Renai, my girl

Renai, my girl- Chapter 1

1997. Beautiful, beautiful life. Hey tired eyes, great smile. Don't give me none of that shit or I'll rearrange it. 1997. Thats what it meant to me. That's what it was all about. But I think back to it now. I knew it wasn't my place, never is. But you know what it's like. It's like skipping a book to the last page, Checking the reviews before you've seen the god damn film. we're all guilty of it, aren't we? Shit happens, eh? Well, it don't matter one bit. Not one.  Hey, I got you, you got me. Just us. Against the world.

"Robert, I know you're there"

Her humoured voice carried into the hall, right where I was standing. I sighed, smacking my forehead, and walked in to the cream room.  In actual fact, it had been a spare bedroom to begin with, but we didn't get guests, and we weren't planning on having children any time soon. We weren't even married yet. Though, I hoped that that might some time soon.

The cream room was her abode, where she went to paint, to get things off her chest. The walls were peppered with canvasses and framed pictures of men and women. The most... Unusual women. On first inspection, they are men and women, anyway. Guess what. They aren't. They're transvestites. And she is fucking talented.  I walked in to be greeted by her back, and quickly realised she was doing what she does best.  Looking up at the walls, I marvelled at some of her new works. Most of them were transvestites, others very masculine women. Square jaws. Thick shoulders. Or feminine men. Cherubic lips, wide, doe eyes, small shoulders, heart shaped faces. The one I was looking at was a picture of a woman, slender fingers against a stone doorway, head thrown back dramatically, lips parted, flowing, magenta dress which contrasted perfectly with her olivey Spanish skin, and dark wavy hair. The distinct masculinity stood out though, completing the picture. From her heavy eyebrows to the square jaw. She told me what it meant, a few years back.

"It's showing their strong side, and their weak side. How they deal with their emotions. I am brave. I am masculine" She said, joining the eyebrows with a few small strokes of the brush. "I empathise. I love. I am feminine" She set to work on the lips, softening them. "And they are perfect, and balanced. And it's not just inside. you can see it"

I stared at it a while more, taking in every detail. Then I stepped forward, grinning, to look at my Renai. At her back. And I could see the end of the paintbrush, pointing up into the air. I strutted over untill I was right behind her, and began caressing her spine over the shapeless beige dress she wore, tightened at the waist with a thin brown belt. Her long, sandy blond curly hair was in a loose ponytail, the end tied up with a piece of orange string. "Whatcha got there?" I said playfully, resting my head upon on her shoulder. There she stood, over the beechwood desk, making small, even strokes on the canvas with her paintbrush. As soon as I asked, she drew a sheet of grey material over it, covering it from my curious eyes, though she knew well that it was her I was interested in. My beautiful renaissance girl.

"Never you mind"

I had been expecting this coy response, as I pulled her back into my arms, turning her around and drawing her close. Her hand reached behind her, and placed the paintbrush on the desk, before coming back and touching my back. I buried my face into the curly hair, whispering into her small, pale ear.

"I do mind" I told her, still stroking her back. She giggled softly, reaching a hand up to run through my jet black hair. "I know you do, but it's a secret"

"I like secrets"

Her vanilla sandalwood scent delighted my nose. It was my favourite smell. It made me think of her. She turned her head up, so that my cheek was against her swan's neck. "Everyone likes secrets... But this one's special"

I groaned dramatically, pulling away to look into her hazel eyes. "You are such a spoilsport!" I cried, grinning still.

"Wouldn't want to ruin the surprise" She said simply, a smile tugging at her soft lips,  her hand running down my neck. "Now let me go, big guy, I got work to do"