Ardour! Oh, To Love and Be Loved

 

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Anna and Marouane were hidden, seated under one of the trees as they looked on at the river. The clear waters let one see the pebbles resting at the bottom and the slimy green undergrowth beating about in the current. Water lilies thrived around, with the pink flowers floating in glee on the circular leaves, supple tendrils spiraling in peaceful elegance down to the pebbled bed.

Anna broke into loud, cheerful laughter that rang through the placid ambiance around them with a lingering reverberation. She was seated between Marouane’s thighs, her head resting on his chest as he leaned his back on the rugged, brown tree.

“That was way more than you had expected, right?” she said after her laughter died. “And I can only imagine how frustrated you were.”

Marouane shook his head as he smile dryly.

“Actually, I never got mad. I just thought, ‘meh, what the hell’ and walked away.”

“And we say miracles don’t happen.” Anna chucked.

“I know, right.”

Anna chuckled some more and shook her head. Then, a thoughtful and peaceful silence followed. Marouane looked down at her, looking like he was itching to say something.

“So you still aren’t sure if you will be at the wrestling competition, huh?” He asked finally as he pulled back her shiny, black hair that fell down her shoulders like a waterfall plunging into a beautiful river. He leaned further forward to have a better view of her face. She half turned towards him but did not look into his eyes.

“Marouane, please don’t start. I told you I won’t be going. My father won’t let me.” She answered and directed those large, delicate brown eyes to him as she pursed her full, shiny lips.

“Come on, Anna,” Marouane said, shifting his hands from her arms onto her midsection.

“You are a grown girl now. You need to stand up to your parents sometimes. Surely your dad can’t beat you for that.”

To a third party in the know of Anna’s run-ins with her father, it sounded ignorantly stupid from Marouane, but Anna had always remained mum and always told off her scars as the result of an illness. So, Marouane did not know that her father did, in fact, beat her for the flimsiest of reasons.

“Marouane,” she said, looking distraught, “can we not talk about that, please? I’m with you because you make me happy.”

“Then come to the ceremony with me.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, that changed quickly,” Marouane said. “It goes from your dad not letting you to you not knowing.”

“Marouane, please understand,” She said, turning her torso so she could get a good view of his face. “It’s not personal.”

She reached for his biceps and squeezed them lightly. Marouane disengaged himself from her hold and pulled away with delicate twists and turns, not wanting to be rude as he disengaged. He stood a little further from where she was, staring at the small river.

“What’s there to understand?” He asked as he pulled his left foot from her side and stood up.

“I…I just don’t want more trouble at home,” she stuttered, lowering her gaze to the grass at her feet.

“But I thought you said you wanted to forget the trouble at home.”

“I do.”

“Then come to the ceremony with me.” He pleaded, kneeling before her. “Come, Anna, come, and I will make you forget your problems – as I always do.”

Anna remained adamant. Marouane reached for her right hand and took it into his.

“Okay then. I won’t touch you inappropriately, I promise.” He prodded as he furrowed his brows and made a funny look at her.

“Marouane, no,” Anna mumbled, trying to wriggle her hand from Marouane’s grip. He let her go.

“Okay then,” he said as he rose to his feet. “I will go talk to Bosco personally. Come on.” He said, pulling her up and dusting her dress.

“Marouane, don’t be silly.” She protested playfully, an innocent smile on her lips.

“Why?” He asked. “I just need him to tell me why my girlfriend can’t come to a date with me.”

Anna sighed and shook her head. Her earlier radiance had slipped away, and the melancholy that constituted her general mien began lingering in her eyes, signs that her usual demeanor was taking back its rightful place. And Marouane was on fire, not just from a rush of lust but from a deeper simmer of admiration, adoration, and ardor.

“Don’t be combative with my dad,” Anna said, looking at Marouane as she tried to distract him. He tended to be very confrontational and so, she tried to use her charm to bring him back to his senses. She couldn’t tell if he was joking for the expression on him was indistinguishable.

