Moonshine

The moons deep alluring shadow gently caressed her features in the moonlight. Her hair was gently swaying with the tiniest breeze in the night. I longed to be there with her, sitting beside her as she carefully studied the waves. With every feature of grace and every thought of planning to conquer another part of the world’s mysteries and struggles, she was truly amazing. Even from my current position I could see the wheels turning in her head, her silent criticism. I wondered what she was doing here, why was she alone and not with someone who really cared for her?
I was tempted to walk over to her, but what would she want with someone like me? I was nobody. She was everything, popular, smart, caring, and me, I was nothing. Nothing at all compared to her. Everyone knew her; everyone it seemed knew everything about her. But sitting here, I could tell, there were things she never told anyone. Her fears, her dreams, her insecurities, and things she would never let escape from her lips. After all she was the number one person to go to when you had a problem. She could do anything for you, get someone to give you a ride, or loan you a few bucks if you needed it. She was the mortal superwoman.
She took pride in who she was. She never let anyone get her down. She stood up for herself and for others. She never hesitated. But still my question is why she was alone and of all places here? We were in a location unknown to most people. Actually it was a place where I thought only I had known about. It was a cove surrounded by rocks in which you have to climb over the rocks and go around a few hills to get to. The little cove was in plain sight of the real beach it was just off to the west a bit. But from the way it appeared, the cove seemed to just be a pile of rocks with nothing more to it. In reality it was a circle of rocks with sand in the middle of it and the ocean waters lapping in through a break in several of the rocks. It was my place to think, a place to get my feet wet in the ocean’s gentle waters. I had been sitting her earlier when I heard the lightest footsteps approaching. As quietly as I could, I walked away from cove and was now perched on top of a rock. Granted I was still hidden from her view.
I trembled as she looked around. She didn’t need to see me. She continued to gaze out into the sea. In that second I could learn everything I needed to know. She was comfortable with the water and would live in it if she felt like it. She had dreams and hopes, and fears that in all honesty she would have loved to tell someone. Yet at the same time she had an air of confidence that said I can do what I please. I don’t need anyone to help me. She raised her head slowly to behold the stars above her. I watched her silently make a wish and then turn to play with the sand between her toes. She laughed softly and my heart melted with every passing second. She turned to face one of the rocks and throw some sand at it just to do it. She smiled and scooped up another handful loving how the sand splayed across the rock and disappeared.
She laid back and began humming quietly to herself. I couldn’t make out the tune from where I was. I climbed off the rock trying to be as slow and silent as possible, being thankful to the sand for muffling my movements. I moved just close enough to pick up melody. I listened closely, straining my ears to catch the sound over the crash of the waves. I smiled as I watched her. She truly was the most incredible person I had ever seen and yet, I doubted she had any idea I existed. I’d seen her around town and around school but that was it. I knew her name, only because everyone knew her. It was through my own curiosity that I had learned more about her. But she couldn’t know me. No one knew me.
I continued listening and I still couldn’t figure out the tune. I returned to dreaming, of sitting with her, of holding her hand, of being with someone who she could trust, who she wanted to be with. It hit me in an instant. She was humming “You Are My Sunshine.” I chuckled at the irony of it, but said nothing more. I began humming along myself and I too stared at the stars. I looked back at her only to find myself being pulled in. I couldn’t get away from her. She had some power over me. Something I couldn’t control even if I had wanted to. She never saw me approach and I lay down beside her. Part of me wondered what I was doing and why it was so necessary for me to be beside. Perhaps it was the goddess of the moon pulling us closer or even the enchantment of the sea.
Whatever it was was definitely more powerful than us. Even the superwoman next to me couldn’t overpower it. She turned and looked at me.  I was mesmerized by eyes. I could scarcely breathe let alone think. Her eyes glittering in the moonlight were stunning. Her eyes smiled in a way, I wondered if anyone else could see it.
“What took you so long?” She asked. My mind went totally blank, it was a like a shockwave that exploded through me. I knew she felt it too. It was in her eyes. It was unmistakable. A sparkle that I doubted anyone else would ever see. She slipped her hand into mine…
         I woke up sitting up slowly, shaking my head softly. It was just a dream. It was all just a dream. I thought I had outgrown that dream years ago. I opened my eyes and saw the stars shining above my head. I felt something soft and smooth and in my hand. I looked down to see my hand holding another’s. I turned my head slightly to see her lying besides watching the stars with the same intent gaze I had seen earlier. She didn’t question the look I was giving her. She had had it too. She knew what was pulling us together and in that moment so did I. We were one in the same. Together as part of a whole and nothing that anyone could ever do could separate. She was my soul mate. Not even the mysteries of death could separate us.
         She flashed me a small smile and a look that I would remember for the rest of my life. There was no doubt. I would be the one she told her fears to. I was the one she would let down her guard with. I was the one that would help her, when she the superwoman herself, needed it. She would take care of me too. I only hoped that I could be strong enough for her. I prayed that I could be everything she needed and everything she ever wanted. I could only pray. But gazing up at the stars and listening to her breathing mixed with the crash of the sea, I knew it. I had nothing to fear. I wouldn’t have to try and I could be what she wanted. I would be hers. The stars sent me one more twinkling message, before they returned to their mysterious ways. It was a message that would never leave me for the rest of my days. I love her.