***Robin Hawkthorne***
***Juliette***
The night progressed and so did my confidence. Harvey, being the cheeky devil he was, somehow managed to get the two of us a strong drink to ease the anxiety that consumed me. Someone told me that it had to do with Jaimie, whom by talking with him I was certain was far older than any of us. Either way, I took it gladly, disguising the spiked punch in a red solo cup. After a few refills the awkwardness that I had felt previously faded away.
When the band was switched out, and the 90's rock music began to waft through the entirety of the venue I was surprisingly in the middle of it all, in the venter of the crowd of people dancing near the shore, The glow from the firepit along with the glowsticks that a few individuals wore around their heads, necks, and wrists lit up the dark side of the event. We were quite a distance away from the tents and activities from the festival, and even though the music was clear as day, the energy down here by the water was completely different. A controlled type of wild where our spirits, my spirit felt free.
Maybe it was due to the hum of energy in the air, or maybe it was because of the buzz that overtook me, either way I found myself dancing along to the beat of the music with everyone, and no one at all. At some point I vaguely remember Harvey, Layla, and the men that they had coming with joining into the lively crowd, half of them dancing, the other half swaying back and forth wildly, singing along to the lyrics of the song. I moved to the beep, jumping up and down crazily when a loud, upbeat song came on. I felt more alive than I have in a long time.
In the distance we could hear the band finish their song, the singer's voice coming over the speaker. "If it's alright with you guys, we're gonna play something a little bit slower." The man said.
Multiple boos echoed around me as people raised their arms, their thumbs pointed down. Despite that, the song went on, most everyone finding a partner to dance with near the heat of the fire. I however, got out of their as soon as I could, dodging a random man that was about to approach me, a question in his face. Passing Harvey and Layla I successively got out of the circle of people fluidly swaying from side to side.
The slow, daunting music was already starting to kill my buzz. So, while most everyone danced, I walked over to the stand nearby, that was now lit up with glowsticks of all colors, shapes, and sizes. Taking out the small amount of pocket change i carried, I purchased the large purple colored ring, using it as a headband.
When I turned around it was as if time itself stopped in its tracks. The music, the people, it was as if everything faded away. Through a gap in the crowd, directly next to the blazing bonfire, stood what could have very well been the most breathtaking man that I had ever come across. He wore a light denim colored jacket, and jeans with a white colored tee and brown lace up boots. Around his neck held the same glowing ring that I currently wore overtop my head, but his was a vibrant electric blue. His short brown hair held a messy curl, his naturally beige skin glimmering in the firelight, causing an iridescent glow to fall over him. He was taller than all those around him by over a foot, by the looks of it even having a couple of inches on Harvey. He was deeply immersed in a conversation, but his eyes flicked up towards me when he noticed that he had gained my attention. His dark eyes, they held so much intensity that my breath had nearly been knocked out of me.
Without bothering to utter another word to those around him he walked foreward. Each of his steps seeming slower, more drawn out than the last. It was as if he was walking into some mythological time vortex as the crowd gradually parted to make way for him. My gaze remained fixated on him and his every move; the way he confidently strode, the way his arms moved beside him, the way that his piercing eyes never left mine as he approached.
I stared at him, mesmerized, as he stood just in front of me. His eyes remaining glue d to me as he held out his hand. "Can I have this dance?" He asked with a low, soothing voice. Without hesitation I took it, my cold palms instantly being warmed by the touch of his calloused hand.
It was magical, the way he walked me over closer to the fire, his eyes and hand never leaving mine. They way we each turned to each other, before he placed his hands to my waist, as I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck as he leaned down, me standing on my tiptoes. It was unforgettable how his face lit up from the glow of the flames, a warm glow beaming on his face, highlighting his jawline. He looked like a sculpture handcrafted by Auguste Rodin himself.
