The Lemon Orchard Secret (SP&L)

"Really now?" she said with a playful tone, the look in her eyes full of ambiguity. Her finger reached up to her bronze-coloured hair and twirled a few locks. He smiled back; he did not know who she was. Her dark brown eyes were shining; it reminded him of peering into the lake by his hometown at midnight, where all the stars danced in the sky. They were beckoning.

        "Stay here," she whispered sweetly, putting her arms behind her back and leaning closer to his face. Invasion of personal space; too close for comfort. He unconsciously took a step back. She was wearing decent clothes, the fragrance she wore was strangely powerful and suffocating.

          "I'm sorry-" he responded and used both of his hands to gently push her back. His head dipped down till his fringe covered his eyes, arms gripping her slender ones which then slipped down to hold her wrists. A gentle breeze tickled their hair and seemed to listen to their conversation. Finally, after a long time, he looked up and dropped her wrists as if they were on fire.

           "S-sorry, again..." he apologized with such sincerity. Her smile was forgiving as she clasped her hand together. He did not know what came over him but suddenly, he felt rather unusual. There they were, standing in the middle of a field just a 5 minutes-walk away from the lemon orchard. His fingers trembled as he unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and stopped there. What was he doing there? Her eyes fell to part of his exposed chest; pretty white for a man and also smooth. There were sweat drops that slid down the nape of his neck. He was still trembling. Why was he there? His hands moved to his stomach and he looked straight into her eyes.

           "Is it you?" she asked, voice on the verge of breaking. Just what was she talking about? Her hair fluttered behind her as she inched closer to where he stood. Her skirt flapped as the wind got a little naughtier.

            "Is it you, yet?" she repeated, a little louder as she used her hand to tame her wild hair. And then she knew; the defiant look in his eyes, were not his, not yet. He was panicking. 'Who is she? Who is she? Who is she?' They were questions that overflowed from his mind as he started to hyperventilate. He clawed at his arms.

           "Calm down." she coaxed and soothed with honey-coated voice, as she patted his back with concern but had full control of the situation. Her fragrance caught his attention and his breathing slowed. His handsome face was absurdly pale and his skin glistened with sweat under the sunlight. She was disappointed but it never showed.

               "Let's go,". She had enough of everything; enough of waiting, enough of worrying, enough of being the first to know and enough of keeping secrets. She was tired. Her half-mast golden brown eyes which complemented her bronze hair shone as she held back tears. She held out her hand to him. The rustling of leaves around them seemed like a dance. He just stood there, with a blank stare; unmoving. He was not scared or trembling anymore. She halted in her tracks, hands still outreached in midair. Then her eyes lit up but she hesitated.   

             "Is- is it you?" she asked for the third time, her voice hopeful. There was no reply. The wind had died down to nothing. She turned her head away and attempted to walk away. Suddenly, her hand was grabbed by him. It surprised her and she gasped. A smile. It was definitely an all-knowing smile. The expression that his beautiful eyes made, was what she had been looking for. She really did cry this time; shoulders shaking and wailing softly.

            "Waited long?" he asked softly as he wiped her tears.
             "I'm here...". She embraced him like it was the last time, like she would never let him go. He reciprocated, circling his strong arms around her slim back and waist. Around them, the wind howled and blew violently, leaves scattered everywhere and the sunlight faded. He was here and that was all that mattered. He gazed deeply into her eyes and she into his.

             "Stay here," she pleaded softly, her eyes longed for him. He gave a little smile and traced the contours of her face.

             "Yes."