ALMOST A BRIDE (Open On Annie)

16

When you fall in love, you get that inexplicable electric rush that shocks your senses to life. Your heart races, your stomach churns with butterflies- dragons even- your smile is bigger, you laugh just that little bit louder, you feel lighter and everything looks brighter. Better. Fresher. Newer.

The world seems different.

You seem different.

Positivity seeps from every pore and your glass spills over it’s so full.

Sometimes it happens so fast and suddenly that it makes you spin, trips you up. It creeps up on you, catches you off guard. Without warning. Without a sound. It happens when you least expect it, and sometimes, with the people you least expect.

It happens after a single conversation, a small simple smile, a look or a shared laugh. It’s a magical moment that cannot be explained, or quantified, or tagged and bagged and filled in a drawer under a heading. It’s mysterious, it’s marvelous, and it has to be more than just a chemical reaction. Surely? It’s bigger, much, much bigger than neurons firing, or dopamine pulsing. It’s epic, immeasurable and has a magical quality to it.

Certainly Chris didn’t really believe that?

After the hug ended, I’d been left with millions of questions. I didn’t know what it was about him, I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I was feeling such strong feelings for him. And they seemed to grow with each passing moment. The more time I spent with him, the more things I like about him.

It’s like buying that LBD (little black dress that every woman should have) it’s so simple and plain that at first there’s nothing to really like about it, other than its very practical applications. But the more you wear it and realize how comfortable it is, the more you discover exciting ways to accessories and dress it up- the more you like it and wear it. Until you have to buy another one because it’s so worn that the black is starting to look gray.

Chris was like that little black dress…a dress which I was dying to slip on.

We finally got back to the resort at about 5:00 that evening after enjoying a seafood barbeque on a small island and then spending some time exploring it. The evenings always look so beautiful; the light appears tinged with an incandescent pink, making the green of the plants pop even more and turning the water into a subtle rose color. In the delicate pink glow, Chris’ eyes looked even bluer. A little darker, deeper and dreamier.

 “Do you want to go for a swim in the pool, now that the sun’s not too bad?” Chris asked.

My skin felt sticky and salty from the sea and slimy from the sun cream- I could definitely do with a rinse off in the pool.

“Sounds good.” We made our way to the pool, picking up cooldrinks from the bar as we went. The pool was impressive- although by now I wouldn't have expected anything less from this place. It was a rather large infinity pool that looked out over the beach, it was surrounded by tables, chairs and comfortable loungers, we spotted two free ones and headed over. 

I sat for a while taking in the beauty of my surroundings and reflecting on the day I’d had with Chris, when suddenly, I could almost feel the change of pace. It was as if someone had flicked a switch and everything was now moving in slow motion. And then another flick of a switch, as slow, sultry music filled the air. I turned to see Tess emerge from the pool.

 She looked like she was climbing out in slow motion and to the imaginary beats of the sultry exotic song. Her tanned, toned body squeezed into a white bikini, her long wet black hair clinging to her. She lowered her head and flicked it back, her black locks flying through the air, again, in slow motion. She shook her head and her boobs shook and wobbled in the tiny bikini top. She reached up and ran her fingers through her hair. I looked at the reactions of the other pool -goers. Men were scraping their jaws off the floor. Wives looked seriously pissed off and even the birds on the grass looked like they'd stopped eating and turned to watch. Trev was glowing and smiling with a sense of pride and ownership. The kind you might have if you drove around in a new red Lamborghini.