Xander and Amelia: Kareoke Madness

5:00 p.m. San Juan, Financial District



Amelia Lockhart stared into her office watch. She tapped her foot on the carpet, as if counting the seconds.  A few more minutes and she would clock in eigth hours of labor dedicated to a career she never studied for. But more on that later, because today was different. Today, she found a reason to stay a few more hours in the city. Amelia smiled because she had wanted to see him ever since that day at the parking lot. But he also scared the living daylights out of her. How could someone have such a dual reaction to her?

Amelia still had no idea what she felt for this person, whom she detested and was so curious about. This person who was from another world. After that infamous afternoon, Amelia had asked her friend Aiden  to walk her to her car. And every day, she would see him in his sleek Volvo parked next to her  blue  SUV. Her pink taser was always charged and ready for action, yet this person was moving slowly. He would only steal glances at her and smile...Amelia hated that she loved his smile. She was only dissappointed that her taser was left unused...to use it meant He would have to come closer.

So terrified and well, let's face it, PARANOID was she, that even her other co-workers knew about him. Some called him "The German" other's prefered to call him "the guy with red hair who scares Amelia".  Her friend Mikaela made the effort to talk to "The German" about her.

                                                     One month ago......


Mikaela and the german/red head guy/guy that scares Amelia/ had met with other co-workers for a few drinks. After a few minutes of analyzing him, she realized that Amelia would really like him. As if keeping a naughty secret from her (which she did), she showed him a photo of the "girl of his dreams".

Xander's expressive eyes enlarged even more when he saw the photo of the mysterious weird girl from the parking lot. "Nooooo way!!!!!!" "I know who she is!!!" "I have seen her, your telling me she is a singer? "Her name is Amelia?". Goal oriented Xander made a mental note that now he had legit reasons to speak to her, that girl who always looked away from him. He kept smiling all night.


                                                        Present day 

                                                         5:25 p.m. San Juan, 
                                          St. Martin Train Station kareoke

The shuttle bus made an abrupt stop. The neon lights sparkled everyone. Anticipation in their eyes. Hearts beating fast. Amelia step out and was face to face with Xander. It felt as if he was waiting for her. Amelia made serious efforts not to freak out and scream, or throw herself right at him.  She was leaving, or so she had decided, but Xander would not take it. He followed her to the parking lot, and after all those months of thinking what to say... "You are the singer, right?"

Amelia, not knowing about Mikaela's trick, was even more festered and scared. "How does he know? Oh crap! I knew it! He has been following me!!" She could only muster a mumbled "umm yeah, uhum.  In that moment you would have never guessed she had a master's degree under her shaking belt.

Xander, on the other hand, was growing even more with confidence. Tonight was the night he would begin to know her. He had no idea why so much intrigue over someone so quiet. But he felt she was different and special, and coming from a past like his, he was searching for the real thing.

"Dont go away! Im coming back. I have to hear you sing"
Amelia nodded
Xander gave her one last smile and chuckled.

Amelia, quickly walked towards her coworkers, all smiling and asking her what was that all about. She couldn't even speak articulately. The DJ was playing the song "Madness"from the band Muse. She suddenly gave in to melody and heart thumping rhythm. The lyrics made it a fitting environment.

"I need to know, is this real love, or is this madness?" She sang out loud and with a drink in hand, she decided it was time to sing and let it all out. Music has always been her escape, her resting place. She looked around for Xander's face amongst the crowd. She was surprised to find out, that he was doing the same. At that moment, eyes locked, she finally smiled, truly from her heart at the exact moment the song said "I have realized, that I need to love".

She took the mike and sang with her heart out. People looked around searching for a face to match the edgy voice, and were surprised to see it belonged to "meek"Amelia. The crowd kept growing, Amelia cheered on and felt so free. When she finished the song, she suddenly so brave, searched for Xander. He had never left her side.

They found each other and began laughing for no good reason. After exchanged names and all, Xander couldn't stop saying how wonderful she sang. Amelia couldn't believe that she loved the sound of his deep voice. He wasted no time and asked for her phone number.

"Oh, you can ask Mikaela for my number. I was about to leave".

Xander's heart beat faster....

"No, please...I really would love to call you".

Amelia's eyelashes batted.  Ohhh, now what do I do? Oh screw it, i cant go on denying. 

" If you want you can put me under Amelia Bank so you wont get confused".

Xander chuckled, "You are the only Amelia in my life. You, what you did tonight. It was unforgettable, like that time in the parking lot with your shirt".

............ Wait, What?. "Y-you remembered that?"

"Like I said, unforgettable".

Xander, I like your name... I might even like.... 

Amelia's drive back home was filled with unsaid words. Her past called, but she ignored it. All she could think of were the color of Xander's eyes, his voice and this desire to know more. Xander saved Amelia's number. He would call first thing. He never felt more sure about anything before.

