Strange Sepia
In her grasp.
A strange ambience finished off the evening.
A silence was all to be heard, accompanied by a few muffled melodies from birds we passed by.
Helen found this night, always to be a strange one; midsummer night. It can be, say, 10 o’clock, and still as light as day, whereas a normal winter would be darkened by such hours. But more than that, it was always...more magical, I suppose; for her, at least.
An awkward silence stretched between her and a young boy called Toby. They were both a rather handsome pair; the girl, (named Helen Theotokis) blessed with a beautiful olive skin tone. She had large, attractive eyes, and, dark waves, of which reached a place just below her shoulders. The young man was somewhat taller, with wavy blonde curls and a perfectly shaped face. They both shared the same expression that is normally accompanied by an awkward silence; quite what this silence was.
“How do you think it went, then?” Helen piped up and asked Toby
“You did well. You remembered all of ya’ lines” He answered with a smile. They both laughed. It was obvious that he was fairly ardent with her, by the way he was praising her, and the look in his eyes; as if he was falling into her gaze. I must admit, of course, she was fair of face.
Helen nodded, in thanks, and blushed slightly.
“Cheers. You were good too, though.” She avoided his gaze. She never did like to give or receive compliments.
But Toby just laughed in disbelief.
Helen did not bother to disagree because Toby was renowned for that kind of thing. So she just left it as it was.
They were not far away from home now, just a few minutes, but there was a still, silent, air of mystery about the evening. The sun set over the light auburn sky, the rolling clouds tinted a strange sepia colour. They walked past yet more houses and trees, Helen wishing that she had insisted her mother take her home, instead of walking home with her ‘leading man’ like she was so keen for Helen to do. The whole idea was bizarre to her. Helen’s mother seemed to think that there was ‘romantic interest’ between the two. Nonsense, Helen thought as she trudged more of this painfully boring walk.
“I must say, Helen,”
Toby started, and as Helen looked up at him she saw a blush creeping along his perfect cheekbone. “You do look rather...I mean, you were...” He trailed off but she fixed him with a slight stare, and he continued
“Stunning, tonight. You looked...beautiful.” He bit his lip.
More silence.
Toby, not put off by this non-existent reply, then caught Helen by the arm, and kissed her tenderly, on the mouth. It was Helen’s first kiss, but boy, she was not happy.
“Toby, what do you think you’re doing?” She responded, aghast by this spontaneous act.
He looked achingly at her eyes, and for a moment, they both shared a pensive gaze. Then, all of a sudden, the night that had always seemed so curious to Helen, finally made sense.
And I know why.
*
We both looked each other in the eyes for a second.
I felt very confused at that moment. Half of me knew that kissing Toby was just weird, no way did I fancy him; and yet, another half screamed for more. Literally. I could hear a conscience in the back of my head, beating, ‘Just do it! Do it...’
I pulled him back in for the kiss.
Instead of just feeling some all-too-familiar lips, I felt a peculiar feeling in the pit of my stomach.
It was like...
I don’t know. I’ve never felt it before now. It wasn’t from the kissing, that I knew. It was like my soul was being taken over. I didn’t know who it was who now ruled me, it was all too curious.
I then opened my eyes.
The world seemed different now, trees spoke to me, shadows haunted me, Toby wasn’t Toby; I wasn’t Helen.
Who was I?
A silence was all to be heard, accompanied by a few muffled melodies from birds we passed by.
Helen found this night, always to be a strange one; midsummer night. It can be, say, 10 o’clock, and still as light as day, whereas a normal winter would be darkened by such hours. But more than that, it was always...more magical, I suppose; for her, at least.
An awkward silence stretched between her and a young boy called Toby. They were both a rather handsome pair; the girl, (named Helen Theotokis) blessed with a beautiful olive skin tone. She had large, attractive eyes, and, dark waves, of which reached a place just below her shoulders. The young man was somewhat taller, with wavy blonde curls and a perfectly shaped face. They both shared the same expression that is normally accompanied by an awkward silence; quite what this silence was.
“How do you think it went, then?” Helen piped up and asked Toby
“You did well. You remembered all of ya’ lines” He answered with a smile. They both laughed. It was obvious that he was fairly ardent with her, by the way he was praising her, and the look in his eyes; as if he was falling into her gaze. I must admit, of course, she was fair of face.
Helen nodded, in thanks, and blushed slightly.
“Cheers. You were good too, though.” She avoided his gaze. She never did like to give or receive compliments.
But Toby just laughed in disbelief.
Helen did not bother to disagree because Toby was renowned for that kind of thing. So she just left it as it was.
They were not far away from home now, just a few minutes, but there was a still, silent, air of mystery about the evening. The sun set over the light auburn sky, the rolling clouds tinted a strange sepia colour. They walked past yet more houses and trees, Helen wishing that she had insisted her mother take her home, instead of walking home with her ‘leading man’ like she was so keen for Helen to do. The whole idea was bizarre to her. Helen’s mother seemed to think that there was ‘romantic interest’ between the two. Nonsense, Helen thought as she trudged more of this painfully boring walk.
“I must say, Helen,”
Toby started, and as Helen looked up at him she saw a blush creeping along his perfect cheekbone. “You do look rather...I mean, you were...” He trailed off but she fixed him with a slight stare, and he continued
“Stunning, tonight. You looked...beautiful.” He bit his lip.
More silence.
Toby, not put off by this non-existent reply, then caught Helen by the arm, and kissed her tenderly, on the mouth. It was Helen’s first kiss, but boy, she was not happy.
“Toby, what do you think you’re doing?” She responded, aghast by this spontaneous act.
He looked achingly at her eyes, and for a moment, they both shared a pensive gaze. Then, all of a sudden, the night that had always seemed so curious to Helen, finally made sense.
And I know why.
*
We both looked each other in the eyes for a second.
I felt very confused at that moment. Half of me knew that kissing Toby was just weird, no way did I fancy him; and yet, another half screamed for more. Literally. I could hear a conscience in the back of my head, beating, ‘Just do it! Do it...’
I pulled him back in for the kiss.
Instead of just feeling some all-too-familiar lips, I felt a peculiar feeling in the pit of my stomach.
It was like...
I don’t know. I’ve never felt it before now. It wasn’t from the kissing, that I knew. It was like my soul was being taken over. I didn’t know who it was who now ruled me, it was all too curious.
I then opened my eyes.
The world seemed different now, trees spoke to me, shadows haunted me, Toby wasn’t Toby; I wasn’t Helen.
Who was I?