As the music went on, the closer we got, each of us daring to inch closer until I was more or less leaning on his chest, his arms wrapping around me completely, as we still swayed back and forth. Hours of music had passed until the last song ended, and we were still locked in each other's arms.
Reluctantly, I moved back, looking up into his golden-brown eyes in awe. The flickered down to my lips, as did mine. For once I didn't think. For once I let my heart, whatever it was feeling, to guide me. As if in silence assurance we moved closer to one another, him leaning down farther before planting his soft lips to mine. The feeling was electrifying, butterflies swarmed my very core. He deepened the kiss, steadying my head with his large hand. He tastes of mint with a slight hint of bitter alcohol. It was intoxicating.
We pulled away, far after everyone else had left, and the fire was but an ember. I took a step back, subconsciously brushing my swollen lips with my fingertips. My eyes traveled to the moon overhead, and the freckles of stars in the sky, before falling back onto the handsome stranger. Something about this seemed familiar, but that was impossible. Never in my entire life had I experienced anything so extraordinary. It was crazy, this was crazy, but it felt right. It was like a scene out of a movie, with the full moon reflecting on the still water, highlighting the most glorious man that I had ever met.
We stood there for a while, just looking at each other. I wondered what he was thinking. Hell, what was I thinking? I was dumbstruck.
My phone rang, snapping me out of whatever trance that this man was unknowingly leading me into. It took a moment to answer, but on the last ring I finally picked up, hearing Harvey's voice coming through from the other line. "Jewels, where you at? Jaimie driving home." He had a slight slur in his voice as he spoke.
I lowered the phone, looking again to the man in front of me who hadn't taken his eyes off of me since we met. "I-I have to go." I mustered, reluctantly turning. Relief washed over me when he reached out, grabbing my arm before gently turning me back around.
"I can drive you." He told me.
Usually, I would decline. I didn't know this man. He could be anything from a psychopath to a serial killer. But, for some unprofaned reason I held an uncanny amount of trust in him, and I didn't even know his name.
I looked at the man in front of me for a moment longer before returning my phone to my ear. "I've got a ride." I told him.
"Ooooooo. Tell me all about it." He slurred. Even in his half drunken state he made sure to tell me to be safe before hanging up.
I put the phone away, looking back to the nameless man. It was dark now that the fire had burned out, the majority of the tents nearby closed, the only light remaining from the lampposts nearby. The moon overhead lit up the shore and the water below it, the beam brushed against the side of his face. It was striking, he seemed too beautiful for this world.
Stalking towards me he once again placed his large hands at my waist, leaning down towards me as he stole another kiss. I melted into his touch, our lips molding into one another as if that's where they had always belonged. It was a feeling I thought only possible in fairytales.
A manmade light shined on us from behind me. In the back of my mind, I remember everyone leaving being rounded out as the park shut down for the night. As we ignored the call, we were technically trespassing where we were.
"Who's down there?" An old man's gravelly voice called. He was still out of view from us, but he would soon spot us if we didn't get out of here.
"Come on." The man said, taking my hand in his and leading me away in the opposite direction. This area of the park was fenced in so I'm not exactly sure where he thought we were headed.
The light drew nearer as we ran away from the water and up the small bank across from the shore to a cluster of trees that were located just beside the fence of the park. The old man shined the light towards where we were, but before he could set us in his crosshairs the nameless man in front of me pushed me into the wide trunk of the tree, leaning his body against mine so that we were both out of sight.
Adrenaline pumped in my veins for fear of being caught, but maybe it really stemmed from the piercing look that was being boar into my very soul. I was well aware of how he was pressing his body against mine, the large, calloused hands that were placed on either side of my head to brace himself. He was so much taller than i was, the top of my head only reaching just to the top of his toned chest. He might have been wearing layers of clothing but I the muscular structure underneath was visible against his white tee as I steadied my hands on his chest, looking up into his seductive brown orbs. Never before have I been so attracted to someone else in my entire existence.
