Mariana is the most beautiful girl in the town. No sheās not blonde like the rest of the Aryan beauties of the town, and her nose wasnāt thin, and her eyesight was quite poor, but to me her black hair, her button nose, and her oversized glasses were beautiful to me. Mariana wore red, and the others wore blue and pink, Mariana had grey eyes, while the others were blue and brown, Mariana had high cheekbones rather that a pure soft look. Marian looked fierce and smart, while the others looked pure and Christian.
I am a man who could steal anything I want. As I walk past the bakery, and take all that I needed, and the next morning heād greet me as if I was his pal. You see, nobody grudges me here because of my charm. I admit itās almost manipulative, but I mean no harm, and I never take more than needed. I help the children, I talk to the mothers, I never make love to a taken woman, Iāve never disrespected a good man or father, never have I burned a bible, or complained about a dry meal. Thereās only one thing I cannot possibly steal.
Thereās a boy named Dante, blonde, tall. Very shy, pale, with big brown eyes, freckles, and money. Heās king though, and artistic, the woman usually donāt go for someone like unless they want money, no offense to our starving woman. And he feeds them, he has no filter, heāll tell them he knows what they want, not out of rudeness, just mistrust. And he gives them it too. If he sees a sickly pale or thin woman, whoād like to clean for him or give him favors, heād say āno needā, and give them food or shelter. Heās a good man, but I can never like him.
Because Mariana looks to him like heās golden. She craves him just as I her. Every time he walks into town, and I see that look on her face when she eyes him, a part of me shatters. You see, I am nothing but good to Mariana. I love her, and she doesnāt know. Mariana comes to me one day, one terribly humid morning.
āClyde, help me Clyde!ā She says excitedly. Her smile is huge and her eyes are wide, I almost canāt tell if sheās in shock or overly joyous.
āYes Mariana? Whatās the matter?ā
āIād like to make a confession to Dante,ā she replies.
I look away so my heart shattering doesnāt reflect in her glossy eyes. I turn back to say āwell of course Iāll help you,ā. I sound soft and raw, I almost donāt know itās my own voice.
āCould you buy a flower for me? And I do mean buy, Clyde,ā she tells me sternly, although I see her holding back a giggle.
āOf courseā I reply. I go straight to the towns circle, where theirs carts selling anything from painted pebbles to shoe laces, anything to make a quick penny. I swoosh past the flower cart with a few peonyās that fit into my tattered jacket, and spin to act like Iām looking at the assorted buttons on the cart right next to it.
āNow donāt take anything Clyde!ā Warns Mrs.Weary.
āOh Mrs.Weary, my love, donāt you worry about me, you see, today is a good day, now may God bless you and your buttonsā I say to her, I watch her eyes soften and walk away with six buttons and the peonies.
I come back to Mariana and place the flowers next to her, writing viciously on a yellowed parchment.
I decide to leave the town for a while, to think about if thereās anything I could steal that would replace and fill the hole that fell out of my heart. I realized this day I couldnāt steal her heart, instead she stole mine. A thief rubs off their skills on people they like, I suppose..
(Me trying not to recreate les misƩrables)