Aunt flora has always been busy ever since I was a little girl. She passed me around from one neighbour to another. Most times, I end up in the care of elderly males who were perverted. Luke happened to be one of them. He did things to my body, I never knew were possible. He was out to ensure I got pleasure unlike the rest who only used me for their own selfish gain. All of a sudden, sadness enveloped her. Her mind travelled to the last encounter she had with Luke.She had felt his presence before she dared to meet his eyes. Her heartbeat raced, betraying her calm face. She tried to focus on the soft fabric of her purple gown, twisting the edge in her hand, but his silence pulled at her like a current.
At last, she broke it. Her voice was quiet, almost trembling.
"You've been standing there so long… are you waiting for me to speak first?"
He let out a short, breathless laugh, the kind that hides nerves. "Maybe I am. Maybe I'm afraid that if I speak, I'll say too much."
Her eyes lifted, dark and searching. "And if you say too much?"
He looked at her then, fully, as if he could no longer hold himself back. The longing in his gaze startled her—it was both an ache and a confession.
"Then," he said softly, "I may not be able to turn back."
The words hung in the air like an arrow shot, quivering, dangerous. Her chest tightened. Part of her wanted to run, to break the spell, but another part wanted to lean into it, to see where his honesty would lead.
She whispered, "And if I don't want you to turn back?"
For a moment, neither moved. The crickets sang louder, the stars brightened, and the air between them grew thick with the weight of everything unspoken. It was not a kiss, nor a touch, but the edge of something inevitable, the kind of moment where hearts speak louder than hands. The following day, she glanced through her kitchen window, to see his furniture being moved but he was nowhere in sight. Her aunt had barred her from going over to his house to avoid creating a scene in the presence of others. She knew how she felt about him.