Sun Kissed

DELETED CHAPTER: The American (part 2)

The American (part 2)

Sofi struggled to zip up the back of her dress in the dark. When she was done getting dressed, she stumbled out of the closet in her matching heels. She froze and listened to hear if she had woken anyone. When she was sure that everyone was still asleep, she quietly shuffled over to the mirror.

The only thing she could see in the darkness of her room were the teal sequins on her cocktail dress reflecting the moonlight pouring in from outside. The height of her heels elongated her legs, giving her the regal and slender silhouette of a peacock. Sofi's face, however, was hidden in shadows. It was so dark that she could barely make out the mole by her eye.

Satisfied with her appearance, she approached the open window and maneuvered herself through the opening. She effortlessly landed on the pile of dead palm leaves that lay outside her room. After checking the front of her dress for any window remains, she silently took off for the rainforest, guided by the light of the moon.

As expected, Amancio was waiting for Sofi on the overhang slope. She stopped short when she saw the trees forming a portal of light above his figure. Amancio stood with his hands in his pockets, gazing out at the placid river, the midnight wind rustling his wavy red hair.

This time he was wearing something other than a plaid shirt with jeans. His shirt was white and made of cotton with quaint wooden buttons along the front. Half the shirt was unbuttoned, revealing his tan chest. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. From the hip down he wore Bermuda shorts that swayed with the breeze. Strapped to his feet were ordinary leather sandals.

Other than in dreams, Sofi had never seen Amancio at night before. She noticed the harsh contrast of his body against the midnight background. Everything around him was faded shadows – only the moon gave off light. Even Sofi and the plants around her blended in with the midnight paleness. But not Amancio. He was a small flame in the damp, dark jungle. 

The fireflies trapped in his amber eyes were glowing fiercely. 

The moonlight humbly stepped aside to make way for the light of his red hair and the gloss of his tan skin. It was as if his entire body competed to outshine the moon. Sofi felt like she was gazing upon a sun that refused to set. When Amancio saw Sofi emerge from the wall of vegetation, he smiled and held out his arms.

"Do I look like a tourist?" he greeted. 

Sofi approached him and said as she adjusted his collar, "You look more like a jet-setting super model."

"Whatever that's supposed to mean," he chuckled. Sofi twisted her finger in one of Amancio's locks and tugged on it.

"You're going to have to do something about this hair, you know."

He nodded and pulled out a small comb from his back pocket. He combed his curvy bangs and the back of his hair. Sofi snatched the comb out of his hand and giggled, "That's not what I meant!"

Amancio kept up his playful grin and gave a shrug. Sofi was about to scold him again, but she realized that his hair had lost its crimson glow. It was dark brown. He had stealthily changed its color while styling it. Amancio laced his arm around Sofi's shoulders and said, "Shall we?"

After a few minutes, Amancio and Sofi emerged out of the forest and onto the deserted road.

"Are you sure that this road will take us to the city?" Sofi asked. 

Amancio pointed to the cluster of lights blinking off miles ahead of them and said, "I'm positive. Let's go."

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Sofi had never seen so many people since she moved to Brazil. The city was teeming with young couples who roamed the streets. The youthful happy faces were a nice change from the usual dirty, blank expressions of the village folk.