Week Forty- Eight(October 12 - October 17) Topic: Felon
Winner: Joelle
Hot Air Balloons, Tacos, and Crimes
By Joelle
October 27 4:24 PM
As I walked through our flower garden that day, August 18, I thought. I thought of hot air balloons, of tacos, of crimes. I thought these things because, you see, they were very important in my life at the time. You don't know why yet, but you will. I just have to explain these things to you.
August 6 11:16 PM
Our flower garden is the most beautiful in the world. I have taken to walking through it every day. The smell of the peonies and of the roses made my nose tickle. I would never scratch the itch that developed because that ruined the moment. Soon, I would reach the middle of the garden, where the old wooden bench sat. I would sit there, under the shade of the ancient weeping willow, until the fireflies appeared in the summer.
That was what I did tonight. The fireflies came out as the sun set and they lit up the lilies and the orchids. They floated around my head with such grace, I thought they where trying to teach me how to dance. So that's what I did, I stood up and danced. I danced with no music playing and only the brilliant fireflies to watch. They revolved around my head and danced with me.
Then, I tripped. Right there in the middle of the dirt path. It sounds a lot less graceful than it was when I say it like that though. I had a good reason, too. There was a hot air balloon laid across the path. The basket sat in one of our picnic spots, which are just blanket-sized expanses of grass. I landed softly on my bottom and the fireflies settled around me. Under the illumination of the fireflies and the now rising moon I saw that the balloon matched my dress perfectly. They were both a striped maroon and white fabric. I loved it.
That's when the owner of the ballon appeared. He was tall and handsome. He was probably a bit older than me, twenty-one at most. I didn't notice his clothes, I was too stunned by his face. He asked me what I was doing and I told him I was dancing with the fireflies. He laughed and told me he loved doing that, too. He asked me if I wanted to take a ride in his balloon, and, of course, I said yes. So he lifted me into the basket and followed me with a graceful leap over the edge. The balloon roared to life and in a few minutes we were rising into the sky. He showed me how he had turned on the hot air and then taught me to steer it. I was really glad I had pulled my brown curls back this afternoon since the wind high up was really terrible. By the time we returned to the ground it was quite late and I had to hurry off to bed.
The balloon owner never told me his name, and he already knew mine, even if I hadn't told him. My mother owns the stately mansion in the middle of the garden. We have many gardeners to help her keep up with all the work the flowers need. She hired a cook and some house maids, but the gardeners greatly outnumber all the other staff. The garden is her life. She loves me, yes, but that garden is her favorite child. When she purchased the land, no one thought anything would grow on it but that old tree, but she has a green thumb, she does. I don't mind much really. I love the garden, too.
October 27 4:24 PM
If I would have had a bit of foresight, I would have never let that garden make me love it so much. The same goes for the balloon owner, who actually didn't own the balloon at all, he was just boring it from an uncle. He also turned out to be a gardener. Neither my mother nor my father cared that I had fallen in love with a gardener that I didn't know the name of. Mother was actually quite pleased.
August 8 9:16 AM
I ran into the balloon owner again. He told me his name was Giovanni. He was even more striking in the sunlight. He complimented my dark blue sundress and matching shoes. He noticed my hair was up again, this time in an elegant braid, and asked if I wanted another ride in the balloon. I said yes and he showed me where he kept it and told me I could use it whenever I wanted. I told him I only wanted to use it if he where there with me. He suggested a daylight ride this time. Naturally, I accepted. So we dragged the balloon out of the shed together and got in.
The view was wonderful. The mountains were crystal clear. They were so beautiful. The garden looked wonderful from above. The colors were so sharp and bright. I couldn't tell which was better, the day or the night. When we landed again, Giovanni asked if he could take me to dinner. I said he could and asked when I should meet him to which his answer was tonight at six thirty.
October 27 4:24
If I would have known what this dinner would lead up to, I never would have left the safety of my bedroom. Of course, Giovanni would have come looking for me and I would have broken his heart, telling him I couldn't go with him. I wouldn't have been able to take the pain I would see in him. I would have gone with him anyway. That was how things were supposed to happen, so they did. I just wish they hadn't.
August 8 10:58
Giovanni picked me up just as he said. I was outside at six thirty in my white dress waiting when he walked up. I asked him where we were going and he told me I would love it. Not sure what this meant, I followed him. He held out his hand and I took it. As we rounded the corner of the house a quaint table setting came into view. I was glad I had chosen the dress I had, the occasion was perfect. As we ate our taces, we talked. When we were done we parted.
It all sounds very innocent. It was the things that we talked about that bothered me though. We talked about our furtures, children, love. It bothered me that we spoke of these things afterward. After, but not during. The parting wasn't all so innocent either. He kissed me, and I kissed him back. It didn't seem to be enough for him though. He wanted more. He wanted more than I could give him.
