shades of red

Venetian red;

Rose locked her door and
pressed her back against the frame.
There were butterflies fluttering
in her ribcage; she placed a hand
on her heart.

The thoughts of what just happened
made her heart pump, and contract
at the speed of Zeus' lightning bolts.
Rose's fingertips reached up
and touched her lips.

Pieces of what happened
were reflecting in front of
her eyes and she could feel
a smile knocking on her lips.

She felt her skin prickle up,
as she tried to stop her
mind from recalling the
way the air had tightened
around her a few hours ago.

Charlie leaned against the table
and crossed his arms.
"You know, it's s-strange but,
it feels l-like you know me
more than an-anyone else does
right now. And, whenever I-I
look at you, there's just s-something in
the way you move that captures
m-my attention."
He pushed his body off the table,
and strode over to Rose.

Like the flash that occurs when
a star explodes in the endless galaxy,
he wrapped his arm around Rose's
waist and lifted her onto the table—
knocking over the canvases that
wanted some color in their lives too.

"It feels like I just want you, and only
you. Can I-I te-tell you a secret?
There h-hasn't been someone who-who
has brightened up my world ever since
she passed away. I-I thought I'd be
living in this m-mindset for the rest
of my life — paying f-for the sin that
I c-committed. But.. b-but then you, and
your smile, and t-the way you fill up my
days w-with sarcasm, and s-sass, and
the rush that I g-get when we s-sit up
on rooftops, a-answering our
history h-homework, and c-coming up
with a-art designs. The way... the way you remind me of
strawberry skies, and how when
y-you aren't by my side, I suddenly
f-feel sad and it feels like I'm g-going
through w-withdrawals. I-I know how
I g-gave you m-mixed signals be-because
one m-moment I w-want to t-taste
your l-lips but then t-there are m-moments
w-where I don't k-know if I should p-put
my h-hands on y-your waist. I- I'm worried
that if I w-wear my heart on my s-sleeve,
this... th-this future, it s-seems too g-good
to b-be true. B-but the thought
of you makes me go crazy," Charlie's voice
deepened. "D-Do you feel the same way?"

Rose felt herself move forward into Charlie's
embrace. She wrapped her arms around his
neck, and connected their two lives together.

The light twinkled above their heads as
time pulsed in between each vein and
cell.

"Does this answer your question?" She
whispered in between each moment where
their lungs came up for air.

Rose buried her head into her pillows
as warmth tingled between each fiber
that made up the person she is.

She could feel the stars tsk-ing away,
and how the planets held in
each sedimentary comment they wanted
to make.