All I Ever Wanted

001/001



"Elle Harris, what have you done to me?" he smiles, leaning down and brushing his lips against my own.

I giggle lightly and stand on tiptoe to wrap my arms around his neck. "It's more like what have I done to deserve you." And I take in his shocked face and plant my lips on his securely.

It's a beautiful moment, the kind that I live for anymore. At least, until I hear the sound of a gun safety being clicked off. 

- Earlier -

I take my time walking home from school as usual, especially on Wednesdays. It used to just be to avoid my father's bible study as long as possible, but in the past few months I've found a new reason to stroll a bit more leisurely, take an alternate route.

 Dane. 

Oh yes, it sounds so very typical. A teenage girl sneaking away from her parents to meet up with a boy. But this part of my life is anything but cliché. "My love!"

Two large arms engulf my entire body, and all I can think of is how beautiful this moment is. How much I love feeling safe and cared for. And how the only thing anyone else can seem to see is the 'criminal' difference between the pigments of our skin.

I pull back slightly and smile up at the warm, chocolate-colored eyes staring back at me with that always beautiful glint. "Afternoon, Dane." I giggle a little and plant a light kiss on his cheek.

"You comin' in, darlin'?" I hear the familiar voice of his mother call from their porch. I wave.

"Sorry, Miss Clark, but I gotta be home today. Thank ya though!" She gives me a warm smile before retreating back into the home she shares with her son, my love.

Speaking of whom, frowns down at my words. "You can't stay, Ellie Elephant?" I smile at the nickname.

"Wish I could, but daddy's threatened to punish me somethin' mighty if I don't get home closer to on time than I have been. He's startin' to get suspicious that I'm 'hangin' around that boy again', for whatever reason."

I mean it as a joke, but the frown on Dane's face only becomes deeper. "I wish I didn't get you in trouble with your family, Elle. I care about ya so much, but I know how much they mean to you."

"Don't you worry about it. I love you, Dane Elias Clark, and that's what matters. It's their problem that they don't approve." I run my fingers through his thick black hair in a comforting manner.

I've never wanted to hide anything from my parents. I love them a lot, it's just that they're very close-minded. I don't suppose it's their fault or anything, living in a small Louisiana town and growing up with segregation at the forefront of everyday life. But times have changed, even though they haven't. So it leaves us here; with me sneaking around all the time only for love.

I'll never forget the day I tried to introduce them to Dane.

"You've got nothing to be nervous about, Dane. I love you, and even if they don't approve, that's all that matters. I'm never gonna leave you. You won't be getting rid of me that easily." I smile up at my trembling boyfriend, wishing that he didn't think of himself so poorly for something as simple as having a dark skin color.

He places a light kiss on my lips. "If you say so, darlin'. Let's do this." And I take his much larger hand in mine, opening my front door and heading for the living room where I know my parents will be.

"Mama, daddy? There's someone I'd like you to meet." I pull Dane into the room, and almost immediately hatred and disapproval fill my parents' eyes.

My father stands up and grabs my wrist, pulling me to him and severing my connection to Dane. Placing his hands on my shoulders, he starts shaking me. "Elle Marie Harris, what on earth has possessed you? Bringing something like this into our home! Where did you even meet that?"

I pull myself from his grip and go stand by Dane's side. "First of all,  Dane  is just as much of a human being and a man as you, so you stop referring to him as an object right now. Second of all, I met him walking home months ago. We became friends, and eventually started dating."

I don't miss my mother's sharp intake of breath. "Hush now, Elle Marie. That's enough. What are you trying to prove by rebelling against us like this?!" I roll my eyes at my mother's antics.

"I'm not doing this to rebel, or for anything silly like that. I love him, and that's that."

My father has turned a dark shade of red at this point, practically shaking in anger. "You," he states in a dark voice, "Get out of my home!" He shouts at Dane. "And you, young lady, best get to your room right now, get your homework done, and then change into one of your church dresses. You're coming with me tonight. Don't think this is over." 

"Alright then, love. You best run along, I don't want your folks any madder at you than they probably already are." With a final peck on the lips, Dane retreats to his home and I resume my walk home.

My parents approval would be great, but I don't need it. The only thing I've ever needed - or really, really wanted - was love. And I have that.

I've done everything my parents asked before this. I've only read the things they wanted me to, gone to the places they approved of, walked and talked and done everything I could to please them. But this is the one thing I want - Dane is the one thing I want. And I will not give that up for anything.

"Elle? That you, sweetheart?" My father's voice sounds quite oddly cheerful.

Of course, I respond with a respectful, "Yes, daddy!" There are the muted sounds of a conversation coming from our sitting room, and I'm very confused because there's more than one male voice.

I follow the sounds until I see my father and mother on the loveseat talking to a stranger sitting in my chair. Since we have company, I sit my school bag down nicely behind the other chair that I hang my coat on.

"Hello." I go and take my seat, not saying anything else for the moment, very apprehensive of the situation.

My mother's smile is the brightest toward me that I've seen it since the day I introduced her to Dane. "Hello darling. We'd like you to meet Mr. Sam Davis." The stranger turns to me, and I can't seem to tear my gaze away from his icy blue eyes and cruel-looking smirk.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Harris." His very voice chills me to the bone. I don't like this man at all. But, I mustn't be rude.

