The beauty of a faithful romantic relationship is the sacred often unspoken bond of trust that is formed between two people. From the moment it is in place, an enchantment bewitches the couple and casts a spell of amnesia over them, causing them to forget kisses and touches past. When the bond is broken however, the enchantment unfortunately does not immediately lift but instead transforms into the deepest of curses: longing for the caresses one is deprived of perhaps forever. And so I found myself caught in this prison of a paradigm and the pain of it, as it always does, stabbed me unexpectedly.
“Something good needs to happen”, I said to my friend, looking down glumly. I had dragged myself over to him, resting my arms on his office desk and said in a tiny voice that I wasn’t looking forward to training. He knew what was wrong, he knew I was sad, the girl who usually thrives on her thrice weekly cardio-induced endorphin rush. As an incentive to keep going, he offered me a lift which I gratefully accepted.
When we arrived at the gym, I was enveloped in my misery and the stuffy car heating as I leaned towards him for the usual air-cheek-kiss. However, as our skin was about to make contact, time stopped. His eyes, previously warm and laughing, were now serious and filled with intent as, very slowly and very deliberately, he turned his head to face me. Though surely only a few seconds long, the moment lingered tenderly as his soft and full lips found mine with assurance. As the kiss ended, I remained still, paralysed in the confusion of the moment passed and the surprise at my ease in responding.
“That was to cheer you up.”, he said softly. “Did it work?” I mumbled incoherently, still overwhelmed with unintelligible thoughts and feelings. “I think so.” He kissed me again, as briefly but still as kindly as the first one. Then he left.
A bridge had been crossed. The burden of anxiety concerning that moment was no longer as the event had occurred before I had a chance to decide if the time was right. I turned, shell-shocked, towards the double doors. The paradigm had shifted. I then lifted my foot, still uncomprehending, and walked one step further.
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