Determined love - a short story

You wouldn’t exactly describe her as beautiful, certainly not in a classical Audrey Hepburn kind of way. Although, after some intense observation I guess you could say she had that same air of aloofness, vulnerability and a kind innocence. No, not beautiful, but attractive; absolutely.

Oh yes, she was lovable. That is to say she had great potential to be loved. She certainly wasn’t opposed to being loved. Perhaps, some might say, it was something she craved. Maybe, just maybe it was an attitude of rights, of givens.

And yet, love did not seem to come her way.

Pitiful, that’s the only way to describe her love life.

Pitiful! Not from lack of effort on her part, I can assure you. Far from it!

Some might say she was almost obsessive in her grooming and preening and, well, it’s fair to say she was perhaps a little vain. Most certainly she was not shy when it came to her reflection in the mirror. Oh yes, she was a little vain.

Day after day (when she wasn’t in front of vanity) she sat by her window and stared out at the house across the road. She knew he was lurking around somewhere. She knew, with every fibre of her being that HE knew she was there watching, waiting, hoping, luring, beckoning, teasing.

He knew, surely?

She knew, for sure!

The game, if it was a game, went on every day, hour after hour, minute after long enduring minute. She sat. She waited. She hoped. Sometimes, appearing to ignore each other, a moment passed between them. No matter how hard they both tried to pretend otherwise they were always, always flirting.

Shamelessly flirting!

There were good days, confident days, and precious moments. There was whispered looks which screamed of the possible future union, the meeting of hearts. These stolen moments filled her with such aching joy the dance just sprang from her feet.

There were bad days, confusing days, dark and depressing. A back turned, a snub, mocking her, rejecting her advances. Of course these moments filled her with such darkness, such despair, such heaviness that the best she could do was to curl up in a fetus - like position to sleep away the hours.

Not everyone was approving of this tender relationship. Obstacles were put in their way. Doors were locked. Curtains were drawn. Union was forbidden.

But you can’t stop determination. You can’t deter love, passion, curiosity. She felt a certain determination. She must remain diligent.

To be cont’d