensed you across the street, I felt your anger. You needed to get away."
I stood up suddenly. She noticed and did the same.
"Let me walk you home," I said.
She held on tightly to my arm as we left the park. A moment ago I would have stayed there all night and not given it a second thought.
We got back quickly. I walked so fast she could barely keep up. At one point, I just wanted to leave her behind and let her find the way on her own.
"Good night, Milen," she said when I reached the door of her house. She reached out to touch my cheek and to my surprise, she found it instantly.
"Goodnight," I said dryly.
There was love in her eyes. I could see it as she caressed my face. If she could, she would've seen the fury in mine.
"Just knock on the door," she said. "After six like you did today. My parents won't be home."
"Goodbye," was all I said.
I didn't turn around to see if she'd gotten inside safely before jogging across the street back home. Maybe she knew I wasn't coming back. Maybe she didn't. I didn't really give a hell.
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