Ocean Drive

2 |

2 | I n T h e N i g h t

It's midnight. I'm not in my right mind. I can't sleep. It feels as if I never sleep. Completely restless. Ever since I moved into this new house I don't think I've slept. I just stare at the moon, the ceiling, the walls lost in thoughts.

Change has been difficult. I feel so lost. Work isn't what I expected. I have no friends here. I have no family here. I have no one. I've always had her. She was the only person I could talk to about anything, about everything and about nothing. We were supposed to live here together, she and I. I still love her. I will always love her. But when I saw Mona Lisa, I forgot about the way she made me feel since the day we met. These past few weeks I was numb but I finally felt something for the first time.

There's nothing here for me. The only thing that seems to distract me is Mona Lisa. Her room is directly across from mine. I always catch myself watching. I wonder what she's doing. Is Mona Lisa sleeping or sleepless? Is her mind racing with thoughts? What would Mona Lisa be thinking about? Who is she thinking about? Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa....

During the day I'd catch a glimpse of what Mona Lisa was doing. Sometimes she's dancing and it makes me smile. Sometimes she's jumping on her bed singing into her brush and it makes me laugh. Sometimes she's laying on her bed and staring at the ceiling and it makes me wonder. She's reminds me of the Lenore in Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid. She is beautiful, she is very shy and mysterious. Just like Mr. Peabody I am in love with her and every little thing she does. I just want to know everything.

It's past one in the morning I should be asleep by now. But I just couldn't sleep. The moon was still as ever. The neighborhood was dead. The streetlights lit up the street. Mona Lisa's window was shut with curtains cascading. I wonder what she looks like when she's asleep, the way she sleeps and what she's dreaming of if she dreams.

I looked once more at her window. Closing my blinds slowly I could see her curtain sway. I stopped. Her window opened slowly. I could see her long leg sticking out the window as her other leg slowly came out. She wore white converse with a little nightgown. Slowly she tiptoed to the the tree branch by her window. She hung to the branch slowly climbing down as if she memorized where her hands and feet should be.

I quickly grabbed my jacket shoving my feet in my shoes. I hurried to my door. She was already down the block looking behind occasionally as if someone was following. I waited till she couldn't see me before I followed. She twirled with her arms out soaking in the night. The moonlight lit up her skin.

So full of happiness. It was like she was alive in the night. Mona Lisa's eyes sparkled once the beach was in view. She sat in the sand watching the waves as they crashed. She looked as if she could be on the cover of Vogue. In the night she seemed to be more beautiful because of how comfortable and free she felt.

I walked cautiously... Think. Think. Think. My heart began to race, palms began to sweat, and I was out of breath as I stepped closer to her.

"Mona Lisa?" I said breathlessly. She stood up and faced me scared. I felt so bad for startling her. "I'm sorry.... I don't mean to scare you." She looked at me frightened taking a step away from me. "I was jogging then I saw you here. What are you doing here?" There confusion and panic on her face. "I forgot, you don't speak English..." I mentally face palmed. Wow, William. How am I going to compare her to the mermaid Lenore and forget that they both barely say actual words?

"Uhh..." She looked around, nervous but the she took a deep breath in turning to look at the waves crashing, slowly exhaling. "I come here when I can't sleep." I was surprised she could speak English I haven't heard her say more than a handful of words.