Long Black Hair

She sits in a small brown chair. Her right hand is placed around the handle of her coffee mug. Her left is placed on top of a large book, flipping the pages as she reads. Her shiny black hair is behind her ears and down her back. Her lips are parted far enough so I can see her perfectly straight, white teeth. She looks up at me with confusion in her deep brown eyes. I realize I have been staring at her from my table which is across from hers.

I clear my throat and speak in a shaky voice, “Hi.”

Her skin is fair and face clear as day. The true definition of perfection. She smiles at me. “Hi.”

“Could I sit with you?” I asked after a moment. She nodded her head while sipping her coffee. I stand, grabbing my bag and black coffee and walk to her table. I sit across from her, not breaking eye contact the whole way down. I take a sip of coffee. The warmth flows throughout my body along with confidence. “What is your name?” I ask.

“Isabelle.” She folds the page of her book in and closes it.

Her eyelashes are curled up long and black. Her eyeshadow only a shade darker than her skin. I cannot look away from her. “I am James.”

She gives me a soft smile. “Nice to meet you, James.”

“How old are you, Isabelle?”

She takes another sip of her coffee, white foam still swimming around on the top. “I am twenty two. And you?”

I pause a moment before responding, “I am thirty.” My heart beats faster as I watch her tuck her long, beautiful hair behind her ears. “Would you have dinner with me tonight?”

“Like a date?” She raises her eyebrow.

“Yes.” I say in a hopeful tone.

She thinks for a moment and smiles. “Yes.”

She gives me her phone number and we talk for a little longer before we both leave. I drive home, excited. Once I am finished getting ready, I drive to the restaurant I am meeting her at. My heart beats faster than ever before the second I sit at the table. I wait only a few minutes before I see her walk in. She wears a short, red dress and her hair flowing down the sides of her face. She smiles once she sees me and I stand up. I pull out her chair for her as she sits down and push it in before I take my own seat again. We talk for a while before the waiter arrives. She orders pasta and I do the same. We drink wine and talk and laugh. We both had an amazing time. After we finish eating, I ask if she would like to come to my house, she agrees. I pay and we get in the car.

“That was lovely, thank you for dinner.” She says kindly.

I look to her and smile. “You are welcome.” Once we arrive to my house, I get out of the car and open her door for her. She smiles and steps out. We walk to the door and I unlock it, allowing her to step in first. Her dress is low on her back and she stands tall in her high, black heels. She turns to me, her red lipstick still perfect on her lips.

I step closer to her and grab her hand. “Come with me.” We walk through a hall and I open a door with a pink doorknob. She walks in first. I walk in behind her and turn on the light. She looks back at me, giving me a confused look.

“What is this?” She asks with a slightly shaky voice.

I smile. “It’s your new room.” I grab her throat and slam her against the wall. I hold my hand over her mouth and nose. She tries to scream and hit me, but I stay in my place until her body goes limp. I strip her of her clothes and put them in the hamper in the corner of the room. I grab a pink dress in the closet and put it on her, then lay her on the small, pink bed. I walk to the door and turn off the lights. I close the door and lock it.

—————

I wake up and everything around me is black. I am laying on a bed it feels like. I stand on shaky legs and feel my way across the room to where I remember seeing the door. I feel on the wall until I find the lightswitch. I turn it on and try to open the door. Its locked. I turn and look at the small room. There is a little bed with pink covers and pink pillows and dolls laying on the floor. There is a desk with a mirror and pictures across it. I walk up to it. My hair is tangled and my makeup is smudged across my face. I am wearing a pink dress far too small for my size. I bend down to look at the pictures.

“Oh my God.” I whisper to myself as I pick one up. It is a picture of James with a small girl with the caption ‘Dad and Lydia’. She has long pitch black hair with dark brown eyes and light skin. The door opens and I turn, dropping the picture onto the ground. He stands at the door with bright eyes. “Who are you?” I ask.

“You look so beautiful, darling.” He starts to walk towards me. I stand and back up to the far wall of the room. He stands inches from me as he reaches his hand up to my face, moving a piece of my hair from in front of my eyes.

“I missed you so much, Lydia.” He kisses my forehead.