Two strangers...Two different worlds
One story to tell. Minus one pink taser.

Amelia's Letter

Oh, so this must be how it feels. I have often heard my girlfriends speak of such silent endings with despair. This is how it feels, this calmness. This is how it feels to me when I lost you. Nothing. Empty sounds. Vacant looks and glares. 

I lost you the moment I met you. Remember that day? Place crowded with expectations, me being the weird one, you being the loud one. Yes, I remember how drawn I felt to your light, the sound of your laughter, the color of your eyes. The color of autumn. Truth is, at the risk of sounding extremely stupid...I could have stared into those amber eyes forever. 

I lost you that day, because I was afraid of loving you. I was scared to take a leap of faith and begin again. But I did, for a while. For a while I knew the meaning of a love so strong that it changes you. Your fire, your intensity, even your voice consumed me. I felt transformed. I felt more of me, so many hidden feelings were exposed and I felt naked, and I loved it. But, how can I tame a fire? Can it ever be controlled? 

You. Me. Us. It made sense. For a while. I am lying right now, as I write this I realized that I am hiding once more. You and I made absolutely no sense, because it never was about logic or arithmatic's. Truth is, we drove each other insane. But in that storm, there were moments of true calm when we would look at each other and find peace in our love. We were each others balance. And I loved you.

 Yes, I loved even the bad in you, the sorrows, your eccentric past  and your inability for forgive and forget. So again at the risk of sounding like a fool, because I was a fool...I still love you. I don't ever want to stop loving you, even when I can. As crooked as you are, you are the missing piece in my puzzle. 

I lost you the moment we kissed. The moment we embraced each other. I lost you the moment you saw me cry. I lost myself the moment I stopped  seeing what you saw in me. If this is our story, then I don't want to turn the page, I don't want to finish it. 

Do you?

Love,

Amelia

Chasing Time

She, was waiting for time. She had been waiting for four years, and yet silence is all she always had. Her hands were sweating, and her heart  pounding hard. The wind kept on singing, and leaves fell everywhere near her. She had flowers in her hair and feet. She wanted a future, but decided for an end. Her companion sat next to her licking her cheek and waiting just as anxious. She looked into her eyes and felt she was, heart broken, but not alone. She breathed in the smell of sea breeze and felt comfort. "This is what makes me", she repeated until truth echoed in her entire body. This moment would change her, this she knew. To let go of familiarity, his scent, the feel of his skin. She was letting go a life of one sided passion.

The gates opened, and four years walked in. He made noise as he ruffled the fallen leaves. He was always so poised and calm, she was the wind, the earth, the sound of laughter. He was the stillness in the night. What do you say when confronted by such a face? The face of a child man, the face of innocence. As they stared into each others eyes, he couldnt help but smile and she couldnt stop the tears.

Life passed through their minds. Their life together, was never a clean canvas. It was color mounted into color, the thickness of it all always made it impossible to start over.  He was realism and she was post impressionism. None, could have found a way to merge. When passion from color wanted to dance with his classic lines, they realized how incredibly odd and different they were. Classic lines, classic needs. Passionate colors, diverse sorrows. He wanted a Vermeer painting, all dark and sullen. She desired Edvard Munch, an emotional experience, a physical trance, to ride naked, to be naked to the world.

Finally, He walked closer to her, seeing how this ruffled her like a tree in the mercy of a tornado. Cruelty comes in all shapes. His was likea soothing  balm. She waited for his body and desired no longer his heart. As he came closer, she closed her eyes and said "This is how you made me". He embraced her, and the proximity took her by surprise and chilled her bones. So many years without passion can leave you numb and when you finally feel something, its intense.

"You know what I'm about to do, dont you?"
"I do."
"Can you give me a reason to continue waiting?"
"I have nothing. Nothing to give you."
"Always so still  and cold"
"Always so emotional and passionate"

Nothing.... 

Without a word. Without a touch. Simply gazing into their past and no future. They had no future to call upon. No hope to save them. Could you have saved them? Could you have convinced them to try? To fight for what used to unite them? What would you have said?

She was waiting for time. But she decided time should try to catch up with her. After all, she is the wind,  the sound of singing leaves, she is the moment someone decides to move on. And that moment, is now.

Art from www.artmajeur.com

                                                     

Windows of Time

WINDOWS OF TIME

No time for words

Who am I?

No time to think

Tears of a lover

Drifted and shadowed

No time for the past

Who do I love?

He turns his back

I see the way no longer

Which road to take?

No time for mistakes....

No time for regrets

                                                                No time to rest

                                                         Never a moment to forget

He turns his back

My arms extended try to reach

He has no time

Has he gone with the setting sun?

No time to wonder......

Windows are caked by dirt

No time to cleanse the amber shadows

He turns his back with the dying sun

No time for my tears

I have simply, no time....