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A Night Under A Thousand Stars

By Joshua Alejandro

By Joshua AlejandroPublished 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago 8 min read
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Image by Joshua Alejandro

You

I remember when I was alone and cold. Especially in freshman year of college, you were there across the hall from me, wearing your baggy sweats, with your imperfectly perfect bangs, complimenting your beanie. There you were, listening to that song, KANON. The way the chords complimented each other, how peace transformed into thunderous harmony. Every key turned into you. The look you gave me. The look you saw from me. Was it the same look? I don’t know. I remember how the song complimented your blue eyes, how it rushed and flowed like the ocean, never ending, never standing still. How can one possess the power of the ocean? How can one like this exist? How beautiful, how tranquil, how never ending...

We were walking in the woods on that snowy night. The snow raged —we could barely see each other, but I heard you. I heard your voice-your soft elegant voice. Among all the things around me that should have been a distraction, they were not because of your voice, keeping me in check, keeping me sane. Finally, we found the cabin; you invited me to keep ourselves warm. We took off our layers and burned wood at the fire place. We sat on the couch on opposite ends.

“So,” I say.

“So what?”

“Are we gonna address the Elephant in the room?”

You look around the cabin and you see a minature sculpture of an elephant and grab it.

“Oh! you mean… this Elephant!” You say with that devilish grin on your face.

“Yo! I didn’t even see that.” I say with laughter.

“This here elephant in fact is a very sturdy Elephant with a pompous bottom, but is a size of a lobster” You say mimicking a British narrator on animal planet. We both laugh as you put the Miniature Elephant down.

“But seriously mija,”

“What? I was being serious. The Elephant has a very pompous ass.” You laugh, avoiding my question.

I look at you with raised eyes, awaiting my answer.

“C’mon” I say.

You do that thing with your lips when you want to speak but can’t force the words, until you do.

“You want something to drink?” You say adjusting you’re beanie.

I briefly pause.

“Okay.”

You jump up from the couch with a half smile upon your face. I get up with a heavy heart, now heading towards the patio window. Now looking at the Raging snow; falling like anvils, complimenting the trees. It looked as if it was one of Bob Ross' paintings coming to life. I say to my self,

“Who are you kidding man, she doesn’t like you. I don’t even know why I’m here.”

I snap out of my trance now realizing there has been an awkward silence surrounding the cabin.

“Hey whatever happened to that cross I gave you for your birthday?”

There is a brief pause.

“Oh I’m sorry I had to sell it I needed the money for text books.” You exclaim from the kitchen.

Trying not to feel hurt by this epiphany I change the subject.

“So Your Grandfather built this place?” I say to break the silence.

“Oh yeah, every square inch. He came here to be alone with mi abuela.”

“Aw that’s romantic.” I say examining across the room .

“ Well If you call drunkenly abusing a woman in a secluded place where no one can see, love? Then yeah…” She walks over to me with a wine bottle and two glasses. You hand me a glass as you pour your portion in your glass.

“Uhh, No soda?” I say nervously.

“What, you scared the police will card you?” You tease with a smile now poring my portion.

“Well I-

“Puh-lease we’re 19-2O in college live a little, man.”

As she gulps down the beverage looking through the patio window, I sniff my glass.

“Merlot huh? Hmm.” I sip the drink.

“Okay Mr. Virgin how’d You know that?” You smirk now taking another sip.

“You’re not the only one with an alcoholic family.” I take a big gulp of the merlot.

Your smirk disappears. And both your eyes are fixated on me expecting me to tell more.

“My father would drink so much around me, I memorized the scent of every bottle-whiskey, beer, you name it. He would do this for years mind you. Until he didn't. He became sober for 9 months straight. I was so proud of him." I take a big gulp of the merlot as tears left my eyes.

"I was in a bakery on 342 E 11th St getting a chocolate cake when I received a call from dad, asking if he wanted to have a drink with me since it's his birthday.'for old times sake' he says. My dumbass thought it was a good idea. I walked into the apartment with the chocolate cake in hand, as he came to greet me, he fell to the ground, holding his side. Next thing you know, he was gone. Pop died on his birthday. The last thing he drank was a glass of merlot. I stood there holding his cake.” I scoff as I take in a big gulp of the beverage; my eyes are still fixated on the raging snow.

