Jewel

I first saw her on a clear windy day in the start of June. Starting that summer I would walk home from work through a park, it was most beautiful at that time of year, colors of every kind, it made the bad days better as well as the good. I had just worked a six-hour shift, part of me wondered if I was dreaming when she smiled at me. In a sky blue dress, she laid in the grass, with a notebook and a glass of water next to her. Her long blonde hair fell over her shoulders, her bright green eyes glistening in the sunlight shining behind her. The way she breathed in the air with a smile, it was as though she was seeing the beauty in the world. When she saw me watching her she smiled at me. It was at that moment I knew I had just met a once in a life time girl. I don’t know what it was about her, I think it was everything about her. So from then on that is the way I walked just for the chance I would see her again…and I did. Every day she was in the same spot at the same time. Some days she would smile at me as I walked by, other days she looked lost in thought. After a few weeks I realized that simply seeing her had become the highlight of my day and I didn’t even know her name. One rainy Tuesday afternoon changed that, it was the day that started everything, I will never forget it.

Washing off the restaurant tabled, watching the rain pour down, I tug off my apron. “You sure I can’t give you a ride son?” My boss asks from behind me. It’s a slow day and I know he would be willing but I can’t get her off my mind. Shaking my head, I say, “it’s not that far, besides I don’t mind the rain.” It was the lightning I was worried about but I don’t say this aloud. Pushing open the door I run through the parking lot. It doesn’t really matter one way or another seeing as I am already soaked head to toe, but I continue to run anyway. Making it into the park I round the corner and there she is, standing in the pouring rain. I almost run right past her out of nerves but instead I stop and shout over the rain. “Are you okay?” She is drenched and her hair and clothes stick to her like glue. “I’m fine.” She replies with a smile, but she does not seem fine. If I had not been dreaming of her smile every night maybe, I would not have noticed how fake this one is. I can’t help but think how beautiful she is still, “I can help you.” I say. She turns to look at me now and I can’t tell if she is crying or not in the rain. She suddenly walks toward me until she is only inches from touching me, her green eyes look into mine, “I have seen you watching me. You think you want to help me?” Swallowing I feel my heart beating out of my chest, I can almost feel her against me and the smell of rain complements her. I desperately want to touch her but that is not what she asked me. Trying to get my brain to work with her this close to me I run a hand through my soaked hair. Just as I am about to reply she bites her bottom lip and leans closer, “I have a secret.” She whispers, her breath mixing with mine. Screw this. I kiss her. Her lips are warm against mine and for one glorious moment I feel her kiss me back. Then she pulls away, stepping back. Staring at me her fingers touch her lips. Not giving a fuck about the rain I stand there, waiting for a reaction. She does not say a word, her fingers still hovering over her lips then she runs forward and kisses me. This time I wrap my arms around her waist to keep her close. She tastes of rain and tears as she tangles her hands in my hair and touches my chest gently. Is it possible that she has wanted this too? It’s better than I dreamed, it’s real, and I never want it to end. But soon she breaks the kiss again only for a gorgeous smile to spread across her face. Her hands leave my hair and take my hands. With a mischievous grin she tugs gently on my hands, “Follow me.” We run through the rain together like we are in a movie and she leads me to a nearby building. I know this place, it’s an old library that went out of business a few years ago, I used to come here with my dad. Pulling on my hand I follow her through the back door. Out of the rain I ask her, “Do you come here often?” She lets go of my hand and look around, “Not since they went out of business.” She jumps up and sits on the edge of a table with her legs hanging off. I try to ignore the fact that her shirt is practically see through, “So why did you bring me here?” She shrugs with a smile, “I liked kissing you.” My heart jumps a beat at her confidence. Then I wonder how many others she has liked kissing. Instead of asking I say, “I’m Austin.” Then I wait for her to answer with her name. She rocks her feet like it is a decision, “Jewelia.” Feeling myself smile I think of how rare of a girl she is. Walking toward her I tuck a loose hair behind her ear so I can hold her cheek in my hand. “You are a one of a kind jewel Jewelia.” She smiles, “Then you can call me Jewel.”

I walk home still grinning. It stopped raining after about an hour, now it is beautiful out again. I secretly wonder if the rain was fate. Jewel told me to meet her tomorrow at the park and I will ask her out on a proper date then. Opening the front door, I walk in to see my sister’s arguing over the TV remote. Slipping past them into the kitchen I grab an apple. When I turn back around they are both staring at me. “What?” I ask taking a bite of the apple. Sara narrows her eyes at me, “Your glowing, and humming.” “I had a good day.” I respond taking another bite. “I hope you wore a condom.” I choke on my apple at Karen’s remark. Sara swats at her, “Don’t tease about that.” Karen looks at me and nods at my wet tangled hair, “I wasn’t. Wet hair doesn’t stick up like that unless it has been tamped with.” I roll my eyes, “Tampered with? Really? I’m not a science experiment.” Karen tilts her head, “I was thinking more along the lines of Chemistry.” This I smile at as Karen turns to the TV and falls onto the couch clearly taking advantage of this chance to steal the remote from Sara. Sara on the other hand sits down at the bar counter and stares at me. “Her name is the least you could give me.” Thinking back to just an hour ago my grin widens, “Jewel. Her name is Jewel.” Sara shakes her head at me, “You got it bad big brother.” She has been calling me for as long as I can remember, but I prefer it over when Karen calls me little brother. “Your right, I knew it the moment I saw her to.” Sara tilts her lips funny, “You always have been a romantic.” “So what are you looking at me like that for?” “I am hoping she’s not a scenic.” Thinking back to her smile after she kissed me I shake my head. No way is she anything less than perfect.

At night I dream about her again, never in my life have I been more excited to go to work, and on my way to work I am humming again. My mom has told me that dad used to write her love letters before he died. I never used to understand it until now. At work I make more tips than I ever have before but I still can’t wait to leave. The last five minutes I stare at the clock until my boss tells me to leave a minute early because I was freaking him out. Jogging through the park I round the corner and instantly my smile that I have been wearing all day evaporates. Her spot is empty; she is not here. I stand exactly where I did yesterday trying not to assume the worst. Giving her the benefit of the doubt I sit down where she always is. She will come, you don’t have a day like that, a connection, a kiss that amazing and forget about it. Moments like those are earth shifting…and she did say she liked kissing me. Laying down like she always does I look up at the sky. I’m not sure how long I am laying there but eventually a thought occurs to me. A horrible, heart breaking, thought. She is a one in a million Jewel, why would she settle for someone as ordinary as me? More importantly why did I ever think she would?