Scarlet Vows

15

"Is he crazy?" Charlotte spoke my mind.

Derek was hugging a snake while we were frozen in our places, refusing to move. Even Loren didn't bother so much as to shift his weight. Charlotte was now biting on her lower lip in evident tension.

"She is the most beautiful person I have ever seen." Derek exclaimed, "She is the love of my life. Just look at her, Sera! This is the woman for me."

He looked the snake in the eye and said, "I proclaim my love to you, Princess. My heart belongs to you. Let me bow down to your celestial beauty and deadly charm. Make me your man. Make me your anything as long as I get to spend my miserable life with you"

"Derek?" Charlotte winced when he placed a kiss on the snake and pulled it to his chest. The reptile wound into his lap and its head remained stiff while he gently stroked its back, "Have you completely lost it? Thats a snake!"

"You can never be happy for me!" Derek pointed an accusing finger at Charlotte, "Look at her..." He stared at the snake adorably.

"Whatever he was snorting in that party..." I said seriously, "I want it too."

"Such cliched proclamation of love" Loren laughed and let go of Charlotte. She stumbled forward.

The snake turned to Loren and hissed, as if it understood what he said.

"Why are you calling her a snake?" Derek blinked in confusion, "She has red hair, glowing red eyes and such shiny skin. She is gorgeous with those curves and brilliant with the smile. I love your smile. Yes, keep smiling for me."

"What is he talking about?" Charlotte dropped on to the bed, next to me.

"A language you or your husband would never understand. The language of love. That's what I am talking" Derek glared at Charlotte and stuck out his tongue at her. She didn't retort back. Her head hung low, offended by what Derek said but sane enough to not fight with a drunk. I rubbed her back gently to tell her it was okay and I would break his bones the next day.

"She needs to go" Loren announced, "She has places to be"

"No, you don't have to work ever again!" Derek held on to the snake so tight, I was surprised it wasn't biting him yet. But, I was also certain it has advanced consciousness and understood everything we were saying. I knew it when Loren greeted her with her name. Probably, she was laughing too at the insanity of this human.

Derek kept blabbering, "I have a lot of money. You don't have to work. I will bring the world to your feet. Don't tire yourself, love."

"She is not working. She needs to go back home. I guess you both can go out on a date this weekend." Loren offered.

Derek pulled Kala off of his chest and gazed into her eyes again. Except for the red hair, he got everything about the snake right.

"Will you go out with me?" The snake didn't move or hiss. It just slithered further on top of him and moved its hood closer to his forehead. Charlotte grabbed on to my hand and squeezed. I leaned forward to be closer to her and also to see if the snake would indeed bite. It didn't. It just swayed away from him and got off of his lap. It slithered on the floor, so beautifully as if the movement in itself is a sensual trap to catch its prey. Kala made a momentary stop in front of Loren and moved its hood, as if it was nodding and disappeared through the window.

"She agreed for the date" Derek swooned and collapsed on the floor, the ridiculous grin on his face made me want to punch his nose.

"Is this what people mean when they say 'flirting with death'" Charlotte asked innocently and I burst out laughing. Loren was also amused with whatever happened.