Hello folks!
As part of the Writers Collection http://www.thewriterscollection.com/, I present to you my take on Henry VIII.
Enjoy!
*******
She looked at me stupefied. She didn’t expect me to say I had no idea what she was talking about.
“How is it possible you don’t know Henry VIII! Haven’t you paid attention in school?” She asked as her eyes grew wider with every word she uttered.
“Why?” I wanted to give her attitude but something stopped me midway. Was it a feeling of guilt, or maybe the simple fact I cared about her too much to hurt her by my childish behavior? She stared at me, her face expressing a fascinating mixture of frustration and disbelief. “Did it prevent me from passing last year?” I added. “I didn’t think so.”
I hoped for the discussion to end there, me being right and her being wrong. I didn’t care about Henry VIII; I only sought to sit by her side and breathe the delicious vanilla scent of her fragrance. Her long dark hair fell on her shoulders and her back like waves of the softest silk. Every inch of my body desired her yet I had to stay patient. I couldn’t spoil any opportunity I got, especially not with her. She was too precious.
My eyes discreetly wandered along the curves of her hips and thighs as she repositioned herself on the couch. She held a book open on her lap, and I imagined I was every page she delicately brushed with her fingertips.
“Well… If you don’t learn about Henry VIII now, you won’t pass this class.” She glanced at me and her mouth pouted in the cutest way. How I longed to hold her face between my hands and land a kiss on her beautiful mouth!
“Are you listening to me?” she asked, annoyed by my visible inattention. “I won’t help you if you keep thinking what we learn in history class isn’t important. You need to step up your game if you want a college scholarship, you know that right?”
Her eyes gave me an accusatory look. Yes, I knew it. My parents kept feeding me evening dinner speeches and used every occasion to order me to graduate with honors. I was only seventeen for godsake! I stared at Rachel and fainted a guilty smile.
“So if I learn about Henry VIII, will you go out with me?”
Her face instantly blushed and she looked away. “You think I help you only to make you my boyfriend?” I could hear exasperation in her voice.
“Well don’t you think I’d make a great boyfriend?” I asked while leaning closer to her. The smell of her perfume overpowered my senses and I had to control myself not to eat her alive on the spot.
“I don’t think anything,” she replied, and her pout increased. “I can’t believe you’re trying to seduce me while I’m here helping you with your grades.”
I could see she was upset, but I also knew she liked to be a little dramatic. I gently placed my hand over hers and stroked one of her fingers. She didn’t remove her hand.
“Listen, why don’t we make a deal? We’ve known each other for how long?” I leaned a bit closer until my shoulder slightly touched hers. “Since we were eight, right? So you should know by now whether I’d make a good boyfriend. You wouldn’t help me with my studies if you didn’t like me a little.” My smile transformed into a grin.
“I don’t like you like that,” she answered but didn’t move away nor withdrew her hand from under mine. I kept stroking her finger.
“Oh yeah?” I asked, amused. “So how do you like me?” My face was attracted to her neck, and her perfume made me drunk.
“I don’t know,” she whispered. I could tell she didn’t know how to react to my advances, but I also sensed she didn’t dislike the idea of me holding her hand.
“I’ll learn anything you want me to know about Henry VIII,” I whispered back. She immediately locked her eyes with mine and stared at me.
“Are you really serious about dating me?” she asked, a small hesitation in her voice.
“Of course I am.” My hand stroked hers harder.
She closed her eyes and I followed the movement of her face coming toward me until our lips touched and a thrill ran up and down my spine. It felt like an electrical rush throughout my limbs. I pressed on her hand, she tightened her grip around my fingers and time simply stopped.
When we finally looked into each other’s eyes, I could see a light in hers I’d never seen before. A little spark of excitement mixed with a fire of desire I never thought she could feel about me. It made me swarm with pleasure and I gave her another long kiss.
I didn’t study anything about Henry VIII that day, but I earned Rachel’s love. To me, it was the best thing in the world. Naturally after dating for a few days she forced me back into studying harder, but I never refused her scolding as I knew I’d be holding her tight against me moments later.
At the end of the year, I graduated with honors and we attended the same college. After four years, she finally became my wife.
I didn’t know history lessons could bring so much happiness…
The Manicheans 