I hold my hand out to shake, but he takes it gently and places a kiss on it instead from his new standing position. "The same to you, Mr. Davis."

He forces a smile, and it's even scarier than the first expression I saw on him. "Please, call me Sam."

"Then call me Elle." Do not call me Elle. You are not my friend.

He takes his seat and my father gestures for me to do the same before clearing his throat and beginning to speak. "Mr. Davis is the son of an old friend of mine from my school days." I simply nod. "From a very good family, he is." I know what that translates to, of course. Rich and white.

I continue to nod and try to keep the a semi-pleasant look plastered on my face. "We've decided, with Mr. Davis' consent of course, that the two of you will begin courting."

Courting.

It's an archaic word, and in the case of my parents, a death sentence. They have promised me to this man, just like in the olden days. I start shaking my head rapidly. "No, no you can't do that! This is the 21st century, for goodness' sake! And besides, I have-"

"Don't you dare say that thing's name in here again, Elle Marie." My father's niceties have disappeared. "You will be courted by Mr. Davis and within a year, you will be married. That is not up for debate, Elle."

I run up to my room and slam the door shut. I know it's rather childish, but I can't bring myself to care. I don't deserve this. I try my very best to be selfless, to do everything I can to please everyone else. But love, love is mine and mine alone. I ignore all calls for dinner, even my father's threats and fall asleep, dreaming of Dane and the love limited purely by ignorance of something so simple as skin color.

When I wake, I dress and grab my books and an apple, walking to school without a word to my parents. Only moments into my walk, an unwelcome hand grips my own.

"Good morning, Elle." And the cold voice returns.

I try to remove the emotion from mine as well. "Mr. Davis . I apologize for my rude behavior yesterday, it was all out of anger toward my parents. But," I say as he smiles that awful smile and goes to speak, "That does not mean I have changed my mind, nor will I. I'm afraid that I am already in a committed relationship, and while you seem like a very nice man," lie, "I will not consent to be courted by you, and certainly not be married to you."

The man's grip on my wrist tightens and he whirls me around to face him. "Listen up, sweetheart. This isn't about you. This isn't about what you want. You are mine, whether you like it or not. I know all about your committed relationship, and it's disgusting. I hate the idea of marrying a girl with such low standards, but at the very least you're a pretty face as you should be. Hopefully you're not totally useless at cooking or cleaning."

I spit at him, and a sharp, open palm finds the side of my face a few times rapidly, with much force behind it. The monster releases my wrist and shoves me to the ground. "Go to school, now, or you'll regret it. You're expected at your parents house ten minutes or less after it's over as well. No...extra steps. I'll see you later, my fiancee."

With that, he's gone. I walk the extra few minutes to school, and spend the whole day focusing on Dane and trying to forget. The day seems to take forever to pass by, and I'm counting the moments until I can be in the arms of the one I love once more.

The moment the bell rings, I'm out of there and on the path to Dane's house.

I see Dane just as he arrives from his school, his bag not even in his home yet, and I run into his arms. "God, I need you right now, Dane. I love you so much, okay?"

"Woah there, darlin'. I love you too, with all my heart. What's troublin' you? And who on earth marked your pretty little face?"

I take a deep breath. This is really going to hurt him, I know. Maybe even more than it hurt me. "My parents. They've - they've arranged a marriage for me, essentially He - he hit me." I don't miss his sharp intake of breath.

"But before you say anything, I've got an idea. I hate to do it, I really do, but I think we've got to run away. Just the two of us. I mean, you're eighteen already, and I'll be in less than a month. We can do it, Dane. I love you."

Only a small tear escapes him before he wraps me in his arms. "I love you too," he speaks softly, "Elle Harris, what have you done to me?" he smiles, leaning down and brushing his lips against my own.

I giggle lightly and stand on tiptoe to wrap my arms around his neck. "It's more like what have I done to deserve you." And I take in his shocked face and plant my lips on his securely.

It's a beautiful moment, the kind that I live for anymore. At least, until I hear the sound of a gun safety being clicked off. I whirl around, automatically frightened, gripping Dane's hand tightly as I stand at his side.

"I believe you were told to come right home, Ms. Harris. It's a pity you didn't listen." He doesn't mince words, and before I can do anything to stop it, a bullet passes through the forehead of my love.

I stare down Mr. Davis. "You don't understand, do you?" I say in a soft, heartbroken voice through my unfallen tears. "You can't kill love."

"That wasn't love, you stupid little girl. Love isn't real." He spits down at me, grabbing my wrist again. I use our close proximity to grab the pistol from his hand and push him away from me. His laugh is emotionless. "What are you going to do, kill me? Stupid girl."

I kick him hard, where I know it'll hurt, and when he falls to the ground I do as well. I lay myself down next to my lover, my head on his chest.

We used to lay like this all the time. It always gave me comfort to hear Dane's heartbeat. But there is nothing. Silence. Cold.

So I wrap his arm around me, curling myself into his body, and close my eyes.

There's nothing without love. Love...love is all I ever wanted. And now that it's been taken away, so has life.

I die smiling, smiling because I know I am to be reunited with my love. And in heaven, there won't be anyone to tell us that we're wrong. Our racial differences won't disappear, but it won't matter anymore. Our love will always survive.

I don't even feel the bullet.
♠ ♠ ♠
Thought this was like the coolest idea for a contest ever! Hope you enjoyed :)