The secret of the rose

Part 3 Chapter 13

                                                                    Steven

At the age of sixteen, I dropped out of school and took a full-time job at the local garage. All the money I could raise, I gave it to my mother to pay the bills. I worked tirelessly and never took a day off. Young man just emerging from adolescence, I carried on my shoulders the heavy burden of the man of the house.

At the time of my parents' divorce, my mother lost everything at the expense of her husband who had a new life with a woman 20 years younger. In order to provide for our needs, she had to find a full-time job. Being employee at the cafe of North Carolina State University, she came back exhausted and aching every night. I could not do enough for her, but I try to help as much as possible in the house. Now that my father has failed, the responsibility is mine.

I know my mother finds it comforting to have such a caring and responsible son with her, but I suspect she feels guilty about my misfortune. Losing hope to help me over time, she let go, not knowing what to do to get me out of my silence. She does not like to see me like that. She keeps telling me that I should live my life like others of my age. However, it is rough for me. From day to day, I stay in my room and focused on myself. She thinks it is a teenage crisis, but if she knew the real story, she would be disappointed.

Before my parents' divorce turned my life upside down, I was an ordinary teenager who was like by his friends and was courted by young women. I went out with some of them, but I did not fall in love with any. At the time, my conquests were just fun for me, a futile distraction. I went to parties, hung out with my friends, and enjoyed being a real teenager. My best friend Tristan and I filled our spare time by working on old cars. It was at this time that I discovered my passion for these classic beauties.

After my father left, my friends started to let me down. I did not see them any more pretending that I was too tired to go out. I went to work at the end of classes to help my mother. One by one, they disappeared to live their life as young adults. I was uninterested for them. I worked all the time and fell asleep during my classes. Even my best friend rarely spent time with me. I understood, anyway, I no longer had the taste to have fun and I had little free time. All that mattered was to give my mother a little relief. Therefore, I left high school to be the man I had to be.

Returning at sunset from my work, I see the pretty girl from the neighboring apartment kneeling in the ground digging a flowerbed. She is focused on her task. I park my bike and look at her for a few moments. The rays of the setting sun bring out the shining color of her light brown hair. Her beauty radiates as intensely as the sun itself. I am sure she does not even realize she can be so sexy, just sitting on the grass. She has traces of mud on her face, which makes her even more adorable.

Leaning against the seat of my bike, I notice that she looks discreetly in my direction without turning her head completely. I find it charming and attractive. Without asking if she needs help, I go to her. I kneel on the ground and get busy digging too. Whenever our hands brush against each other, I feel chills all over my body. It is stunning. She has no idea what effect she makes on me. On occasion, we exchange some embarrassing smiles. Without saying a word, we finish the work before the sun is completely down. The accessories picked up; I go back to my apartment. Unable to let her go like this, I take a deep breath and clear my throat to get her attention. However, before I say a word, she turns to me, takes off her gardening glove and holds out her hand.

- Thanks a lot, Steven, for your help. My name is Jenny, she said to me softly like a whisper.

Taking her hand gently in mine, I caress it and take it to my mouth to give her a tender kiss while looking in her eyes. An electric shock runs through my body from head to toe. I miss losing balance. Phew! What a sensation! I never had that feeling with any girl. I regain control before she notices my surprise.