Picture Perfect

I was released the next day. As soon as I got home, I took a walk down to the barn. It was so weird. The stalls were completely stripped of bedding and hay. Both the tack room was as barren as it had been when we had first moved in. I assumed that Rosanna took all the tack with her when she took the horses. Mother had only told me of their fate when I screamed bloody murder at her. With a weighted sigh, I walked out of the barn and closed the heavy wooden doors. I couldn’t believe that my only form of release was gone.

I walked to the beach. Passing the outdoor arena was painful- it was stripped of all standards, poles, and brush boxes. It looked like a barren desert. I knew that pretty soon it would be riddled with weeds. I teared up when I realized that I was following crescent-shaped prints. I pushed on, trying to block a recent memory from popping up. When my feet finally hit the sand, I tossed off my shoes and slowly walked to the shoreline.

Letting the cold water splash over my feet, I reminisced. I could see Puck knee deep in the water, splashing and playing around like always. When that became too much, I looked to my side, only to be confronted with the image of Puck and I playing around on the sand. I was running around gaily and he was chasing me- zig-zagging through the sand, into the ocean, and over logs; then I would turn around and chase him. I remember him always putting a smile on my face. I remember the amazing amount of trust we put into each other.

I wonder if he’s thinking about me as much as I’m thinking about him.

“Anna?” I was brought out of my daze by Jimmy. “What are you doing here?”

I looked at him. He was wearing his usual layer of heavy makeup. He looked skinner and sicker than I remembered him being. “I…uhm…”

“You’re a long way from your house.”

I looked around. How the hell did I get this far away? “Oh, um, thanks. I’ll just-” I fumbled, turning around.

“I heard about what happened. I’m sorry.” He called after me.

I slowly turned to face him again. “Thanks for your concern,” I tried to smile. I bet it made me look like a lunatic.

“Um, yea…you- you look good,” he said, his hand instantly going to the back of his neck.

“You too,” I whispered. I didn’t mean to, but it just came out like that.

Jimmy looked around hesitantly before stepping closer to me. “Look, I’m sorry for whatever it was that I did to make you angry. I miss hanging out with you.”

Sighing, I closed my eyes and tried to regulate my breathing. “Jimmy, you didn’t do anything. It’s me, okay? Like you told me once, I’m no good. You’re better off not knowing me.”

“I don’t get it. I’m the bad one, not you. You’re practically Miss Perfect.”

“I’m not perfect,” I muttered. I couldn’t look him in the eyes. It hurt too much.

“Close enough,” he said in a neutral manner. He stepped closer to me. “I’m sorry, sometimes I don’t think before I speak.”

“I remember.”

“Anna, look at me,” he said softly.

Very slowly, I looked at him. When we locked eyes, I let out a small gasp. I couldn’t believe the amount of compassion that his eyes held.

He cradled my cheek in his hand. “Don’t cry. Beautiful girls like you should never cry. It’s too heartbreaking.” He said, leaning in and kissing the tears I didn’t know I was shedding. His touch was just as soft and caring as I remembered.

Slowly, I turned my face so that I could catch his lips with mine. He seemed a bit shocked at first, but he began to kiss me back with a kind of caring passion that I wasn’t used to. There was no tongue action- just our lips caressing each other.

Slowly, he pulled away, causing me to let out a small whimper. I didn’t want it to ever end. “Come with me,” he breathed, his eyes still closed. “Let’s run away together. It’ll just be me, you, and our love.”

I startled back. Love? Did I love him? I wasn’t so sure. I didn’t know.

“Anna, I’m serious. Let’s just go. Right now.”

I shook my head. “As appealing as that sounds, I can’t. I-I’m sorry,” I said, moving to get away.

He grabbed me by the waist and spun my back into him. “Don’t go back to them- to him. a blind man can see that you’re not happy. Look, I may not be able to give you everything that you ever want, but I can easily give you everything you need- everything that you cannot buy. And, as scary and as terrifying that this is to say: I love you, Anna. Ever since you took me to see The Taming of the Shrew, I can’t get you out of my head. Why can’t you see that?”

I backed up a little more. I was still so scared. Scared of this feeling that was bubbling up within me. Scared of the thought that I didn’t mind running away. Scared of what would happen if I went with him. Scared of what would happen to Josh and my father. I was scared of everything. “I-I do love you. A-and I want to go with you- believe me, I do. So much. But, if you love me like you say you do, then you’ll let me go. We’re like Romeo and Juliet- star-crossed lovers- our love will be our destruction. I’m sorry, but we’re not meant to be.”

“Anna-”

“You will die if you don’t leave me alone!” I said loudly, moving my arms. "My mother promised to kill you if I didn't break off all ties with you!"

“Wha-” he stopped himself when he saw the flash of silver on my wrist. “You-”

“I never take it off,” I smiled, fingering it. I looked down at the moon charm. He never had given me the meaning behind it, but I had a feeling that I already knew. “Jimmy, promise me something.”

“Anything.”

“When you’re a big famous rock star, look up to the sky and shoot me a message. Wherever I am, I’ll get it. And I’ll shoot one back to you. I’m not worth giving up your dreams. Years from now, you’re going to thank me.” I crossed to him and kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll never forget you, Jimmy. Thank you for showing me that there are still gentlemen in the world.” Then I turned and left.