From Dusk Till Dawn

Chapter Two

On our first time hanging out, my thoughts were scattered; filled with nervous anticipation and giddiness. But Amy's down-to-earth nature calmed my anxiety. We spent most of our time talking about our lives and interests and at last, I asked to see her again. She agreed with the same casual tone from before and I wanted to make myself clear this time. "Like, a date?" I said the words ever so hesitantly. "Yeah sure," She had responded with a shy smile, "I had a great time today, by the way,"

Knowing I was capable of giving her a great time was a confidence booster for me. One date after the other; light-hearted jokes here, small talks there. Accidental touches followed with sweet electric feelings; stolen kisses now and then. Small arguments and different perspectives; shared dreams and future hopes; even the painful memories were there. And that was all it took for me to fall in love with Amy Collins. Everything about her was enchanting somehow.

She always had that thing about her that makes me curious and keeps me wondering. I went back with my mind to when we were first getting to know each other. "So basically if any two pieces of the same metal touch, they will weld together as one and stay like this permanently," She had said one day. I had planned to take her out to the movies that night, and afterward, we walked hand in hand to my car talking about our interests that don't include painting. Her favorite thing to read about was astrophysics in all its branches. In fact, Amy's family were all into science but she was the only one who had chosen art over it. She was telling me that day about something called The Cold Welding Effect that is only possible in outer space.

"Well, let's say we welded two objects together. What will happen when we get back on Earth? Won't they separate again?" I had asked trying to understand then and also seeing her explain something she is passionate about always made her eyes glimmer in a way that I couldn't resist. "No, they won't separate. Earth's atmosphere has water and air that prevents the Cold Welding process but once it's done –in outer space, then it's permanent. "

By that time we had reached my car. "But what if we try to weld two humans instead of metal?" I wondered aloud and leaned against my car. "What's wrong with you? This is so twisted and sick!" She objected making me laugh at her horrified expression. It didn't take her a second thought to join me in laughter. The moon was barely visible in the night sky but many stars were sparkling in the darkness. Amy leaned beside me and rested her head on my shoulder. The smell of her perfume filled the air around us in a way that made me want her this close- and more, forever. "I love this," She had said in a tender tone as we both treasured the moment. "Me too," I knew that she was speaking about the sight of the starry sky that night; but what I was agreeing about was the warmth of her closeness and the comfort of her presence.

That night when I took her home she invited me in and showed me her paintings. It was the first time I visit her house but it felt surprisingly familiar. Her painting techniques were completely different from mine. However, we still made a deal that night to try and paint something together one day. It felt like a big commitment to me. One that I willingly made just for the sake of having such experience with Amy. But years passed and that day never came, though.

We had our ups and downs, some were deep down, but we always managed to find the door to overcoming the flaws of our relationship. Although her parents didn't like me, Amy still spent time with me. I tried to speak to her father many times but he never wanted to listen to me. The thing is that her parents were against her painting for a living, and to them, I was encouraging her. They wanted her to have a more stable job to become more responsible. When I tried to convince her dad that a painter's life isn't that bad and how my family is full of artists and they are all financially stable, he didn't buy it. He even once said it right to my face, "you're irresponsible, and I don't want you seeing my daughter anymore." But since Amy lived alone, I still went to see her. Not meaning to disobey her father but because I wanted to find a solution to the situation and we would indeed keep thinking together, but her parents never made it easy on us. Only her older sister, Ellie, was supportive. Amy's parents were pharmacists and her sister was a psychologist. Her parents had had plans for her to apply to medicine school but she didn't want to. She preferred painting for some unknown reason; besides she was more passionate about astrophysics anyways- and she chose art over it too.