Autumn is a beautiful but pensive poem that falling leaves recite with great enthusiasm so that the world will remember them as they bid farewell to the world. Welcome to my anthology series. Welcome to EQUINOX.
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"Crown Prince Edmund proposes to longtime girlfriend Sofia at Monument to Alfonso XII in Madrid, sources say..."
Alex saw the news segment on The Mega Screen as he wandered around Times Square.
It was about 7am and the streets were pretty empty. Lonely Autumn and his lonesome existence seemed the only two entities brooding 42nd Street.
He had been out all night, walking around Manhattan, with a flask in his pocket, taking the occasional swig.
The events of the previous day kept replaying in his head. His brother Edmund got engaged and Claire had left him a voicemail with quite a revelation: she had left her husband.
Alex and Claire developed a secret romance years ago when he was last in NYC. But their whirlwind relationship ended when photos leaked of him kissing a friend of Paris Hilton's.
For Alex, Claire was the one that got away. But now, with her leaving her husband, there was potential again.
He sat on their favorite bench in Central Park, with a grand view of the skyline. A gust of wind blew brown and gold leaves into the air and fell back down like confetti. Footsteps approached.
"Hi", a voice said.
"Clarissa....", replied Alex, standing up. They hugged each other before going in for a kiss.
He leaned his forehead into hers.
"I've missed you, so much, mi amor", whispered Alex.
"I've never stopped thinking about you for so long....", she whispered back.
Their relationship was complicated, to say the least.
To Claire, he was just Alex. To the rest of the world, he was Prince Alejandro of Spain. He would never be king because of his older brother Edmund but nonetheless, royalty had its baggage and restrictions.
To Alex, Claire was just Claire. A regular art student who attended the Rhode Island School of Design. Beautiful AND gifted. Her artwork went on to win awards.
In all the pomp and circumstance of royal life, she was the only person who genuinely understood him. Claire felt like home.
--
Throughout the next couple weeks, the pair had rekindled their romance and made up for lost time. Dates, strolls, museums, late night rendezvous in the city. Their feet would rarely touch the ground before 1pm.
The paparazzi would always snap away at them but Alex didn't seem to mind. He had gotten his lost love back. Let them talk, he thought. But Claire looked a little more anxious than usual.
--
Claire's phone buzzed. She looked at it briefly then put it away.
She was busy painting on a new canvas, a new piece she was working on. The TV was on in the background when a promo for an in-depth exposé of Prince Alejandro appeared on the screen. It was about his childhood, playboy teenage years, and his eventual substance abuse.
"I hate when they bring that shit up. I'm not proud of it but I'm trying to be a better person," said Alex as he walked in.
It was true. He had done better for himself. Alex had always gone through life empty as the sky, never understanding why. Until he had met Claire.
Claire's phone buzzed again but she ignored it. She put down her paintbrush and wrapped her arms around the glum prince.
"Hey. It's you and I. I know who you are: in here", she said, as she placed her hand on his chest. Alex could feel his heart beat as if her touch had awakened it.
--
The day that Alex proposed was the best day of his life. It was right before Thanksgiving and he popped the question at their favorite bench in the park.
She took a second. For a moment, Alex thought his grand gesture was going to backfire but she eventually said Yes! and kissed him. The paps went wild.
--
"Prince Alejandro of Spain proposes to girlfriend Clarissa in Central Park after only 4 weeks of reuniting. The couple faced infidelity issues their first time around but sources close to them confirm they're more in love than ever...."
Claire saw the news segment on The Mega Screen as she made her way through Times Square. Tourists instantly recognized her, congratulating her as she passed by. One of them thought they saw Claire wiping her eyes. Tears of joy, probably.
Elsewhere, Alex had just gotten back from a heated phone call with his family over his upcoming nuptials. They blatantly disapproved of Claire. To them, she was a regular American divorcee with no status.
But this is what Alex loved about Claire. She was a "real" person with real experiences that shaped her but did not limit her. He adored that.
"Claire? Mi amor? Are you here?", Alex said, as he came in.
Alex looked around and found a note on the table. Beside her engagement ring.
The note said: Please forgive me, Alex. I'm so sorry but we can't do this. There are things in my past that you don't know and it's finally caught up with me. Now I need to face it. To move forward with you would cause shame and disgrace. And I won't do that to you or your family, I love you too much. I left something for you in the bedroom. Proof of how much you inspire me. You always have and you always will. Goodbye, amor. - Claire
Confused and hurt, Alex stumbled into the bedroom. There was a canvas near the window. It was a portrait of him with the city skyline behind him. The inspiration was the view from their favorite park bench.
On the back was a post-it note. Artist: Clarissa James. Medium: Oil. Title: Man In Manhattan.
Alex teared up and buried his head in his hands. He tried calling Claire but it went straight to voicemail.
Without a second thought, Alex grabbed his coat and made his way outside. The autumn winds were strong but the prince persisted his way down 42nd street. He was not about to let his chance at happiness slip away. Not again.
