A Woman's Eyes

   You could lose your mind staring into the eyes of a woman. Like a long voyage at sea or the loneliest trek through the desert, those eyes will tear into your thoughts at the softest flutter of wind. Rimmed with silver tears they will place a sorrow in your heart like you have never known, or should they smile upon you, a joy will swell up in your chest until nothing seems impossible. They are the windows to the soul, expressions of everything you are. And to hold the gaze of a woman is to exchange a silent conversation in which everything you need to know about them is learned in a single blink. I find it intriguing that your own personal viewpoint of the woman whose gaze you hold, decides whether those eyes are entrancing, or just plain creepy.

   When I glanced up at her again, she was still looking at me from across the crowded café, taking me in with those deep blue eyes of hers.

   “Mhmm, definitely not creepy,” I whispered to myself.

   Laying my pencil on the table, I picked of a glass of water and leaned back, sipping the drink as seductively as I could manage. Then as I returned the water to its resting place I caught a glimpse of her, smiling.

   “Score one,” I thought, trying to keep my own smile masked so she wasn’t aware I had seen hers. “Oh man, what I wouldn’t give to find out who she is. That golden brown hair, her adorable nose and man, oh man that smile.”

   “Easy there Jimmy boy.” If I didn’t calm down she would have to notice I was hitting on her, albeit from a modest and secluded distance, but I had never been a subtle flirter.

   Out of the corner of my eye I saw her waiter approaching with her check. “Not this idiot again. I would love to see him get slapped in the face, I mean come on he’s practically drooling on her.”

   Thankfully the girl ignored him, taking the check from his hand and letting her eyes flicker back to me. At least I thought they did, they had to, because I could tell she was blushing.

   I knew that was the moment. If I didn’t do something then, she was going to walk away and I would never see her again.

   I was just starting to get up from my seat when a shadow fell over me.

   “Well if it isn’t my good friend Jimmy.” An amused voice sounded behind me.

   I restrained my irritation as best I could. “I don’t have time to talk right now Aaron,” I said while keeping my eyes on the mysterious girl who had just returned her check to the waiter.

   “That’s no way to treat your best friend!” Aaron said, moving to my side with a hurt expression plastered on his “perfectly” formed face.

   I spared him a look of exasperation, “I swear you have the worst timing of anyone I know.”

   “Ooooh,” Aaron sighed knowingly. “Trolling for women again, are we?”

   “Not just any woman,” I said pointing to her table on the far side, “that woman.”

   Aaron blinked, clearly confused. “Who?”

   “That one right there!” I strained to keep my voice at a publicly appropriate level. “The girl in the blue skirt and blouse thingy.”

   “I know she’s probably right in front of my face, but seriously dude, I don’t see any chick wearing a blue skirt here,” Aaron said shrugging helplessly. “Unless as usual I’m skipping over someone clearly unattractive that you have deemed beautiful by some obscure standard the rest of us can’t understand.”

   If I hadn’t been so overwhelmed by the fact my friend was missing the gorgeous creature now leaving her table, I probably would have asked how he had even come up with such a mouthful of words to insult me. But the important thing was, she was leaving and my window of opportunity was quickly fading.

   I started off to intercept her, but a hand grabbed my shoulder and spun me around.

   “I don’t think that is a good idea,” Aaron said with his hand still firmly holding me in place.

   “Let go of me!” I shouted, attempting to release myself from him. I didn’t even care that we were creating a scene, all that mattered was the girl was getting away.

   Aaron gripped me with both hands now and his voice came low and humorless. “Look at me Jim.”

   “Jim?” I wondered, knowing he never called me that. “Why would he call me-”

   I met his eyes; a man’s eyes, dark, intimidating, unyielding, and… deadly. This was bad, very bad.

   “Remember what I told you when we first met Jim?” He asked through clenched teeth.

   “Your name?” I said, trying to lighten the mood. I didn’t work.

   “I told you that there would be a day when you crossed the line. When you would go after the wrong girl,” Aaron whispered.  

   “So wait, you did see her?!” I asked, both excited and confused, though I really should have just been afraid.

   Aaron smiled wickedly. “Yes I saw her, Jim. She was my sister.”

   “Oh shoot.”

   His fist plowed into my face and seconds later everything went black.