She gracefully danced with all emotion as Chris watched a few feet away. Her Asian eyes told a story as her body moved like water. The full moon light bounced and radiated from her as if she were the only star shining in the night.
"Takara?" Chris smiled as they met at their usual place.
"Chris. Hi." she smiled back as she pulled him in for a hug.
"The water looks nice tonight." he said as he looked away from her for a moment.
Takara turned in the direction of the sparkling lake and continued. "Yes. Very calming. Makes me want to dance." she smiled again as her accent blended with her speech.
"Yeah, I saw that. You looked very beautiful." he blushed.
"Thank you. I learn from my mother."
Chris sighed as she finished her sentence. "Talking about your mother, we have been meeting here for a month now because your parents don't want us together. We need to do something."
Takara shook her head and sat down on the blanket that was layed down on the grass below them. "No, Chris. Too late now."
Chris sat down beside her. "What do you mean its too late?"
"I'm going home." she stared out into the soft ripples of the water.
"You are home."
"My real home, Chris. I must go back."
Chris sat silent for a moment. "Why, Takara? I thought this was your home."
"It was until you." she replied blatently.
"What did I do?" Chris shook his head.
Takara looked to him and melted in his eyes. "Nothing. They are scared of you, Chris. They have prepared everything."
"I don't understand. Prepared what?"
Takara paused. "They have chosen my partner that I will marry."
"What?" Chris exclaimed.
"I must leave tomorrow."
"You can't leave. Don't leave. Can't you do something?"
She took his hand and kept him steady. "I've taught you many things about my culture. You know who I am. I thought you understood?"
"Yes, you taught me and I learned. I've learned so many things that I never thought I would. I thought you felt the way I did. Why did you make me care for you when you knew this was going to happen?" he questioned as his heart ripped from his chest.
"I wanted to love you now because I will never get the chance again." she said as tears formed in her eyes.
"There is nothing I can do?" he sighed.
"They don't perform arrainged marriages too much anymore. But this was my destiny since I was a little girl."
Chris looked down to the grass as he took a deep breath. "If this is how it is supposed to be."
"I will always care for you," she lifted his chin up so that he could look at her. "always."
yeah, I said it's alright
I won't forget
All the times I waited patiently for you
And you'll do just what you choose to do
And I will be alone again tonight, my dear
"When must you leave tomorrow?" he spoke after their lips parted.
"As soon as the pearl moon sleeps and the golden sun awakens." she whispered.
"Will I never see you again?"
She sat back and prepared another one line clue. "When the pearl moon shines on the glistening sea, I will be here waiting for thee."
"And so it be, I will again be free." he finished.
She stood once again and continued to dance to her own song in the full moon light.
Yeah, I heard a funny thing
Somebody said to me
You know that I could be in love
With almost everyone
I think that people are the greatest fun
And I will be alone again tonight, my dear
* 10 years later *
The day, the night, the month, the moon was all the same. The feeling of emotion was the same, the anticipation envoked his senses knowing that there was a reason that he was there.
She stood dancing as if she were frozen in time, as if she had never gone astray. Her hair had grown longer, her face had aged, her body more curvy; more round.
He strained to look at her from a distance. His nervousness holding him back as he watched her every movement. She flowed through the air like she was still ten years younger, the water still radiating off of her as if it had been there waiting like he had.
But then in an instant he knew it was time to meet his love once again. As if it was fate, it pushed him out of the bushes behind him. The sound startled her and she quickly turned around.
Their eyes met for the first time for so long. The feelings rushed through their veins like it did when they had last been together.
There was only one thing Chris could say to break the silence to his Asian butterfly. "And so it be," he said softly.
They met together quickly. Their lips burned as they touched. She parted from him quickly as their eyes again matched.
She smiled and replied as the pearl moon separated from a lonely cloud. "I will again be free."
Music excerpt is from "Alone Again, Or" by Chris Perez Band
