“So,” Jack’s voice came out as barely more than a whisper and his mouth couldn’t help but nibble on his bottom lip, ” am I everything you hoped for?”
Annie looked out over the valley, the sun’s lingering presence lighting the autumn leaves with a golden aura. She had waited many years for this day, the day she met Jack and still she couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eyes for longer than a moment.
“Your eyes are off center.” she smiled and glanced at Jack who looked flabbergasted and slightly amused. She wasn’t serious of course, she took this tone with everyone so that nobody felt as though they had a hand over her. She was, after all, as wild as the air in the sky yet there always had been this longing she couldn’t quite put her finger on. .
“well your teeth are crooked.” Jack chuckled back and Annie smiled a broad smile.
They looked over the valley together, the sky quickly dimming into shades of cotton candy pink and tangerine orange with hints of lavender. They sat like that, watching the world change, till the sky became a twinkling blanket.
Annie flinched at Jack’s unexpected hand on top of her’s and her eyes went from the moon’s face to his. He held her gaze there, something in his eyes beckoning her to stay just a while longer. He looked sad behind his smile, but she didn’t quite know what to say.
“Can I kiss you?” He asked leaning in closer to Annie’s lips.
Warmth and fear flooded over her as she bit her bottom lip and turned away from him.
“I’m just a fish Jack,” she sighed and watched the fireflies dance in the valley below, ” and you have an ocean to choose from.”
Jack’s hand on her cheek pulling her eyes back to him, made that longing she had denied herself ever more obvious to her soul.
“I am but a fisherman who has cast his net and God blessed me with a mermaid like you. There is no other fish to compare.” Jack’s eyes sparkled like the stars and Annie couldn’t help but allow him to pull her in.
A soft and gentle kiss. One Annie knew could end any minute but secretly she wished it never had to end. Did it have to end? Could we stay like this forever? She thought but dared not a word between two eager lips that had waited so long to meet.
The Journey 