Freckles

These days feel so brutally miserable nowadays. As I daydream staring blankly outside, sitting on a window sill; I can't help but to sob deeply. Releasing every emotion that has built up between the start of the year and present time today. Let me take you back to where my journey started, one in which I thought my first love story would begin!

My name is Heather and I'm a 5'3" firecracker with a terrible sense of clumsiness. My face is filled with freckles, so many that it would take both my hands and feet to count. To top it off, I'm your typical red head! Yup you got it right, I was birthed with this blessing and curse. I've heard all the stereotypical jokes before, so please spare yourself the time and effort of going through them all. I have an incredible ambition to prove that my height doesn't stop me from doing things I love. Being considered short hasn't fazed me at all through my life. I might be short and petite, with the picture perfect frame; but I'm no damsel in distress! When I'm not studying for exams in college, I spend my spare time doing crossfit. Everyone treats me with respect because they know the effort I put into the gym but that doesn't stop them from talking behind my back. I can feel the knives piercing through my skin everytime I walk out of the gym. One day was different though... for the first time a guy stood out! He had darker skin and I'm pretty sure he was over 6ft tall. I've never seen him before here and all the guys and girls were over him like bread crumbs at a park filled with obese pigeons. In a split moment over the chaos and gym talk he glances over my way with a decisive smile on his face meant for me. I was stretching preparing myself for my routine workout. Today was PR day and I had no one to spot me. It didn't matter because I tend to keep to myself. His smile was so cliche as if this would be a story book ending. What did I know about story book endings. I've always been the quiet girl when it came to talking to guys. They made me nervous, especially the ones who are attractive. This guy in particular was just my type. Tall, dark and and handsome; all of the qualities I'd ever want. My parents always stirred away from people of color but I myself have always had a bit of Jungle fever. Ever since I was little and snuck into my parents room to watch the film, you know the one where the interracial couple hit it off? Anyways as I prepare to set my next PR, I'm startled by him approaching me. I can't believe this is happening right now, this guy is coming over and a sensation is definitively felt inside my undergarments. I can't tell whether I'm becoming moist or wait... I've just pissed myself! The weight becomes unbearable and slowly but surely I become unable to withstand it. The bench bar is on my chest and I feel trapped like a helpless mouse just trying to feed its belly with cheese. Just in time the guy scurries over to my aid. I yell at him for helping me and he reluctantly steps away. Lost in confusion and embarrassment, I rush to the restroom. I can hear some of the fellow gym members cackling in the background as I make my way to clean up and head the heck out of here. Once I enter the restroom, I wash up and put on clean clothes. As I make my way to the exit, the guy stops me and asks if I'm okay? I nod my head in embarrassment. He tells me his name is Jody and I tell him my name. I brush my hair from my face and he says, "How about I call you freckles" as he opens the door for me to leave. As I walk out of the exit, I slowly murmur out a yes... sure of course. While walking to my car he yells out that he hopes to see me tomorrow. Turning back to make my presence known, I nod in acceptance. I couldn't believe what was happening in the moment. No one had ever paid attention to me, let alone offered to hang out with me again.

The next day I woke up with excitement. I put on the softest skin tight Lululemon leggings I can find. The ones that make my tush look perfectly round! Yesterday I looked like a complete bum, torn up shirt with my fathers old boxing shorts on. If Jody liked me looking like a bum, I don't need to wear anything fancy and seductive now; is what I said to myself. I take the leggings off and put on some normal jogging shorts and a tshirt as I head outside to my car for the gym. Once there, I step out of the car and realize the gym is closed. There's a paper on the window stating that the gym will be closed because of the national quarantine which will start tomorrow. Upset with the gym closing and not being able to see Jody again, I rush over to my car in anger. Before I get in, I can hear footsteps thumping my way with a guy panting out of breath saying " finally you got here freckles". I turn around and it's Jody jogging my way. We both agree that the gym is closed and he offers for me to come to his place. He claims he has a treadmill and some weights there. He jokes about being able to "spot" me today if I want to set my new PR today. I look at him with a bit of unease and hesistaion because I hardly know the guy. He tells me how he knows it's a bit early to be asking for me to come to his place but I can feel a sense of safety with him. Without hesitation, I tell him to get into his car and I would follow him there. This guy brings the spontaneous exhibition out of me for some reason. I'm no longer this nervous helpless girl but feeling like a woman in charge of my own destiny! He walks over to his car and I'm stunned by the look of it. Jody hops into a nice neon colored Porsche. He lets down his window and tells me to hop inside so we can car hop and save the Earth. He jokes and promises not to kidnap me. My cheeks turn red and I hop onto the passenger side. While all of this is happening, the other people from yesterday are looking in disbelief. Jody picks me to hang out again with instead of all the other girls and guys. In that moment I feel spacial and important!

