Forbidden Love On A Full Night
Like Dreams

After telling Aunt El that I was going to delay my departure, I immediately returned to the cottage. Spending time in bed listening to music, waiting for an afternoon in a frenzy I don't understand, like a teenage girl waiting for a boyfriend for a first date. And I don't know why: I'm nervous. Also, not daring to imagine or expect anything over this meeting. Either later, or after. I was too cowardly to face the pain again.

Dusk had already shown its color up there when I decided to shower, shampoo, and shave my legs, and all that time my stomach was turbulent with anticipation. I sprayed the perfume, then put on a bright yellow canal dress and set myself in front of the mirror. Well-favoured. Perfect. My wavy hair that I purposely made fell down gently framing the face. My dress looked even more beautiful with a well-fitting waist and a long skirt.

I put on makeup carefully, sprayed a little more perfume, then sat there waiting. A few minutes later, I checked the time, then got up to look out the window. Not wanting Ram to see me waiting, I sat back, crossed my legs. Then, he almost jumped out of the chair when he heard Ram knock on the door.

I counted to five before opening the door, and held my breath. "Hi."

"Hi."

Looks tall, handsome and charming, black-white with sunburn, dashing, and melted - - that's what Ram looks like. The man was wearing beige jeans, a shirt with matching colors, and a western-style leather jacket.

"You ready?" ask Ram.

I'm nodding.

"You look tantalizing" he said in a low and hoarse tone.

I smile. "You too."

Ram stared fixedly at me, his dark eyes moving through my body. "I hope you're hungry."

"What?"

Ram smiled at me, reminding me of the wolf in the Red Hooded Girl story. "For dinner" continued the man smoothly, though we both realized that the man was not talking about food. "And maybe a little dancing. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, I'll get my sweater first." I draped the sweater over my shoulder, grabbed my bag, and handed my hand into the grasp of the hungry Big Wolf. Unable to refuse his hand.

The band that performed on stage tonight was different.

"Local band from the city" Ram explained. "They alternate between playing here and at one club in the city every Saturday night. They have a lot of fans."

I'm nodding. "It must be good for business" I said, realizing that the inn was more crowded than I had ever seen. I also realized that there were no children, no doubt because they served more than just soft drinks at the bar. I smiled, almost laughed.

"What's wrong?" ask Ram. "Is something funny?"

I put my shoulders down. "I'm grateful there's no kids tonight. Otherwise, Nina would definitely be here and jealous of me, right?"

Ram grinned amusedly. "That little girl reminds me of sixteen-year-old Purna. Aggressive!"

Eh?

My eyes almost glared at hearing it. "Don't taunt me.."" I whined.

"You're still spoiled" he said gently.

"I knew. But...."

"Much prettier than eight years ago."

Ughhhh! Is he praising, or flirting?

"Basic gumbal!"

Ram just laughed, then called the waiter and ordered steak and baked potatoes for dinner, then he took me to the dance floor. "You wanna dance with me, please?"

I nodded, welcoming the outstretch of his hand that was holding me to the dance floor. The band played A Thousand Years, which has always been my favorite song. I sighed* as Ram pulled me into his arms. Stabbed me into his arms tightly. It felt right there, to lean my head against Ram's chest, hearing the man's steady, powerful heartbeats under my ears. That beats hard for me, because of me....

As we slid on the dance floor, I closed my eyes, forgetting about people or anything else except Ram's arms that held me, and the faint scent of the man's aftershave lotion. And I was so happy to feel the strength of Ram's hand when he grabbed me, as if he were afraid of losing me, and he whispered, "I'm sorry for all the tears that were shed because of my attitude. I'm sorry, Purna."

"I don't want to talk about anything right now" I said, letting my eyes shut, feeling the warmth of his embrace as I leaned my head against his chest. "Let me enjoy this moment. Just it...."

We danced in the next song and the next, and when the song was about to end and I opened my eyes, my gaze was fixed on the figure of Welly Damiri. Instantly I remembered the closeness between him and Ram last night. Immediately I kept my head away from the chest rest that was holding me. "Sorry," I said, I suddenly felt uneasy.

"Why?" Ram asked in wonder.

"The girl you were with last night...."

"Forget it."

"But he saw us, saw me...."

"Finally...."

"Looks like he's angry. I. I feel bad."

"For what? She's not my lover. There is no relationship between us. Okay well? Trust me."

I looked up, looking into both eyes. "But yesterday you guys spent the night together. Dark... dark-eight."

Ew! Ram chuckles at me. "We watched the movie, so the lights went out. The rest nothing happened. Believe me," he said, looking closely at my eyes. "I went back to my cottage before the movie was even finished. Seriously."

Why does it sound like he's trying to convince me to earn my trust? The situation made me have to press hard on my hope so as not to go back up and hang over my head.

"All right if that's the case. I'm just afraid that I'm ruining your relationship. I was afraid I was in the wrong place and at the wrong time. Pardon?"

Ram just shook his head slowly, smiled knots and took me back to the dining table. Our dinner is available. Caught with Ram, feeling warm at the man's gaze, I could barely feel every bite of my steak.

After we finished eating, Ram left some money on the table and brought drinks for both of us, then took my hand and took me outside.

We walked around the inn until we found a place to be alone. I leaned against the building, still able to hear the sound of music from inside the inn.

"It's a beautiful night" I said. "The stars seem closer, we can almost reach and touch them."

Ram nodded in agreement. "Nearly," he said.

"See that!" seruku while pointing. "There's a shooting star! Make a wish, quickly."

Ram laughed softly. "You don't believe in that anymore, do you? Only the children still believe."

"Maybe I'm still a child."

Ram finished his drink and put his glass on the porch. "You don't look like a kid."

"really?"

Ram took the glass from my hand and placed it next to his glass. "Yes. You look like a woman waiting to be kissed."

I shrug my head. "really?" my whiskey.

Ram nodded as he narrowed the distance between us. "Am I misrepresenting? Tell me I'm wrong."

"You think?"

He shook his head, but his eyes were reluctant to escape from me. "I don't think I'm judging wrong."

"Well?"

Mmmmmm....