You look at me mouth agape.With a tear leaving your eye. You quickly wipe it off adjusting yourself. You put down the glass of merlot. Looking back at the snow and back at me, not knowing what to do or say.

“The falling snow trusts the wind that it will guide it to the ground. Because of honesty.” You say breaking the silence.

“I’m sorry what?”

You look at me then scoff, adverting your direction to the couch. You sit down. Not knowing what else to do, I put down my drink on the counter and sat a few feet across from you.

You stutter your words.

“I wanted you to come here, so I could be honest with myself. And honesty works both ways. Like the wind and the snow.” You say looking back at the patio window.

Something told me not to say anything. So I didn’t.

You pour a little more merlot in your glass. Trying not to make eye contact with me, out of embarrassment I assume. You go on your phone, as you realize there is no signal, you toss the phone aside out of frustration. You gulp down the glass of Merlot, putting it down on the counter.

You look down twiddling your thumbs taking off your beanie. Without noticing, I look at you not looking at me. You catch my eyes as I quickly look away nonchalantly. But you look back at me this time, I catch your eyes now. Your eyes quickly drop to the ground. This time with a smile upon your face. Our eyes lock. We become fraternal reflections of one another. It was like the merlot opened up your singing eyes. Yes, your eyes sung like a flock of birds on a summer’s morning.

Your cheeks brightened up like a freshly picked apple. I smiled, and looked down. You were not smiling, no, you stared as if you’re reading one of Shakespeare’s plays, trying to piece together each word, seeing what fits. As if you were trying to understand Shakespeare himself. Your eyes, your mouth, your lips were all staring at me. Like when we first met, when you were listening to KANON. You spoke without speaking. I understood you. No words were spoken the rest of the night. We didn’t need to speak for you already understood me. I understood you. We shut our eyes now visiting death’s cousin...

“Hey, wake up.” I opened my eyes. The first thing I saw is the christian cross dangling from your chest, it was the same one I gave you for your birthday a few months ago!

"The cross? You kept it?" I say groggily.

This was the first I’ve seen you wear it. You jump up with that devilish grin of yours.

“You gotta see outside! Look!” You said heading toward the door.

“You wanna grab your Jacket?” I asked still groggy.

“No time…look!”

You jumped into your boots and ran outside. I quickly followed, putting on my boots stumbling over my steps. I opened the door and saw you out in the night sky with open arms reaching to the sky. You were smiling, jumping in the air hugging the sky—the epiphany of joy. I did not bother to see what you were happy about, for you being happy made me happy.

“Look!” You shouted pointing at the sky.

I looked up to see bright lights of every color flowing like the ocean.

“The Northern lights”. I say to myself now running to the cabin to grab my camera.

I took every picture, not missing a shot.

“God’s breath now shines on us!” you say now picking up snow blowing it in your hand.

*snap* I took a picture of you. I then focused on you. Your eyes were bluer in the pictures, complimenting the scenery. Your whole essence emitted the same energy as the aurora lights.

We stood there in the cold. You laid your head on my shoulder, as God’s breath shone on us. The snowflakes fell tranquilly, hitting your head perfectly. Our mouths were silent but we spoke profusely. We were standing still but we were running. Our eyes met again. They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, but I saw your universe. I saw you. The wind became silent, as did the river, for I only heard the bells; bells jingling on a Christmas Day. I also heard KANON playing gracefully with the snow fall. I think you heard it too. I felt you grab my hand, gently rubbing your thumb against my palm. Our lips touched as the eyes of heaven shone on us. We stood there as KANON played, as the bells jingled, as the angels sang, and as our hands tingled. We smiled as we rested our heads against each other, under a night of a thousand stars.

dating
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About the Creator

Joshua Alejandro

I have a lot on my mind. A lot of stories to share too. Spend your day and night with me, and you shall possess the origin of all poems.

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