All princes start as frogs
And all gentlemen as dogs
Just wait till it’s plain to see
What we'll growing up to be
’cause some frogs will still be frogs
And some dogs will still be dogs
Some boys could become men
Just do not kiss us 'til then.
“I hate men!” Lucidity said tearfully, clearing her eyes for the umpteenth time.
Jacob sat on his bed with a tissue box in his hands staring at his childhood best friend. His body Tensed from her words.
“All men?” asked Jacob curiously.
At the age of seventeen, Marcus Black had just dumped Lucidity. Jacob had been against the match from the start. Not because he wanted to date Lucidity, he so self-righteously told himself. Marcus was a goon. How pathetic could he be? He was headlong in love with Lucidity, and there was nothing he could do about it! The thought of her hating him wrenched at his heart.
“No, I could never hate you.” She said, compelling a thin smile “only all the other jerks.” He passed another tissue, thanking God that she did not hate him.
“Want me to rearrange his face?” he asked, expecting her to say no.
Although, in the mood she was in right now, she could say yes. He knew better. She would feel sorry in the morning. She was just too sweet to want anyone hurt, even if he had caused her pain first. Even if he did hammer Marcus up, she would fret and fuss pointlessly. Being only seventeen, Jacob was not very brawny but he had enough muscle to threaten Marcus’ life sufficiently.
“No! Please don’t. But thanks”
But you deserve your fairytale Lucidity, he thought. That involves the prince going out, kicking the bad guy’s a**, and rescuing the princess. Then we ride off into the sunset on a white horse and live happily ever after.
“I know you’re very proud of your six-pack,” she continued, and touched it through the thin fabric of Jacob’s shirt.
He closed his eyes and tried to ignore how good that felt. Every minute with her was like this. Wanting to swoop in and kiss her, but held back by his fear of rejection. Especially now and especially from her.
“Hello! Anyone home?” she asked waving a hand in his face. He came back to reality swiftly and painfully, as she pinched him.
“You okay, Jacob? I was molesting your chest, and–”
“Do you have any idea how wrong that sounds?” he interrupted.
“Tell me what caused you to space out like that. It just does not seem like the Jacob thing to do!” she said. “What happened?” Instead, he merely shut his mouth. No matter how much she asked him, he would not tell.
“Whatever,” she said having given up on cross-examining him. “You are not to touch anyone on my behalf. You don’t need to. I’m never dating again.”
Fear coursed through him like his own blood. If she never dated again, then he would lose his chance!
“But not all boys are like that!” he exclaimed. “Just be more careful about the guys you choose.” Meaning choose me.
“Thanks, Jacob.” She kissed him on the cheek, and turned quick, not seeing the beautiful shade of crimson he turned or the dim-witted grin on his face.
“Now, what do you say we give Marcus a call?” she asked ingenuously.
Jacob, losing his smile, asked, “Why would we call that b*****d?”
Lucidity smiled. “I love your choice of words,” she said happily. “That’s the first things I’m going to call him. After that, maybe a couple of choice four-letter words. We’re going to swear at him until his ears withers and drop off.”
“I like the way you think,” Jacob smiled.
There would be time later, Jacob contemplated, to think about his reaction to her kiss. The most likely possibility was embarrassment. However, there was always that nagging thought in the corner of his mind that whispered ceaselessly of his love for her.
* * * * * * * * * * *
“I’ve found him!” A thrilled Lucidity proclaimed as she bounced into Jacob’s room the next morning. Stirred from his sleep, Jacob mumbled to himself, about regretting giving Lucidity a key to his house. Who took full advantage of the privilege. He sat up, forgetting that he was only wearing boxers. He was reminded, seconds later, by Lucidity’s blush.
“God, Jacob. Put on a shirt.”
Instead, he got out of bed and hugged her from behind. He knew he should have, but it was too damn early to care.
“Who’d you find?” he asked, his voice husky. Lucidity could feel the reverberations of his voice in his chest, and shivered.
“The one I love.” she whispered, and he leaped back as if her skin burned him.
That woke him up. His thoughts were in an uproar. No! She could not have possible … it could not be. All those years he waited, his luck could not have been this bad! His heart would explode. God, the cruelty of it all. If this person made her happy, then he could try to be happy for her. He would try to get over her.
“That’s great,” he said, trying to sound happy, but failing miserably. Could he get over her? He already knew. She was the only one for him.
No woman other then her had never touched him so, mind or body. At seventeen, he was tall, broad-shouldered and muscled, still with the strange bronze hair he had always had. Eyes track him around anywhere he went, but he never showed interest. All his thoughts centered on her. He would wait. It would nearly kill him but he somehow would. If someday, something happened to this person, then he would be there for her, to take his place as her prince.
He had lots of time to waste. They were finally seventeen. At least, he was. Her birthday was tomorrow, and he had been planning to reveal how much he loved her. Now, he had to continue waiting.
She pulled a soft, plush frog from her pocket.
Surprised, he asked, “What the hell is that?”
Turning around, she smiled, “This is my prince!”
Relieve washed over him, along with infuriation. She would pay for this. Making him worry like that. He glared at her. She would so pay.
She gave the frog a kiss. “What?” she said defensively “I think he deserves a little TLC!”
He stomped towards her. He refused to be scared like that ever again.
“Jacob, what are you doing?” she asked, puzzled, she took a couple steps back. And dropped the frog on the floor.
“I should have done this a long time ago,” he said, determination in every line of his body.
Lucidity’s body touched the wall. He put a hand on either side of her head. He trapped her. When did Jacob get so big? She thought. Was he always this handsome?
“I love you,” he said plainly. There were no trumpets, no fanfare, just a simple I love you.
Then he kissed her. Passionately, he clung to her; as if afraid, she would disappear the moment he let go. Some instinct unearthed within her and she opened wider, deepening the kiss. Her arms crept around his neck, and he pulled his hands off the wall to hold her closer. When he lifted his mouth off hers, they were breathing hard.
She stared up at him, her face flushed and her lips red like little cherries, making him want to kiss her again. No one spoke. Eternity seemed to pass. She closed her eyes, and appeared to be lost in thought as her chest heaved up and down.
“I love you. Always have.” He whispered huskily, sending shivers down her spin.
At his words, her eyes opened and a smile played at her lips.
“I always knew you were no frog, Jacob.”
“What?” He was utterly perplexed by the statement. What did frogs have to do with anything? Her smile widen at his bewilderment.
“You remember the story of the Frog Prince? When I was small, I used to dress up like a princess. I bought that little stuffed frog back then. I pretended he was my prince. I would kiss him and always be disappointed when he did not turn into my prince. I was thinking about that story, before you kissed me. I can see that you were no frog. You’re a man. You’re my prince!” she finished proudly.
Jacob only had a few seconds to contemplate the meaning of her words before she completely astonished him.
“I love you, prince.” And she kissed him.
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Aki's Heroes&Magicians
stories short and long about topics that I like to write about and (some) people like to read about. Some poetry and a lot of random for your liking.
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