In the distance of uninhabited Centennial Park a lone woman can be seen traversing slowly through the silence. Barren willows long since frozen in the beginning of time reached out as if to caress a fallen lover. The dim lights perched on the street corners seemed to blare into her tear stained eyes as she traveled through the silent park. Shock continued to inhabit her even after six month of hesitant hands slowly caressing the child growing within her. A chill settled in as the day’s moon finally sunk behind the wispy shadows of towering buildings like skeletons in the distance.

Memories of time since past flashed in no particular order through her mind as she wrung her hands together in itchy wool gloves. This particular part of the city was always beautiful in the stillness, no other human inhabitants to destroy her solace as time continued to crawl past her into the darkening Georgia night. Sigh gave way to sigh as she thought back to several months ago, the last interaction she thought they would ever have.

…oOoOoOoOo…

James had broken up with her during the past summer. She was 21 when they met, he 22, and it was love at first food fight, ending up with their backs against each other and them against the world.

The day started out normal enough. Waking at 5:30am, the beginnings of sun rays filtering through the frosted window overlooking the oak trees in the distance. Dee felt that this day would be a bit weird, but what day wasn’t?

Breakfast had never been one of her preferred meals of the day. Lunch, now that was a fantastic time for socializing and demolishing life’s yummy goodness.

 The cafeteria was filled with hundreds of students savagely attacking the lines like the Sahara’s wildlife reserve. The cafeteria had always reminded her of those awkward backwoods spa saunas, made of cheap ceramic tile, encased by horribly chosen off pink flannel crown molding accented with grey marble wall paint. Dee looked around in search of her two favorite people, Marlon and Marcus. Gazing across the horizon known as Wagner Dinning Hall, she spotted the two douche bags waiting at their usual table centered off to the right. Approaching slowly, she noticed an unknown figure seated across from them--seemingly uninterested in the chaos occurring around him. 

“Yo! What’s with the wild kingdom in here?” Dee asked watching as they seemed to be out of their conversation.

Both Marcus and Marlon looked up as Dee appeared almost mysteriously. Giving her the once over they couldn’t help but notice how she had matured since they had all met in high school.

Their group was an odd one, two blacks and a half black and Filipino kid, all obsessed with anime, causing them to be messed with by different cliques during their adolescents but they stuck it out and here they were. Juniors at the University Of Domestic International Arts Of Language Orientation, also known as U of DIALO.

“Yo, Dee. Let me introduce you to my cousin James Liou.” Marlon replied. Now, Marlon was the type of man people could do without being friends with, seeing as he always denounced his biracial heritage and felt the need to do so as often as possible. Being half Filipino and Black had its perks when it came to attracting the ladies. She’d once been one of those females but was turned down rather harshly for her plump size and in the end became good friends with the douche. Off to the left sat Marcus observing, the interaction between James and Dee, with a keen interest. Noting the subtle chemistry between the two, even upon first meeting, he knew Dee was bound to say something concerning anime or Asian culture, more likely the latter.

Looking away from her best friends to the stranger at the table, a smile fluttered across her face as she extended her hand.

“Names Dee, nice ta meet ya.”Grasping his hand firmly she gave it a shake.

“Nice to meet you, too.” he replied slowly raking his eyes across her face. As Dee processed this information she thought back for a moment and had a sudden eureka moment. “How are you guys related, especially since your last name is definitely Chinese?” looking around the table she was puzzled at the new phenomenon.

“I’m Taiwanese, not Chinese. But thanks for trying to guess.” He replied a bit teasingly.

“But technically, you are Chinese. Your family just left the mainland and situated themselves on the island of Taiwan or rather Taipei.” Sticking out her tongue at the new comer, Dee failed to notice Marcus’s smirk.

“Dee, come on now. Just because you major in East Asian studies doesn’t mean you need to interrogate every man of Asian descent.” Marcus exaggerated only meaning to be playful in the situation.

James POV

Looking up slowly from his cousin and his cousin’s best friend James turned as a young black woman interrupted their earlier conversation. Looking back at his cousin, he tuned back into the conversation they were having with the young woman.

‘wonder why Marlon never told me about his friends.’ Looking at Dee as she had introduced herself he couldn’t help but notice that she wasn’t the typical Asian obsessed freak that girls like her tended to be. Women that are so into Asian popular culture that they think Asian men are girly wannabe rappers wearing eye liner.

“So, you’re majoring in East Asian studies?” Going over the countless scenarios that could occur within this span of time he decided it was an appropriate question.

“Yeah, everyone that asks me that always thinks it’s some kind of ploy from an undercover Asian obsessed chick, bleh.” Watching as she shook her head while making gag noises cause James to smile a bit.

“Well, that’s a relief.” Turning back toward his cousin and Marcus, he noticed that their lips had twitched into smirks. ‘I hope they don’t think what I think their thinking.’

Turning his eyes back toward Dee, as she sat down, he got a closer look at her.

No one’s POV

As the four conversed, the Saharan wildlife kingdom began roaring to life just two tables down towards the left of the dining hall. Chatter grew unbearable until the tall tail sign of rain shattered the atmosphere.

“FOOD FIGHT!” no one knew who said those words, but the effects were instantaneous. Blobs of half-eaten mashed potatoes sailed through the air as blow darts of braised carrots found their ways into the hair of an unsuspecting group of gazelles squatting together near the dining hall entrance.

Swords and shields crafted from broccoli and Mexican tortillas flew like aliens ships through the air. Complete and utter chaos ensued backing the three best friends and James into a corner.

Noting that the stampede was drawing closer every second of this brutal war, Marlon and Marcus did the only thing they knew how-- Run. In retrospect, Dee would say that this moment transformed her.

“So what should we do? Seeing as you cousin and Marcus abandoned us to fend off the stampede.” Looking at the impending doom coming their way, Dee looked back at James as he contemplated their next course of action.

“I know we just met but I have an idea if you are comfortable enough.” He whispered slowly, as if to gage her oncoming reaction.

“Alright.” Although they didn’t know each other, Dee knew that if she wanted to make it out unscathed cooperation was needed.

“Alright, first we need to be back to back and a pair of trays. Go!” the command stirred them both into action as they dived for the offending cream colored trays lying untouched on the table. Standing and putting their backs against one another, impending doom continued to advance with alarming speed. “Now what?” Dee looked over her shoulder to catch James eye. “We charge in fighting, protecting each other’s backs. Let’s Go, CHARGE!”

…oOoOoOoOo…

The memory faded with Dee recalling this incident as the beginning of their relationship. Love had an air about itself that no one could control, caressing the lives of many but never in the same way twice. Feeling caressed the bowels of her being bursting forth into the bountiful midnight skill, carving away at pieces of enlarged hearts. The beat echoing into starless evenings, filled with ears lying upon his chest, caressed by the fruit of his soul.  But, who knew that in only three short years’, things would come to a screeching halt not even two months after he’d proposed.

As she continued her slow walk back to her apartment, she recalled offset flashes of passionate mid-summer evenings, reminding her of a love no longer hers. As time dragged on between each recalled memory the dim city lights began to meld together as if roaring dragons were attacking in a frenzied craze. The memory of his proposal, after three years in a committed relationship, left her feeling hallow as she recalled their recent encounter. 

…oOoOoOoOo…

to be continued........