October 27 4:24 PM
That was when everything started falling apart. He wanted more than I wanted to give. Or at least more than I wanted to give so soon. I was surprised he could be a gardener, being so impatient. And things just got worse from there. I couldn't stop it either. I couldn't do anything.
August 15 12:46 PM
A young man came to the house today. He looked very smart. He was tall, attractive, and obviously rich. When I asked my parents about him, they said he would be back tomorrow and I could talk to him. I have a bad feeling about this.
August 16 10:37 PM
The man's name is Claudio. I was right about him he is smart and rich. I like him. That's a good thing, too, because my parents want me to marry him. Turns out, our finances aren't what they used to be, and this could really help us. I was fine with the whole thing until I saw Giovanni again. He was furious. He couldn't believe I was going to dump him for someone I don't even like. He kept yelling and I couldn't fit a single word in. He just kept yelling and yelling. When he finally took a breath, I told him I do like Claudio. He's smart and kind, and he could help our family. Giovanni kept taking huge panting breaths as he stared at me. He couldn't believe what I was saying. I told him all of it was true, every word I spoke. Then he changed from disbelieving to angry.
He just kept screaming at me. I didn't know why. I stepped closer to him and he got quieter. With each step, his voice softened. Soon I was standing only inches from him and he stopped talking altogether. I asked him why he was so angry with me, I was only trying to help my family and Claudio was a perfectly nice guy. He said that he didn't care if Claudio were nice or not, he loved me. That was the first time he'd said that. I knew it of course, but he had never told me in words. I told him I loved him, too, but I had to think beyond myself. Claudio is great, my family needs help. We stood in silence for a while. Then he kissed me.
He kissed me like he had never kissed me before. He knew I could give him what he wanted now, all alone, in my bedroom. I was still free. I knew what he wanted, I knew I could give it to him, too. This was my last shot. I wasn't going to get another. But I couldn't. I pushed him away. He glared at me and walked out of my room, silently fuming.
October 27 4:24 PM
That's when everything broke inside me. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to get married then, I decided. I was going to marry Claudio as soon as I could. That was my coping method, get married. I don't know why it was that, but it was. I wanted someone to love me and no one to have the chance to break that apart. I knew Giovanni would try, deep down I knew. I just didn't want to acknowledge that small part.
August 17 7:46 PM
I told my parents I wanted to marry Claudio as soon as I could. They looked worried. They knew I loved Giovanni, but they didn't say anything. I almost wish they had. It is best that they didn't though. They told Claudio as soon as he got here. He was overjoyed. We were in the garden all day. We had tacos for lunch and we went for a hot air balloon ride. I thought these things would have made me sad, but they didn't. They were almost better with Claudio than Giovanni. Claudio loved me more. He kissed me in the hot air balloon even though my breath smelled like onions. His did too, and I didn't care. I think I love him more than I loved Giovanni. I didn't see Giovanni all day.
When we finally returned to the house for dinner, my parents announced we where getting married the next day at noon in the garden. I am so happy. I can't even comprehend the joy within me. Before we went off to bed, he was staying at the house now, he kissed me again. His kisses are so wonderful. They aren't full of what I can't give him yet, only what I can. He knows me more than Giovanni did. He knows not to pressure me, I will move on when I want to.
October 27 4:24 PM
That night could have been the worst in my existence. I hadn't realized it, but Giovanni had been watching us all day in our doomed garden. He knew I loved the garden and was going to do something horrible to it. Little did he know, I had replaced my love for the garden with love for a man. He hadn't been able to replace the garden for me, and that made all the difference.
August 18 5:34 AM
When I awoke the garden was on fire. No more fireflies would come to visit. I watched as the lilies and the orchids burned. I barely noticed when Claudio rushed into my room and held me. I couldn't believe what was happening to the garden. Right next to the giant willow sat the hot air balloon. I knew who had done this right away. I hadn't realized, but tears where streaming down my face. In anger I screamed Giovanni's name. Claudio asked who that was. I told him the one who ruined the garden I loved more than him. Claudio seemed to understand and held me tight.
August 18 9:17 PM
Mother seemed to know who had done it, too. She even managed to save the ancient willow and the bench. I told her to let the balloon burn. Claudio and I were married under the willow right on schedule, even though the rest of the garden was ruined. I told him I loved him more than the garden. After our small feast, we walked through the garden. I thought of hot air balloons, tacos, and crimes. I told Claudio that Giovanni was no felon, just an angry lover. He tried to understand what I told him, but I knew he can't and I am fine with that.
October 27 4:24 PM
As I walked through our flower garden that day, August 18, I thought. I thought of hot air balloons, of tacos, of crimes. I thought these things because, you see, they were very important in my life at the time. Now you know why.
More from Joelle: http://www.goodreads.com/story/list/2426...
More from this contest: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2237...
