Gazelle Eyes

I had been blooming like a flower, stretching out my petals and rejoicing in the early morning breeze. The sun had yet to rise, casting a half-dim sky where the footprints of the night lingered, resisting the impending brightness.

It was a big day—an anticipated one, brimming with the promise of fun, energy, and adventure. Little did I know how the adventure would unfold later; neither did any of us.

I boarded the bus right on time, eager not to miss this opportunity. Living in a state where even the tallest buildings couldn't obscure the beauty of mountains, I grew up daydreaming about roaming through their hills, relishing an apple-eyed view of the world from their heights.

The bus was fully packed by 7:45, yet we had 15 minutes before embarking on the route towards the hills. Excitement buzzed in the air as everyone busied themselves making pairs, taking selfies—single, group, and couple selfies alike.

However, I found myself without company. All my friends were preoccupied with their girlfriends, leaving me to navigate the journey alone. The bus hummed with the laughter of friendships and budding romances, yet I settled into a solitary seat, contemplating the unknown adventures that awaited among the hills.

Single until she stepped onto the bus at 7:59, the door opening with a distinctive click that drew everyone's attention. Heads turned as she ascended the two small steps, donned in a black skirt paired with a red crop-top. Her hair was fashioned in a high ponytail, adorned with a printed red scarf, and a pair of red cherries dangled from her ears. Clutching the strap of her cute little shoulder bag, she quickly scanned the bus for an empty seat.

My gaze was captivated by her presence. It felt as if my eyes had turned to stone, fixated on her delicate figure. They moved in sync with her steps, twisted with her turns, and paused when she did. Twice, she paused, searching for an available seat. Fortunately, only one remained.

In that moment, something stirred within my heart. I could feel it, a fast-paced rhythm—like a sprint, and then suddenly, it stopped. Lifting my head, I found myself confronted by the most beautiful scenery in the world.

In a blink, we reached the hills, and I experienced all the moments I had ever imagined. In that one moment, I lived an infinity.

"Can I sit here?" Her finger pointed towards me, and her honeyed voice dissolved into my ears with a thickness that made me squeeze my eyes shut.

Deep.

Down.

It felt like a butterfly was now fluttering inside me. A hand waved in front of my face, shielding me from the sunlight peeking through the window, and then exposing me to the brightness of the day.

"Ah yes, why not," I replied, opening my eyes and offering her the seat. She gracefully settled into it, crossing her legs at the knees. Hanging her shoulder bag at the back of the front seat, she unzipped it, pulled out a small white earplugs box, and secured them in her ears.

As the bus geared up, songs blared out with louder and unrhythmic vocals. Some passengers were cheering, while others engaged in animated gossip. Everyone was making the most of the day. Yet, I found myself wrestling with something inside my chest, pounding wildly.

Forcing a sin back down my throat, I tightly zipped my lips, determined not to let any unspoken desires escape. She looked beautiful, classy, and breathtaking. I felt a suffocating sensation as I admired her shiny legs elegantly positioned on each other. My gaze trailed down, down to her shins.

I struggled to control it, to conceal the rising bubble of my own desires growing bigger and bigger. Turning my head away, I tried harder and harder, feeling the internal battle becoming increasingly difficult.

We reached the halfway mark, and I couldn't resist turning my face towards her. Her exquisitely carved face rested on her left shoulder, eyes peacefully shut without forming any creases. Black streams of hair fell on the bridge of her collarbone, complementing the gracefully sculpted contours of her figure.

Once again, I found myself stuck, mesmerized by her presence. A beetle, daring to kiss her cheeks, ignited envy within this admirer. It crawled its way, leaving a trail on her skin, and the pearls of her beauty rose, shining like a fountain, in perfect harmony with the beats of my heart. The rising temptation seemed to evoke a squeak from the sleeping Medusa, while winged creatures seemed to part her sealed beak.

Inspired, I penned down these verses, wondering about the magic her gazelle eyes could cast upon me if only they were open. A regretful thought crossed my mind, and as it did, it felt like galaxies were parting within me.

Suddenly, she was gazing, her gazelle eyes meeting my sinner's eyes. In that moment, I forgot about myself, diving deeper into her essence. It was like swimming in a transparent and mesmerizing ocean, an experience so magical that words seemed insufficient to define it.

A surreal aura enveloped me as I continued to drown deeper, the weight of my own desires pressing on my chest. Gasping for air, I found myself breathless, desperately needing oxygen to replenish my lungs. I craved the air to channel all my tangled desires, to shield myself from the piercing gaze of this goddess who seemed to be draining the very essence of my existence.

Death approached me, not in the typical black cloak, but dressed like a modern fairy, a harbinger of inevitable surrender. I felt myself yielding to her, without complaints or a single uttered word. I forgot the art of speech, the language humans used to communicate.

All the lessons my parents had taught me, the countless words I had gathered from books, newspapers, journals—all evaporated in a matter of seconds. I became inhumane, almost immortal, as her gazelle eyes cast a spell that erased my entire existence. Then, something extraordinary happened—a hand reached out to me in the hadopelagic depths, pulling me back into the cruel world.

As the sweltering noon breeze trickled down my respiratory cord, causing fits of coughing that broke the fence I had formed earlier, I heard myself apologizing, struggling to articulate, "I-am so-or-y."