Elise

I stopped at the sight of her. Suddenly, she was all I could see. Spinning on one leg so fast she was a blur. My eyes swept over her as she slowed to a stand still, drinking in every tiny detail of her exquisite beauty. Her long, luscious hair cascaded over one shoulder in waves of shining chestnut, her chocolate brown eyes glittering as they peeked out at her from beneath long, dark lashes. Like a timid butterfly, she looked away when she noticed me staring.

My mouth open as a small, disappointed gasp escaped my lips. I wanted to slap myself. I know that things that beautiful had to be approached slowly and treated with the utmost care. I know that. Yet, I jumped in, hard and fast, too blinded by her excitement to remember. Closing my eyes, I took a long, deep breath, relieved to find the beautiful girl still standing there, on the opposite side of the rink, when I opened them.

This time, my approach was slow, carefully cautious. No sudden moves for fear she'd flee like a beautiful dainty little butterfly. Like a magical dream, too good to be true. "Hi," I said when I reached her.

The young woman blinked, chancing a glance at me from beneath her lashes, but said nothing.

"I'm Hallie."

"Elise." Her voice was such a quiet whisper, I had to strain to hear it. Elise. Her name was just as beautiful as she was. I looked her over again, blinking in disbelief. Her body was a work of art. She wondered if her tanned, olive skin would be as warm as it appeared. Perhaps it would be as hot as Elise herself was. Regardless, the thought of simply touching her soft, supple skin... Of running her hands up and down her shape in a gentle caress was enough to send pleasant tingles through me, causing me to shiver.

"Are you alright?" Elise asked, snapping me back to the present. "You look cold." Her pretty face twisted in concern, Elise stepped forward, closing the gap between us. I forced myself to freeze in place as Elise moved toward me. I will not pucker my lips in anticipation, for that would surely scare her away. But I did indulge myself in the fantasy of those beautiful lips, covered in a deep shade of Ruby Rose, coming to softly brush against my own. I wondered how they would taste. Was her lipstick flavoured? I imagined raspberry and felt my knees go weak.

"Woah there," Elise slipped a skinny but strong arm around my shoulders. "Let's get you sitting down, shall we? I wouldn't want you to fall!" Awkwardly, we stumbled over to the bench. I moved blindly under Elise's careful guidance, my mind lost in fantasy once more. It was a good thing Elise couldn't read it...

0O0

I wish I could see more of people than just the shell carrying their soul. I wish the nicest people could look the most beautiful and the nastiest the most ugly. I still hold out hope that maybe one day, I'll find love, even when I've been hurt so many times before. I wish didn't have to guard my heart so closely. I wish I could wear my heart on my sleeve. Be open and carefree.

I looked at the woman sitting beside me on the bench, taking her in. Her short, jet black hair was styled in a pixie cut, the ends a deep red, brushes dipped in paint. Her eyes, a deep sapphire blue, glittered as the light hit them. I wondered if Hallie was scared like me. Had she been hurt like I had? I wanted to believe this time would be different. That she would be different. But I don't know. Past experience has proven the old spelling rule true. When you assume, you make an ass out of you and me..

My eyes travelled the length of Hallie's body. She had broad shoulders and appeared reasonably strong. Maybe she'd be the guarder of my heart. Maybe she could be my bodyguard.  But she dressed like she lived on a farm. Black, leather boots; a checked, flannelette shirt. Her pale denim jeans a little worn at the knees. Guarding animals and guarding humans, let alone guarding humans in love, were completely different things.

A smile cracked my lips at the feeling of Hallie’s body next to mine. Maybe this time, I thought hesitantly, I'd be lucky. Maybe this time would be it. Maybe Hallie would be different. Maybe Hallie would be special. She certainly seemed special. I'm not quite sure why. I just have this feeling. I can’t see into people’s souls. She can’t see their true self. All I can do is hope that I'm right. 

“Elise,” Hallie’s deep voice was soft as she spoke my name. The very sound of it released a swarm of butterflies in the pit of my stomach. I blinked myself back to the moment, looking back at Hallie. “May I touch you?” I felt my lips turn upwards ever so slightly at the careful gesture. It was sweet.

I felt myself beginning to shake with anticipation and nodded uncertainly. My eyes followed Hallie’s hand as it extended in suspenseful slow motion from her side, her fingers uncurling ever so slightly, in order to brush my cheek lightly. The sensation caused a warm wave of calm to wash over me, at once putting my nerves at ease. Hallie’s fingers migrated from my face to my arm, travelling downwards from the elbow. She found my hand, and intertwined her fingers with mine. “Ok?” she asked, her voice a little louder this time.

Weakly, I nodded, afraid trying to speak would break my composure. Maybe things were moving fast, but I didn't mind. It's always been a tendency of mine, to dive right in. Fall head over heels. Dangerous, especially given all the hurt I've had in the past. But I can't help it. Every time, it's like a tight, warm hug I never want to be released from. Even if the experience causes my heart to race so fast I wonder if it will be able to maintain the pace. 

“I haven’t felt this way with anyone before,” said Hallie. “I didn’t… I didn’t know it could feel this good with another woman.”

“Neither did I.” I said finally. I felt my cheeks burn as the blood rushed toward them.

0O0

“Are you getting too cold?” Elise asked. “Do you want to get out of here?”

My gaze rose from our interlaced fingers to look into Elise’s deep chocolate eyes and she smiled.

“I’ve got a better idea,” I said.  

Elise raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow in question.

“Do they have a fire anywhere near here?” I asked.

