1985
Her name was Adriana la Croix. I still remember the night I first saw her. I was wandering the streets of Acadia, Louisiana and half drunk when I first beheld her stunning form. She was the most beautiful, radiant creature I had ever beheld. She had caramel skin, with dark brown eyes. Her glorious and beautiful hair lay in a messy heap of a bun and she had luscious red lips that shone in the light of the overhead lamps. Her stylish dress was a silvery blue and had a slit up to just above her knee; she was talking to a man who I thought to be a chaperon outside a restaurant. Needless to say she stopped me in my tracks.
I dropped the brown paper bag with my beer in it. She must have heard the crash and the sound of my voice cussing and screaming at it and looked over at me. I smiled, pivoted and took off in the opposite direction; soon I slowed down and shook my head. I was ashamed that I was a miserable cowered and couldn’t talk to her.
For many nights I went to that same café at the same time and often sat in the booth across the room from her sipping cheap wine and staring at her whenever she looked away. Before long, I realized what I had to do. I had to talk to her. Know her. Meet her. Maybe even make her love me. It was possible. The next night I followed her car to an exclusive dinner at one of the most well known cafes in Louisiana. I sat in the chair nearest the door and watched her from there; she greeted the people who came to the table to see her and even kissed some of the gawking teenage boys on the cheek. I smiled to myself and surveyed my surroundings. I noticed that there was a red rose that set in a crystal vase in the center of my table. I took one last sip of my drink, stood up and slipped in between her and the boys surrounding her. I smiled and said:
“A rose for you, mi amore.” And handed it to her. I then took her hand and kissed it, then let it fall, turned and left. It wasn’t until many days later that I got to talk to her again. She was on the other side of the street and noticed me. she waved her hand yelled,
“Hey, you, come here!” I smiled to myself slightly, took a breath and headed over.
“Do I know you?” I asked playing stupid of course.
“I think you do. You were at the Café the other night weren’t you? You’re the man who gave me the rose.”
I thought to myself, “You have her right where you want her. Just keep it up, Aden.”
“Yes now that you mention it, I do think I was.” I said stroking my chin slightly. I shifted my weight and continued. “Tell me, my beautiful cherub, what is your name?”
She smiled and tilted her head down making her loose hair fall in her face slightly she looked up and smiled once more.
“My name is Adrianna, Adrianna La Croix.”
“What a beautiful name!” I exclaimed while throwing my hands up dramatically. She laughed a little uneasily but I was far too preoccupied to know right away. We talked on that square for a little over five minutes, and she finally said good bye and walked off in the opposite direction. That night I again followed her, but this time I had a plan. I would go to her usual table and lay the poem that I had written on her table with another rose attached to it.
Night finally came and I had the poem concealed in my pocket. As I crossed the street in front of the café I read it over:
In her eyes I fall deep
Just one touch I would seek
In my arms she could stay
In my heart she is today
Captured she has me in her soul
In her life till I am old
I hope she will never leave
Until then it’s my heart that bleeds…
I smiled, then shoved it back in my breast pocket and stepped from the street onto the sidewalk and opened the door. I came inside and was immediately intoxicated from both nerves and the sweet smoky sent that lingered in the air. I quickly wrote down my name and number and grabbed a rose off a table once more and set it down on her usual place knowing that she would find it.
Probably another week passed with no word from her and I was beginning to become quiet depressed at the thought of never talking to her. Then just at my peek of depression she called
“Hello is this Aden Da Nerezza?” She said in an almost girlish voice.
“Yes. Is this Adrianna?” I asked smiling to myself. I was overcome with the desire to see her again, but decided to just take a seat.
“Yes, look I saw the rose and the beautiful poem you left me. It was really sweet…” I grinned and crossed my legs, and threw one arm on the back of the chair.
“So you liked it?” I asked, imagining to myself the look on her face when she found it
“Umm yeah… I did, and I’d like to talk with you about something.” she replied. I stood up and walked across the room and looked out my window.
“Alright. Where?” I asked.
“How about my house about eight? My address is apartment 513. You’ll find it. It’s the only apartment duplex on Main Street, okay?”
“Alright then. Ill see you then, bye,” I said as I jotted down her address on the paper that lie on my table, I hung the phone up and headed to the bathroom. It was already 6:30 and I wanted to be ready. Maybe she could love a thing like me… maybe.
I turned on the water and stepped into the shower. The water poured over my body like a thousand beads of silk, and soon the whole room had a humid haze to it. I got done and turned off of the water, grabbed my towel and dried my hair. I then placed it around my waist and headed to my bedroom to pick out the clothes that I would wear. I finally decided on a simple yet elegant looking red sweater with a pair of faded blue jeans. I then headed back to the bathroom to groom.
I stole a look at myself in the bathroom mirror. My eyes were a deep black as usual, and when I smiled to myself, they shone in the overhead light almost cheerfully. My hair had its natural curl to it and looked almost white under this light. I turned around and grabbed my jacket off of the chair’s back and headed out the door.
When I got to her apartment, I knocked on the door, and she answered by saying, “Yes, who is it?”
“It’s Aden!” I replied putting my hand on the door. It swung open and she stood in the door way. She smiled and gestured for me to come in.
“Come in,” she said extending her hand. I did gratefully and she led me to her couch.
“You wanted to talk to me about something?” I said scooting closer to her.
“Yes,” she said slightly scooting away. “Aden. I’m married, please. Don’t make this any harder than it is. You’re very handsome but…”
“Leave him,” I interrupted. I felt like my world was spinning and I couldn’t comprehend what she was telling me.
“Aden.” She put her hand on my shoulder and looked into my eyes, “I can’t… I won’t do that… I mean. I barley know you! I’ve noticed that you follow me and I want to set the record straight. Aden, you’ve got to stop…” she put her hand on her lap once more. I tried to kiss her put she pushed me away. She grunted then said “Aden, stop…” but I was far too infatuated with her to do that. I smiled and pushed her down. Her eyes gleamed and in the light I noticed that they had tiny golden flecks in them.
“Oh my darling, I wish I could,” I whispered in her ear. She tried to fight me off, but it was no good. The only thing it did was make me angry. Suddenly rage took over and I couldn’t stop my hands from grabbing her and I placed the blanket that lay over the back of her couch to her face. She shook her head. Her eyes were gleaming and were alive with fear. She shook her head and clawed at my flesh trying to save herself. Again, it was useless. Soon enough her muffled screams became silent, and I watched as the light went out of her eyes. I bent my head down and placed it on her chest. Her heart fluttered and then came to an inevitable stop.
“I thought you loved me,” I whispered. Fly with the angels, my beautiful cherub…” I laid her head on my lap and started to sing to her. “There is no future there is no past, too bad this love just couldn’t last.” As soon as I uttered these last words I stood up leaving her laying on the couch the blanket half covering her and her hand draped over the side of the couch. Her hair was over her face and I intended to leave it that way. I blew her
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