Love Is Black And White

5. Red Strawberry

What a beautiful strawberry.

No, I was not drunk or stoned. I was in love.

I once read that when we truly love someone, we begin to expand this love beyond the loved one. We begin to love beautiful souls. We begin to love beautiful things. We become incredibly fascinated by life and the universe around us.

That's why even a simple strawberry can be so captivating.

"I got Nutella!" Jade shouted, walking towards me.

It was a super moon night, according to NASA. With my telescope prepared on the terrace of Jade's building, we were waiting for the heavenly spectacle.

"And now we just wait." I said, sitting on the floor.

Jade nodded and sat next to me. Then, she opened the jar of Nutella and covered a strawberry with it. I shook my head when she offered me one. With the strawberry in one hand, she placed one of my comic books on her bent knees and started reading.

How does she make everything look beautiful?

I let my mind travel through the color palette of the sunset. Orange, pink, violet, blue. A perfect contrast to the gray New York skyline.

Jade laughed beside me, "I love Ruby!" She said, without taking her eyes off the comic book.

Ruby was one of the characters in a fantasy story I was writing. She was based on Jade and, of course, her favorite character. And mine too.

In silence, I watched Jade for a few moments. Everything about her was beautiful, from the black hair flying in the late afternoon breeze to the gentle fingers touching the pages. This girl has so much power over my heart and she doesn't even know it.

Tell her! Said black and white me. But colorful me lacked courage. As Shakespeare wrote: A heart to love, and in that heart, courage, to make love known.

Shakespeare wished me luck four centuries ago. But as much as I wanted to make him proud, to make love known, it wasn't the right time yet.

"What's on your mind?" Jade asked, bringing me back to reality.

You.

I shrugged. "Nothing."

Jade looked at me suspiciously. "Don't lie to me... You're quiet, but I know you're always thinking." She said with conviction. "The quietest people have the loudest minds."

I chuckled and frowned. "Who said that?" I asked.

"I did." She said confidently.

I laughed at her, but she was right. My mind was loud. I just couldn't tell what was inside it. Even if I had such courage, she was dating another boy at the time, and it didn't seem wise for me to declare my love in such conditions. Also, I knew it was only a matter of time before Jade realized she deserved better.

Until then, at least, I could show it. I could express my love. My expressionist love.

Words are not the only way to convey love. In fact, I consider this to be the most flawed way, because many people who say they love, don't really feel it.

Our expressions can reflect what we feel inside, and that's what I needed. Not to say "I love you," but to show she was loved by me.

"Oh, I did something for you!" I said, and took my computer.

I put together the recordings I got of Jade's performance as the golden girl, and edited it like a movie. It would be something for her to remember that moment forever. I knew I would.

While she was watching the video, I was watching her. 

"This is so cool, Leon!" Jade said with an excited smile. "It's even better in black and white! It feels like I'm in a movie, an old movie!"

I may have added a personal touch. Night sky, old movies, and now the moment when I knew I loved her.

"Some of the best things are black and white." Smiling, I recited her own words.

When the video ended, she realized I was staring at her. She looked into my eyes and smiled. We stayed that way for a few moments. Just looking at each other. But from the white sparkle reflected in her dark eyes, I noticed it was already night.

"The moon." I said, still lost in her eyes.

Jade quickly looked at the sky. "Yes! The moon!" She spoke excitedly and got up from the floor.

The moon is splendid. The night is perfect. 

Everything is so fascinating. It's the perfect time to tell Jade I love her. So I tell her. Realizing how much she is loved by me, she kisses me with passion, as if she has been waiting for this moment for a long time.

The only color left behind was the red of the beautiful strawberries.

For the rest of the night, we admire the night sky. Lying on my chest, she says the New York lights look like stars, as if the sky never ends.

I feel happiness. The long-awaited happiness, finally, presents itself to my soul.

My soul welcomes it with affection, as if they were old friends.

I didn't want to leave. I didn't want it to end. Please, let me stay a little longer!

But rays of sunlight touched my face. And when I opened my eyes, I could see the proof that it was over: the blue of the sky.