There was a long pause. “A fire?”

When I realised the cause of her confusion, I laughed. In part to dissipate the tension and in part because though a logical conclusion to reach, it was nonetheless a little amusing. “Yes, like a fire place.” I touched a hand to her arm, feeling the hairs pricked up on end beneath my fingers. “Goodness, Elise. Did you think I wanted to start a fire? Do you really think I’d do that?”

“I don’t know,” said Elise, her head turned toward the floor, peering up at me through her lashes. “I just met you. I don’t know you well enough to know whether you’d do that kind of thing or not.” She shuddered as the truth in her words. Suddenly wary, she scooted away from me a little on the bench.  

“So why are you still here?” I asked softly, more curious than anything.

“Because…” Elise said slowly. Her voice was a fragile whisper, and I had to lean in close to hear her properly.  “Because I hope.” Her gaze remained on the ground, by her feet. 

“Hope,” I repeated the word slowly, testing the way it sounded on my tongue. Sweet. Promising. Good..

Elise's shoulders dropped as she exhaled.

“Hope for what?” Several possible answers flitted through my mind. Hope... That you like me.. That we might be able to be friends... That maybe, one day, we could be more than friends.. That there'll be a future for you and me. That there'll be a you and me.  I couldn't help but wonder if Elise had the same hopes that I did. Was there something there? Could we be together? That's what I hoped. But, more than that, I wanted her. She is a siren, her beauty a hypnotic spell. 

“Hope that there’d be good in you. That I’d see it.”

I couldn’t help it as her lips relaxed into a soft smile. “Me too.” Hallie hoped too that there would be good for Elise to see. She couldn’t help but wonder with the sudden appearance of these wicked thoughts in her mind whether her good had simply been buried or whether it had vanished completely. Why was I so in love with the shape of her? I want to love all of her. After all, isn't that what love is? All of you loving all of someone else.  

As if reading my mind, Elise gave my hand a gentle squeeze. I averted my gaze from the ground at our feet to our intertwined hands before my eyes came to rest on Elise’s pools of chocolate brown. “I’m sure there’s good in you, Hallie.” Her voice was soft and sugary sweet. If not for the anchor of Elise’s hand holding mine and her presence beside me, I feared I might melt. I fought to maintain the gaze, to stay in the moment of connection, rather than look down at her body. Her ample breasts, her curves, somewhat hidden by her seated position. But the image of my first glimpse of Elise across the room was burned into her retinas. The memory etched into my mind.

O0O

I looked into Hallie’s sapphire eyes, wondering, wishing I knew what was happening in her mind. Mindlessly, I brushed finger side to side across her pale, porcelain, pearl white skin, cool beneath my fingers. I was careful to be slow and gentle, afraid it might break her beautifully flawless skin if  I was just a touch too harsh. I wondered if Hallie would break too. My eyes travelled up the length of Hallie's arm to meet her eyes, a little unfocused and wider than before. I wondered if Hallie was as fragile as her skin appeared. She's anything but weak. I shook her head in an attempt to rid my mind of the absurd idea. How can two fragile people hold each other up? . She looked Hallie up and down. She appeared so tough and strong. She gave the air of someone you didn’t want to get on the wrong side of. Of someone you wouldn’t want to mess with. Yet, looks could be deceiving. One must never assume based upon appearances. That’s what I had always been told. That's what experience has taught me.  

“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” The sound of Hallie’s drawl brought me back to the present moment.

“Hmm?” I asked, blinking as her gaze rose to meet Hallie’s.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Hallie tried again, chuckling.

“Oh… Um..” I racked her brains for what to say. “I.. uh.. It’s a little cold in here. Do you want to get out of here? Go somewhere warmer?”

“Sure.” Hallie rose to her feet easily, offering her hand to help me up.

“What brought you here anyway?” asked Hallie as they made their way toward the exit.

“I skate,” I answered simply.

“Everybody that comes here comes to skate I think,” said Hallie. She paused at my expression. “Oh,” she said, realisation setting in. “You skate!” She laughed, perhaps feeling a little silly for not understanding. “You’re one of those ice dancers.”

I nodded. “What brought you here?”

Hallie opened and closed her mouth a few times, at a loss for words. “I.. I just wandered in I guess,” she said, shrugging sheepishly.

“Have you skated before?”

“Not on ice, no.”

I laughed. “Well, we’ll have to go back sometime,” I said, thanking my lucky stars for an excuse to see her again. Officially . “I can show you.”

“I.. I’d like that.”

                                                                            O0O

The chills that ran down my spine at the thought of a skating lesson, and the close contact that would necessitate made me shiver. It was only then I remembered another excuse to see her. A skill I could teach her in return. "I could show you piano,"

Elise stopped. "You... You play?"

I laughed at her shock. "Yes." I am careful not to add the detail of one of the first compositions I perfected. Fur Elise.

"I'd love to."  

Elise paused as we reached the exit, "let's get out of here before we freeze to death!" Slowly, she reached out to open the door that led out of the ice skating rink and into the warm summer air, breathing deep as we stepped outside. "Ah! That's better!" Taking her arm from my shoulders, she shook a little, as if to shake off the cold before spreading her arms wide, allowing the summer sun to beam down onto her skin. She turned her face toward the sky.

I watched on from a few metres away, smiling. Elise appeared an angel, the sun's warm rays of light shining around her like a halo. I felt myself relax, as if Elise's beauty might cause me to melt. I inhaled deeply, happy, calm, relaxed and swept up in the beautifully magical aura that was Elise.