“I will think about it,” she said, forcing a smile. Marouane offered none back. He scratched the mounds of hair on his head and skewed his lips.

“You don’t have much time though,” he said. “You only have today and tomorrow.”

He sounded downtrodden and Anna felt guilty.

“I will give you my answer tomorrow first thing in the morning.” She said.

“Sure no problem,” Marouane replied.

He reached for her and encircled her neck with his large, rough palms and fiddled with the gilded chain on her neck.

The trees shuffled as a slow wind huffed past. Several leaves made their way down, floating gently in their descent, twisting and flipping at will as they joined their predecessors who lay rotten and fusty in the earth beneath a thriving grass cover, showering the lovers down below. Sure, they were leaves and not flowers that showered them but the two lovers felt as though the leaves transported them into a fantasy land where all that mattered was the spark between them as they kissed.

“Will it be a yes?” He asked as he leaned in on her. Anna chuckled and shook her head.

“I will tell you tomorrow.”

“Will the answer disappoint me or please me?” Marouane pressed. He was dead serious, for he wasn’t exactly one to enjoy suspense like this. Anna hesitated. He watched her go cold in a flash before smiling back and gripping his forearm.

“It will be a very appropriate answer.” She said in jest, “Now, don’t push me.”

Marouane nodded. He took her hand, and they walked along the serene banks of the river, two lovers on a promenade with little abandon. 

The river rolled gently beside them, its gentle throb settling them into a silent muse. Birds chirped above their heads as the sun glinted through the leaves, crowning the romantic serenity under the shade. This was the river at its reposed state.

The calming sound of the water rolling over rocks and pebbles took the two's minds off the melancholy of their dark thoughts and into the easy world of meditative aloofness. Listening to the water hum in a continuous flow, soothing their ignorantly chimerical thoughts, was refreshing.

For Marouane, the thoughts were plain and blissful, and what better way to project that joy than with a sheepish but genuine smile that wrapped his face almost permanently.

Anna was happy too, only that the shadows of doubt lurked still, poking holes in her otherwise blissful thoughts. Bullet holes, spear holes, knife holes, manholes, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that her happiness was incomplete. But the little joy she had, she offered by squeezing his hand.

He squirmed excitedly, the sheepish grin on his face growing more awkward, and Anna noticed his trousers bulging at the crotch. She giggled and blushed. Their feet, buoyed by the euphoria of the love that lapped in their young hearts, took them to wherever they didn’t know, up until they came across a cluster of white daisies clumped up to a tiny shrub, hanging precariously over the river on their sinewy stalks.

“Stop,” Marouane said abruptly as he pulled her back. He reached down and plucked one of the white flowers and handed it to her. She gave a bashful smile, exposing the hidden beauty and charm of the lovely balls of her cheeks and their dimples. She coyly refused to take the flower. He pressed her to take it. She shook her head and remained coy. He held it by its stem before her, unrelenting. Eventually, she gave in and took it.

“Thank you,” She said, flashing him the smile once again.

“You are welcome,” Marouane responded, “just make sure you bring it with you when we meet at the ceremony.”

Anna looked down at the flower and frowned.

“But it will be dead by then.”

“Oh, okay,” Marouane said, “so that means you will be coming, only without the flower, right?”

Excitement was evident in his popped eyes, yet it still did no justice to portray the anticipated joy. Anna halted the smile that had begun growing. Now it all seemed suspect. Why did Marouane want her so bad at the ceremony? Because he wants you, that’s why - he wants to sleep with you. All boys do that.

She frowned and cocked a brow of doubt at him. He smiled at her, and it seemed to Anna to be an evil, close-lipped grin of mischief. No, he loves me. She smiled. He loves me; that’s why he wants me there. Loves you? She frowned again. Who told you that? Love is happy. You, on the other hand, are a spawn of misery and spite.

“Hey Anna, Anna,” Marouane shook her gently. She startled and found herself encapsulated in his arms. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, sorry, Marouane, it’s nothing,” she said flatly. “What were you saying?” She studied him closely. Does he really love me?

