1945

1945 - Forbidden Love

Jennifer couldn't sleep all night.

Time seemed to have stopped inside her chest.

She prayed for the dawn to come quickly, just so she could see me again.

Meanwhile, I sank into a deep sleep, trapped between memories and nightmares that seemed endless.

When the sun finally rose, Jennifer skipped school.

She walked straight to my house.

She knocked on the door with such force that it seemed like a hungry lion trying to break in.

I woke up startled.

The first thing I saw was her face.

I closed my eyes, thinking I was still dreaming.

When I opened them again... there was only the door.

I got up and went to her.

When I opened it, Jennifer threw herself at me.

— I've found the love of my life!

And she kissed me with intensity.

I couldn't say anything.

I just felt.

That was when we officially started dating.

But fate had already prepared our first hell.

My stepmother's daughters saw Jennifer enter the house.

They didn't know she was the daughter of the British ambassador.

They ran immediately to tell.

Meanwhile, we were living a unique moment.

Jennifer played with my curly hair, smiling as if it were the most beautiful thing in the world.

I kissed her as if the world would end.

— William... will you always be with me? — she asked.

— You are the reflection I want to see for the rest of my life. I give you everything I am.

She smiled.

— You are the best gift God has given me.

But while we made promises...

The news reached the ambassador.

My stepmother told him everything.

— Sir, your daughter was seen with a young Black man.

He laughed with disdain.

— My daughter is at the university. This is slander.

— I saw it with my own eyes.

The ambassador, furious, expelled her from his house.

Still, he hired a marine and a spy to follow his own daughter.

Unaware of all this, I accompanied Jennifer to the park.

We exchanged kisses and promises.

— I don't want to be apart from you — she said.

— Tomorrow we'll see each other again.

But we were being watched.

One of my stepmother's daughters took a photo of us.

When Jennifer arrived home, her father was already waiting.

— Where were you?

— With university friends.

— I called there. You weren't.

Jennifer never lied.

But that day... she did.

Her father was racist.

A dangerous man.

— I was at a park.

— Go to your room.

Later, her mother entered.

— What's going on?

Jennifer took a deep breath.

— I'm in love.

— Who is the young man?

— There's a problem... he's Black.

Her mother paled.

— If your father finds out... he will kill him.

Jennifer cried, afraid of losing her love.

Meanwhile, I was at home, playing instruments, writing poems, trying to transform pain into art.

Until I was called.

My stepmother asked:

— Do you know Jennifer?

I stayed silent.

— Do you know her or not?

— Yes.

— What is your relationship?

— She is my girlfriend.

They laughed.

— You? A filthy Black? Her father is the ambassador!

The ground seemed to fall away beneath me.

— I didn't know...

— You will die. Go back to your place.

I cried in silence.

Minutes later, a trap was set.

When my father arrived, they lied.

They said I had stolen underwear.

I was in shock.

My father found the items in my room.

Without hearing me, he began to beat me.

— You should never have been born!

I screamed, calling for God.

I was expelled from the house.

I walked through the rain with my body bruised.

The water mixed with blood and tears.

At that moment, Jennifer felt a tightness in her chest.

She ran out of her house.

And found me in the park.

Wounded.

Almost lifeless.

She took me to a distant house.

And cared for me all night.

When I woke up...

She was there.

Like an angel.

— What happened, my love?

I explained everything.

She cried.

I held her.

And we stayed together again.

Even knowing...

The world was against us.