THE FACE by Queen Kitteh *

As She sat, pressed into the sand, her feet dangling, swirling, caressing the cool water, sobs wracked her frame, and pain tore away at her broken heart. Utterly alone, the face in her dreams haunting, taunting her. She reached up, clawed at it, dug her fingers into the sand, flung the grains at his face, but he was only the image of her dreams, not reality. Biting her lip, burying her face in her hands. 


The serenity of the waves, the full moon smiling down upon her tear streaked face, the gentle still of the water about her. As he watched her from his perch upon the pier. As if to guard her, protect her vulnerability from afar. Consumed by her sadness she scarcely realized her surroundings, let alone him. He looked upon her form with compassion, affection, and desire, drinking of her sorrow, wishing he could remove the dark cloud from her beautiful soul. The light sound of his bare feet coming down on the sand as he hopped off the rough wood of the pier. Snagging his shorts as he landed, wriggling his toes in the still warm sand, heated from the sun's daylight rays. 


Drawing slowly closer to her, standing just behind her, he knelt down in the sand, placing a fist into the sand, the other hand pulling him around in front of her, his head peeking around, trying to get a glimpse of her face, trying not to startle her. She still failed to feel his presence, her sobs quieter, more resigned, but only because of exhaustion. "girl," he said. He didn't know her name. Assuming she heard his voice, he gently reached out, touching her chin with his finger tips, "beautiful girl," he said, as she cowered, her hands reaching behind her in the sand, shrinking from him. "your name?" he said gently, "I won't hurt you, I won't." her deep wounded doe eyes looked up at him, judging his hand, its intent, then flashing back to his face, swallowing, "mia--Amelia," she said through swallowed tears. 


A gentle smile arising on his lips. Scooting closer to her again, "I only want to help, I...I saw you." motioning with his hands, "I saw you crying, upset out here, alone." her eyes suddenly alarmed as he mentioned -alone- noticing, he said again, "I won't hurt you Mia, I wondered if you were-ok-." she shook her head tiredly, she wasnt -ok-. "can I help you mia, I know I just met..." falling back into hysterics she began to sob, her speech slurred as she mumbled about a -he- Pain pooling in her eyes, he noticed a cut on her cheek, he moved to pull her into his arms, her body protesting, rigid, then falling into his embrace, sobbing still. 


He held her tight, brushed the hair from her face, gently inspected the cut on her cheek, rocking her from the waves of upset. His face nestled in her tangled chocolate copper brown hair, his lips beside her ear, singing softly to her. The melody drifting down, down, into the depths of her soul, sending electric pulses through her heart, her senses tingling, warm goosebumps gliding down her spine. Everything within her reason, her past screaming at her, the voices shouting, "cry, keep crying, cry, you have to." but a warmth seemed to be wrapping its arms around her, and suddenly the sobs stopped, her breath caught up in a contented sigh, to his surprise. 


She pushed her head down hard against his chest as the sigh left her lips, a curious smile peeking out from the corners of her heart shaped mouth. Her eye lids sealed. Her delicate little fingers clasped behind him, hugging him tight. The breeze refreshing as her tear stained cheeks dried in its touch. "mia," he said tenderly. But laughter was already beginning to spring up within her belly, bubbling up, racing towards her throat, and then finally flooding through her mouth, oh how sweet it tasted running cooly and softly over her tongue. 


Giggling at first and then tumbling into joyful, delicate little bouts of laughter. "Mia," he said smiling, "what is it?" taking her by her shoulders, pushing her back gently so that he could look at her. "Mia....wha...t, what is it." he never truly looked at her. But in that moment, looking down into the depths of large clear emerald green stars, luminous and dancing in pools of turbulent color, his eyes running over the luscious delicate curve of the soft heart shaped puffs of candy red lips, searching the fullness of her little face, his breath suddenly left him in a hurry, his heart picking up into a full gallop, drumming along, sending blood flooding to every vessel and vein in his body. She looked up at him with laughter filled stars, innocent and doe-like. 


Suddenly shy, her long brown lashes coming to a delicate point, beginning to flutter demurely. "yes?," she seemed to purr at    him. Barely able to speak, he cleared his throat, "but...you're laughing, you're..." she stopped him, her small hand grasping his bare, muscular arm. Her other hand in a fist, reaching down between them in the sand, supporting herself as she leaned in and kissed his nose, drawing back, her lashes taking flight again, "yes I'm laughing," she giggled. Something in his eyes, caught her, she sighed again dreamily, plopping down backwards, with a "humph." still grinning at him, drawing her knees up to her chest. "I'm -ok-" she said. They sat in contented silence, something hanging about in the atmosphere. Mysterious. 


A few minutes passed on it what seemed years. Finally she turned and looked out into the ocean, the moon drifting and sloshing about in beams of reflected light out upon the waves. The breeze gently teasing her hair, tickling her cheeks and nose. Finally, "you know, I don't think I caught your name..." her voice soft and sweet. He just stared at her for a few moments, then as if falling back into reality, " oh. I'm. Ima. Alex, Alexander. I mean." he slurred. "Alex, Alex." she played with the syllables on her tongue, tasting it. "Alex," she said again, "I'm Mia." smiling. He laughed softy, scooting closer to her on his knees." I know," he beamed. Puzzled she looked at him, waiting for him to dispel her confusion. "you told me," he motioned, smiling. "you told me already." still closer. She stumbled on, " oh...I.I." embarrassed, trying to speak quickly. It was happening, in that second, she was fighting it, her body beginning to tingle and warm over again, her eyes captured in his gaze, turned to fiery glass. She could hear her herself stuttering, rambling on, about her name, and his. 


Far away, her senses overwhelmed. She stopped. "Alex?" in a soft whisper. The name sinking in. She seemed to be melting on the very spot, as he took her head into his hands and tenderly drew her chin up with his finger. The soft white throat exposed, the defined curve of her jaw tensed under his touch,  His lips pressing to hers, kissing her softly at first. Then slowly parting her lips as heat began to consume her, her world beginning to spin away with -his- memory. "I didn't catch your name," she repeated dreamily, softly, as he laid her down gently against the sand under him. His arms on either side of her, his muscular body over her, His lips beside her ear again. "Alex." he whispered. "Alex." she echoed. she felt the rush of helplessness, the sinking yielding, the surging tide of warmth that radiated into her and rendered her limp.  a darkness closing in on her as she whispered his name over and over. "your name, tell me again" she giggled. like warm honey, her eyes closed, completely at peace. His voice reassuring, sounding in her ears,  "Alex, Alex, Alex." it echoed. 


As his lips kissed her again and again, his breath burning her skin with excitement.Nothing except the night air, the murmuring waves, and a bright moon of silver reflecting upon their faces, all witnessing, holding testimony of their love. His voice sounding softly in her ears, her sweet voice echoing the syllables of his constancy. As The quiet face of her dreams began to drift to sea, becoming blurred and shattered into nothingness. With each touch, each whisper. "remind me...." she said. "Alexander," he teased. "just Alex."