“I asked if you are coming to the ceremony.”

She lowered her gaze to the flower and watched the petals roll as she moved the stalk back and forth between her fingers.

“But I told you, Marouane, I will give you the answer tomorrow morning. I promise.”

“Come on, Anna. Just say yes now. You want to come, I know it.” He said, taking her hand and placing it on his chest. “Forget about your home for a while, Anna. You live here, in my heart, enclosed in a tender shell of peace—your home is here, Anna.”

Anna’s knees buckled. She tried to speak, but her trembling lips made it very hard. All the ripple of overwhelming joy through her made words dry. She felt the throb of his heart, and it wasn’t gentle. His heart was racing as if in a rush to beat time to save the threatened body.

Against her open palm, it seemed to want to reach out to her, seeking to hammer and muscle its way out of the imprisoning sternum and settle in her hand. It throbbed out of love. Or was it out of lust? Out of the thoughts of him thrusting his penis into all of her for the pleasure of it? Of course, it could be. No. It was it because Anna was never happy. Anna are you happy?

“Yes.” She let out loud. Marouane skipped and clasped his hands firmly yet tenderly around her face.

“Yes?” He let out, face glowing, a squeal in his voice.

“No.”

“What?” Marouane knit his brows in confusion.

Anna glared at him. See, see, the damning voice of castigation sounded again. You can’t be happy and even you know it, so why the veil? She fiddled with the flower, her eyes resting on the yellow stamen from which the five misty white petals blossomed.

“Oh, Marouane, I’m so sorry,” she said feebly, “I just need to sort out my thoughts. It’s all messed up here.” She pointed at her head and pursed her lips.

Marouane shook his head and skewed his lips. He took her hand, and the two walked away from the river and made as if they were going to the road.

“Have you talked to Priscilla?” Anna asked suddenly. She looked at him and saw him frown in confusion.

“About what?”

Anna shrugged.

“She told me that she had something important to tell you. Before the party on Friday, that is.”

Marouane shrugged.

“Whatever she wants to tell me, I don’t care. I will be waiting for your reply tomorrow. I won’t push you anymore.” He said with resignation.

“Sorry to disappoint you, Marouane,” she said as she stopped, pulled her arm around his waist, and rested her head on his shoulder. “But I promise to make it up to you.”

“No worries, my dear,” Marouane assured, gently rubbing the nape of her neck, “but since you seem not to want to be with me on Friday, I have suggestion.”

She looked at him, now with amazement. Curiosity encompassed her as she looked at Marouane, whom she had marked out to be quite spontaneous for the two of three months she had known him.

“Which is?” she asked, getting a tingling sensation in her stomach at the thought of a pleasant surprise.

“Come to Serem with me,” he said, pulling her forward. “Now.”

Anna trembled and her face expressed the puzzlement that was gripping her.

“N...now?” She stuttered, looking goggle-eyed.

“That’s what I just said. Now.”

There was an unflinching look in his eyes and purpose in his voice. She looked at her wristwatch. Quarter to four. Serem, on a boda, was about twenty-five minutes away. An hour or so on foot.

Then, they would obviously spend some time there, then another twenty-five minutes back or an hour if they chose to foot. That meant she wouldn’t see home any time before nightfall, which meant trouble with Bosco, which meant – what the hell! You think too much, Anna. She needed to forget about home for a while and have fun, and Marouane always guaranteed her fun. Trouble with Dad was a foregone conclusion, a signed contract. He would go into the unfathomed and unfancied corners of the universe or into the unexplored psyche of human imagination to find trouble with her anyway. So she shrugged it off and smiled at Marouane. Then she winked.

“So, what’s the plan, baby?” she cooed.

Marouane smiled and took her by the hand, and the two made for the road. Before long, they were on a bike, roaring into the progressive hills of Serem, Anna, her daisy in hand, calmly enclosed in Marouane’s protective arms as his t-shirt beat about against the wind.