The Story Of A Heart

Young and Beautiful

Benny and Anni-Frid left the party almost running while holding hands, both of them feeling like they were getting into trouble. He opened the car door for her and she entered, then he circled the Ferrari and entered as well. They both laughed without knowing exactly why, but there they were. "And now that?" she asked somewhat agitated.

Benny pursed his lips slightly— the truth is that he did not have a plan, he'd only thought of leaving the party to be with her as soon as possible. He thought quickly at the watchful eye of his guest, then knew what to do. "Do you like looking at the stars?"

She smiled with real excitement. "I do."

Benny drove to one of his favorite places; Skinnarviksberget, a hilltop viewpoint in the municipality of Södermalm. Some cars were nearby, but he knew a particular road. He drove up the hill through a lightly snow covered road, he was excited to get to the top. The music playing softly and Anni-Frid giggling from time to time, which turned out to be more pleasant than the melody itself. God help him but he was already bewitched by her, and he knew it. Benny was aware of all the signs, but still decided to put them aside momentarily, he wanted things to flow, he was not thinking about anything more than friendship, or rather not even about that, only knew that he was thinking about Anni-Frid— day and night.

They reached the top. Benny cut the engine, and with it the music also died, causing silence to reign. Anni-Frid glanced at the incredible sight she had in front through the glass; The lights of the city shining below her, the sea intervening between the hill and the buildings, she leaned further to appreciate the sky, compared to the morning it was clear. "Looks good," she commented.

"Wait, this is nothing," he got out of the car. Anni-Frid watched him in the rearview mirror, he went to the trunk and pulled out a bulge, then he walked to the front of the car and spread what appeared to be a blanket over the hood. Anni-Frid left but not before adjusting her coat as here was colder, and she joined him curiously.

"What are you doing?"

Benny climbed onto the hood on the blanket and held out his hand. "Get up."

Anni-Frid looked at him doubtfully for a few seconds but finally took his hand and climbed up as well. "Is this safe?"

Benny giggled. "Of course," he assured her. He leaned against his back and Anni-Frid seconded him, she being more careful about covering her body with her coat. They both lay on their backs. "Now yes, look up."

Anni-Frid did so; the sky was lost in the darkness, the stars were shining overhead, the moon was in a crescent only showing half its length. The noises of the city far in the distance, and the noises of the night on the top of that hill monopolized her ears. No one would think that after such a gray weekend right now it could be so clear, it was beautiful. "It's wonderful," she said softly.

"Look there," Benny pointed somewhere in the sky. "It's the Big Dipper."

"And that Ursa Minor," she also pointed upward. Benny looked away from the sky to see her, he had a total vision of her profile; the reflection of starlight in her green eyes and her thin lips curved into a tiny smile. He felt his insides vibrate just by a glance.

"You know about constellations, huh."

"Of course," she replied proudly. "Mormor taught me."

"It is extremely interesting, right?"

She nodded and sighed, suddenly aware of his eyes on her. "We are so small, compared to everything out there, we are nothing."

Benny turned slightly and leaned against his right shoulder, he could feel how special this moment was. "I wouldn't say that," he commented softly and watched her make an almost invisible face. "We may be small, yes, but we will never be nothing. The stars are there, still, bright and pretty? yes, but look at us." Anni-Frid looked directly into his piercing blue eyes. "While they observe us we are here, not only existing but living, our actions have an impact, our feelings have an impact, our words, all of them elevated to the universe, perhaps they up there will listen to us, but only that. Our life is short, but it impacts others. A star might fade out and no one will notice it, but if I fade out or if you fade out, you would have an impact on those who love you, the people around you would not be the same," he paused almost dramatically. "I would not be the same."