He tore his gaze from mine, looking to the back of the man that was now retreating in the opposite direction.
"Let's go." He said, pushing himself off the tree, taking my hand in his and pulling me towards the fence. In one swift move he jumped onto the fence, gracefully climbing the tall wooden gate. It was only a matter of moments before he made it to the top, each of his legs on either side of the barrier. I looked up to him with wide eyes.
"Come on." He repeated, holding his hand down toward me. I shook my head, incredulous. I was never the most coordinated person, and I knew that if I even attempted to climb that I would fall flat on my face.
"Come on." He urged.
The light was starting to return as the security guard made his rounds, searching for us and any other delinquents that might be overstaying their welcome. Without having any other choice, I hopped onto the fence, struggling to find my footing on the bottom bar that held the wooden beams together. Finally finding my foot up I reached for his hand, still extended, holding onto it as if my life depended on it. With less difficulty I climbed up the remainder of the wooden barrier as he steadied me, helping me to swing my legs over the other side without falling.
With one extraordinary leap he jumped down from the top of the fence, onto the gravel of he ground below. He got closer to the wooden wall, looking up to me, my legs, still dangling over the side.
"I- I can't." I told him, looking down at the ground. It wasn't that high up in actuality, but it was far too tall for me to successfully get down without hurting myself. My fear of heights wouldn't allow me to even attempt to in the first place.
"I'll catch you." He encouraged. But still I was reluctant.
"Hey. Get down from there." The old man's gravelly voice called from behind me. I didn't dare look behind me, not wanting to reveal my identity to the security guard.
I looked down to the attractive stranger with wide, weary eyes. His arms were extended, prepared to catch me. Unexplainably, the moment that I looked into his calming brown eyes my anxiety eased.
"You can trust me." He soothed. And for some illogical reason, I did.
With the old man still calling from behind I jumped down, my eyes closed, prepared to for the impact of hitting the ground, but instead my fall was caught by two strong arms. I opened my eyes, releasing the breath that I was holding to see him looking down at me, a look in his eyes that I couldn't quite place. Gently, he set me down, my feet once again placed on the ground.
Without another word he grabbed my hand, leading me down the paved road nearby, away from the gate that had light shining through its cracks, towards an empty parking lot nearby. We passed the towns library and post office on the way there. The other buildings and stores nearby were dark and vacant. Not a car in sight with the exception of a lone blue and white truck ford truck parked on the farthest side of the parking lot. He led me towards it, pulling out a pair of keys to unlock the doors. He opened the passenger door, helping me inside, before shutting it behind me and going around to climb in himself. I watched as he started the engine, the loud roar echoing in the quiet town. He put one arm around the back of the seat, baking out and taking off down the road.
His eyes stayed focused on the road, but I noticed every now and again that his eyes would shift to me from the corner of his eyes. We were only a few minutes out of town when he pulled off into the side of the road, into a rest stop, shutting off the truck.
I was crazy for going with him. I didn't even think when he had led me to his truck. I always overthink, every situation. But I was being callous with this one. The emotions that this mysterious stranger was deriving from me was unparallel to anything I had ever felt before. It was idiotic but I felt safe in his presence, an indescribable familiarity resting between the two of us.
Wordlessly, he scooted closer, leaning towards me, his right arm still draped around the back of the seat I was sitting in. My eyes fluttered close, welcoming the feeling of his soft lips onto mine, the feeling of mint consuming my senses. Unlike before this was soft and sweet, and he pulled away shortly after, but the feeling of butterflies ruptured my stomach none the less.
I turned to him. "Who are you?" I asked, wanting to put a name to the glorious face before me.
"Robin. Robin Hawkthorne." He smiled, brushing the side of my face with the hand that leaned on the seat beside me, causing goosebumps to erupt on my skin.