We finally arrive to his home and it's a nice lavish studio. He gets the door for me and locks the Porsche. I smile because he's such the gentleman and so far everything is going good. We enter his studio and I amazed at it. The floors are super clean, there's a beautiful vintage piano near the open floor plan living room. All his appliances are stainless steel and he has this incredible sectional in the middle of the living room too. I look over to the other side of the room and there's gym equipment as well. Trust is being built along this crazy journey I'm taking. Jody and I begin towork out and he helps me accomplish my new PR. He tells me I don't have to worry about a spotter anymore and I laugh. I ask him if he minds me using his restroom and he agrees. I walk into his bedroom and everything is tidy and clean. His bed is made and he has vintage posters of oldies music; you know Michael Jackson and the Jackson five, The temptations and everyone else you name it, he has. As I admire the artwork, I enter the bathroom. It's kept clean and I'm pretty sure he has OCD. I wash up and put a new set of clothes on and head back to the living room. It's mid morning around 11am now and Jody is in the kitchen cooking up breakfast. That old school breakfast your mom would make. Sunny side up eggs, toast, bacon and sausage with a splash of fresh orange juice. We both eat breakfast and I agree to wash the dishes. As I'm finishing up he is on the other side of the room playing on the vintage piano. I walk over and sit next to his side. Jody asks if I played before and I explain how I haven't but love music. He begins teaching me a couple notes to play and I kind of get the hang of it. His smile is bright like he's a sponsor for Colgate. His jawbone is perfect and his body is perfect in every way. His scent is strong, not in a bad way but just right to get my hormones going. Before I can say a word he glances over at me and brushes my hair to the side. He grabs my neck with his big strong hands and gently pulls me in for a kiss. I jump up startled and wall towards the apartment door to exit. He gets up nervously and apologizes for any disrespect or for making me feel uncomfortable. Jody begins to ramble on how he knew it was a bad idea to move in for a kiss and starts frantically fidgeting his hands back in forth. As I walk to the exit, I place my hand on the door... and lock it. With a smirk on my face I turn around and he rushes over and picks me up with ease. We both laugh jokingly as Jody places me on the kitchen counter. We begin kissing one another while our tounge's form an elegant dance, wrapping around one another ever so easily. As if they were meant to forever be together. Jody looks deeply into my red eyes as if he's staring into a campfire on a cold brisk night. Watching the embers crack against the wood in a trance of sorts. I ask him if he's okay and he tells me he has never seen such a beautiful woman before in his life. He wants to cherish this moment and would give up anything in this world to play it over and over again. I jockingly tell him "would you give up your car and studio". He looks at me with this serious face and says "where are the papers to sign to sell it all". My heart begins to race like never before. With every breath taken, my lungs feel heavy and butterflies do barrel rolls inside my stomach. Jody whispers in my ear as he begins to caress my body and kiss my neck, "Can you feel another wet sensation coming on"? He picks me up as we head over to his sectional and gently places me on it. Taking his time, he unraveled my garments like a botanist inspecting a rose; peeling each pedal one at a time. Once everything is off we both embrace one another as I whisper to him that it's my first time. He nervously smiles and whispers back "I hope it won't be the last time, now please let me take the drivers seat". We passionately make love to each other as he takes his time with me, teaching me the ways of cat and mouse as I run and scurry away; pulling me back in and gently showing me the way through a tight tunnel but with deep ambitious intent. Once it's over we both hold one another as we watch the time go by. I close my eyes and sleep inside his strong arms. Once I'm awake again, I can feel him still by my side and a blanket covering us. I look over at a clock and realize that it's the next day!

We slept so long that we made it to the next day! I get up puzzled and frantic like an addict looking for their next bump. Jody looks over at me asking if everything is okay. I tell him that mandatory Quarantine has started today because of the pandemic. Jody's face is stone cold, as he has forgotten all about it. He tells me the good thing is that he is well stocked up on food and goods. I tell him how my parents are going to be so pissed that I stayed out. My phone is on the counter with multiple missed calls. I pick it up and send my mother a text, telling her I'm okay and that I'm with a boyfriend! I suddenly realized what I wrote accidentally and before I could erase it, Jody walks over and presses send. I look up at him in disbelief and all he can say is "what freckles"? We both smile and kiss each other, preparing ourself for a long quarantine mentally. Suddenly Jody begins to cough and collapse to the floor. He isn't feeling well and we both know what that means. Jody tells me to stay put and he will head over to the emergency room. He places his number into my phone and puts on some clothes and heads over to the hospital. Hours go by and not a word from him. I'm stuck inside a home that isn't mine and worried about this man that has just entered my life. I can't help but to walk over and sit next to a window with a sill.

I haven't moved a muscle for two days. In the same spot with the blanket Jody and I embraced and slept in. I still haven't heard from him, so I become nervous and begin to sob and cry. I call the hospital and and a woman answers. She's a nurse on the floor that they're holding sick patients. I give her his name... Jody. She tells me that this patient has died from a virus they barely know anything about! Frantically crying and screaming on the phone, the nurse is trying to calm me down. As I pace back and forth in the studio I hear the door moving as if someone is trying to come in. Could this be his girlfriend and I was a side chick? Or maybe this isn't his home at all and this was all a farce!? The nurse claims to say that there's two patients enrolled there with the name as I drop the phone in tears and disbelief. The door opens and Jody is standing there, a bit pale but looking better than before and says "what's wrong freckles"? I jump into his arms and we both embrace emphatically. He jokes about keeping his promise to be my spotter and that's when this hot summer and love story actual begins. I thought I lost the man I've been slowly learning to love but that wasn't the case. I have another chance and hopefully another day to spend with him. This summer, year and couple of days have been hard. Hopefully the next years to come will be better, but I'm no longer alone, no longer this shy girl. I'm Heather, a short red hair firecracker with a friend... lover and hopefully soul mate named Jody.

-Neseknows