short stories

lovers- or.. not

dakota, an energetic woman of unquestionable ability, stood alone on the beach, gazing over the turquoise water with her passionate granite spheres. Her terra hair danced lightly in the ocean breeze, tickling against one cheek as she tried to keep still despite her impatient excitement, resting her cheek against one hand as she traced a finger along her silver necklace. The sun glinted off of her lily-white shoulders and a tight ebon miniskirt showed the shape of her hips and the ivory tone of her legs. Her mane flowed in a salmon torrent past her shoulders, complementing her audacious fair visage. A prominent scar stood out on her pearly skin.

Her thoughts wandered to her days in Edward's company. It started on that day, when she had found herself facing mortal danger, desperately in need of a savior. He came in the form of Edward, who cut down what danger he could and swept her away from the rest. From then on, she cared about him with every fiber of her being, but Edward switched from warmth to coldness in a flash, struggling with his inner anguish. But she loved him no matter how many times he pushed her away. That was how it was to this very day. 

"dakota," Edward said simply with eyebrows arched and no trace of emotion. His flaxen globes complimented his toast-colored locks, brushing against his ears, belying his mournful heart. He was dressed in his usual everyday clothes. He had a toned but slender body covered with light-colored skin.

"Edward. It's nice of you to show up on time," dakota said, passionate depths flashing.

"Since when do you care about punctuality?" he shot back.

"Since just now." dakota gave him a quick kiss. With that, they began to walk along the beach.

"How have you been, Edward?" dakota asked as they began their stroll together.

Edward looked impassive as he replied, "As I've always been."

"Oh." She glanced awkwardly at him, fidgeting with her fingers to pass the time. "... Not very well?" He didn't humor her with a response. She reached for his hand, but he pulled away.

"You," he intoned in a low voice, "what is it that you want from me?"

That halted her in her tracks. "Edward!" she pleaded. "I love you! I just thought... I'd let you know. That I'm here to listen." Edward angled his body away. "Edward... you were there for me. Back when I was first trying to live on my own terms. I... I've never forgotten that. No matter how much you push me away."

He kept walking in silence. A bitter wind lashed against his cheek. "It wasn't for you," he murmured.

"I don't care," she shouted against the wind and sea. "If it was only because you wanted me for yourself, it's all felt the same to me! Don't you understand? I chose you! I..."

"You chose to leave behind a place where you belonged," Edward accused in a trembling voice. "I will never understand you. And you will never understand me." 

Her audacious orbs flashed and she yelled, "How would you know? Maybe I would understand, if only you'd let me know!"

"You ridiculous fool," he muttered. "Go back to your fantasy. Let the rest of us, who know well enough the futility of optimism, live in the real world."

"Fool?!" She crossed her arms and pierced him with her glare. "You're the one who can't see past his own swishy hair! If only you'd...."

"If only I'd what? What is it?" he taunted.

"If only you'd love me," she whispered. "Do... do you love me, Edward? That's... that's all I've wanted. That's why I chose you. Do you...?"

Something in her heart died when Edward wordlessly turned his back on his and continued down the beach. Still, she hastened her step until she returned silently to his side.

After a few moments, they found themselves walking down the beach again. It seemed to dakota that something had been bothering Edward for the last few hours -- or maybe longer than that. His lachrymose hardened aurulent globes were cast down and away, focused upon nothing in particular.

She really didn't want him to be troubled. She felt his pain as if it were her own. Tilting her head so that her coiffure fluttered against her cheeks, she murmured, "Edward... what's wrong?"

"dakota... it's, just..."

dakota slipped both of her hands into his, gazing into his agonized depths. "Edward... I'll listen."

He took a deep breath and gazed back into her silver pools with a look full of aching sadness, whispering, "I don't know if I can put it into words. I... lately... it might not even be just lately.... It's nothing. It's nothing! dakota, I... it burns... there's nothing that helps. Except that... sometimes, I feel a bit better when you're by my side...."

dakota listened quietly, pain flashing across her features as Edward recounted his sorrows. At last, he finished, and a moment of silence passed between them.

He seemed so empty and unsure. She brought her head against his chest in reassurance, murmuring, "I... Edward, that's... that's something I've felt too. My incomprehensible secret... sometimes, sometimes I remember it again, and it hurts... just like that. ...You're not alone, Edward." dakota brushed her fingertips against Edward's arm. Edward's eyes began to redden, and he abruptly pulled her into a fierce embrace. Her globes widened at first, but then she too felt overwhelmed by emotion and succumbed to the warmth of his touch.

"You," Edward whispered, his breath hot on her ear. "As long as you're here, I... I can make it." They held each other as tears trickled down cheeks and dripped onto the shifting sands to be carried away into the sea. With time and soothing embraces, their pain dissipated into a mist swept out by the ocean breeze and into the setting sun.

They basked in each other's quiet companionship for a few moments.

"Hey. dakota," Edward said abrasively. "Next time, wear clothes."

"I dress how I want!" dakota said with a frown.

Edward sighed with exasperation. "You're always this way. Fine. Forget it." By the magic power of love, dakota did somehow manage to forget the slight to her dress and things went back to normal. "Mm. Sunset."

dakota lifted her head at Edward's words to behold the dying sun's flaming radiance. "How beautiful."

After a moment of silence, he asked, "How long will we last?"

"I think we'll be forever," dakota murmured in response.

"Hmm," he said only. But when dakota looked at him, she saw a glimmer of hope in his melancholy pools.

dakota sighed with contentment and brought him closer. She gazed at the beautiful tawny rays of the falling sun, thinking about everything that had transpired on this day and all that would pass between them.

"I love you, Edward."

"I love you too, dakota."

Their lips met, and terra strands met tawny ones, aflame in the dying light. The sand was their witness and the rumbling ocean their approving audience, and Edward, her eternally faithful lover. dakota thought to herself that nothing could be more perfect in the world.