Without a word he retracted his hand, beginning to take off his light blue colored denim jacket. For a moment I was confused. The night air was brisk, the thought that he could possibly be too warm was ridiculous. My question was soon put to rest as he draped the coat over my shoulders, regardless of the long-sleeved flannel I had been wearing, leaving him in nothing but his white t-shirt, allowing me to see the slightly bulging biceps underneath. I couldn't suppress the blush in my cheeks.
"Is that better?" He asked, and I nodded. Little did he know that it wasn't the cold that caused the shivers up my body.
"What's your name princess?" He asked, the red in my cheeks becoming all the more vibrant.
"Juliette. Juliette Oakland." I introduced.
He replaced his hand on the side of my face, brushing against the heated surface with his thumb, examining my eyes, and facial expression like he was attempting to read a book the most interesting book that he had ever come across.
"A beautiful name for a beautiful girl." He complimented. I was trapped in his gaze before I had the chance to escape. Not that I would want too anyway. His lips found mine once again in a long battle that neither of us lost but both of us won. It was enchanting, magical. It was otherworldly.
All too soon he was driving me back towards Layla's with my direction, pulling up in front of her apartment building.
Before I could object he got out of the truck, helping me out of the car and walking me to the door. He was about to go inside with me, up the stairs that led to Layla's floor, when I stopped him.
"I'm staying with my friends right now. They're probably asleep and I wouldn't want to wake them." I explained.
"I understand." He said, nodding his head, turning to me as we stood just on the inside of the doors of the apartment building.
"When can I see you again?" He asked.
"When do you want to?" I smiled.
"Now, later, and forever." He joked, and I giggled.
"How about tomorrow?" He asked.
I thought about it for a moment, and mentally scowled. I had work tomorrow night, and althought I realy needed that job I wanted nothing more than to see this man, Robin, again.
"I work tomorrow night." I huffed.
"What about tomorrow afternoon? Lunch?" He offered.
"It's a date." I beamed, but my smile quickly dropped. "I-I'm sorry. I mean it doesn't have to be a date if you don't want. I'm not trying to assume anything." I rambled, but he put his finger against my lips to quiet my worries.
"I can't wait." He replied, before leaning down and granting me a kiss on my reddened cheeks.
He went to turn to go, but it just hit me that I was still wearing his coat. "Oh, wait." I called, and he turned around. I went to take it off, but he walked over to me, putting the jacket back over my shoulders.
"You can give me it back tomorrow when I see you." He told me, leaning down so that his lips hovered only an inch above my ear, his hot breath tickling the side of my face. "Besides. I left a little something in the side pocket." He whispered. I stood a hot and heated mess as he gave me another peck on the cheek, watching as he walked out of the building, down the steps of the front entrance, the door shutting behind him. I still remained minutes after, only turning once the loud roar of his truck faded into the distance.
I walked up the stairs of the apartment complex, to the upper floor, entering Layla's home with the key that she had gifted me, quietly closing the door behind me.
The living room remained unoccupied and the apartment completely silent. Walking towards the bathroom I peeked into Layla's half open room to see her fast asleep beneath the covers. Harvey was nowhere in sight which meant that he was more than likely at his place with Jaimie.
Tiptoeing I entered the bathroom, turning on the light to see my reflection staring back at me in the mirror. My lips were swollen from the hours spent with Robin, his jacket still covering me. The memories replayed in my head; the delightful scent of his cologne still lingered on the material. That alone was enough to plaster a joyful smile onto my face.
Undressing and changing into a pair of pajamas that Layla had left out for me I crawled onto the sofa in the living room, placing the jacket nearby, next to the pillow under my head.
More time passes and the smile on my face did not waver. i stared off towards nothing at all, playing out the film real in my mind, replaying everything that had unfolded again and again until it felt as if my heart would burst. Robins face was permanently etched in my brain. I could feel the emotion that he had produced being carved into my heart. I knew nothing about this man aside from his name and his face. Yet, I knew for certain that no matter what happened next, no matter how this played out I would never forget him, and I would forever long for him. For better or for worse.