By Fatima Razvi

Rayla had entered the small shop in hopes of buying a rose for herself, the fresh scent of the flowers had given her life through the week. She had been cursed by the drug of working, she was always working. Perhaps a change of setting would do her good, she had heard wonderful things about the flower shop, and she wanted to stop by. Upon entering, the garden-like scent overwhelmed her, tickling her nose. It wasn’t overwhelming in a disgusting, powerful way, no most certainly not. But she felt like she was embraced by even the most delicate of flowers, soft to the touch which kissed her eyelids in care.  

Miranda heard the ring of the door, the sound echoed through her shop. “Welcome miss! Can I get you anything at all? We have a wide arrangement of flowers and special bouquets if you would like to give it to someone you love.” Miranda said, her smile being what radiated in the room. Nothing could compare to the sight which Rayla had seen. She had thought that her eyes had been blessed by Miranda’s presence; she was no longer thinking of the reason she had been in the shop. Rather the employee’s name, Miranda.  

Rayla’s lips parted to speak but no words had escaped them. She could not speak, breathe, or think around Miranda. She had been poisoned with a substance that was unknown to her. How could this be? Rayla was the talker, she was outgoing, and she was capable. But as Miranda walked up to her, holding a flower in her hand adjusting the petals, Rayla wanted to melt to her knees. She wanted to say “I’m all yours” to Miranda.   

“Um, do you need anything?” Miranda asked again, words becoming hesitant as moments lingered, and Rayla just would not stop staring. Miranda was flattered, but she did not understand what to do in such situations.   

Rayla’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment. She had been staring, and she was shameless about it. Oh, how she hoped she didn’t make her uncomfortable. Rayla would have hated that terribly. “Your number?” The words came involuntarily, it was what Rayla had memorized, what she knew to say. Hadn’t she wanted a flower? If she wanted a flower then she would choose Miranda, as she was the rarest of the flowers around her.   

Miranda’s heart fluttered in her chest. It had wanted to burst and explode around her, of course though, it never did. She had been cursed by such a spell sure to weaken her, sure to defeat her. Yet it never felt so. She wasn’t hesitant to give Rayla her number, for she had wanted hers. She had wanted to find the story of the girl buying flowers for herself. “Rayla, is it?” Miranda asked, holding her ID card as she gazed upon such divinity. She had felt she was in the presence of the goddess of beauty, the goddess of love too. She was drawn to Rayla in such a way that there was no antidote for this poison.  

Ever since their initial meeting, Rayla had been sure to care for Miranda, as she had been the moon that lit the world for Rayla. She had danced with her through endless days, under the stars and telling of how the stars danced for them, danced for her. With the weeks that had passed, Rayla had begun to be surrounded by the garden of memories, of hopes and dreams. “Miranda, I’m here!” She cheered, the girl already dressed in her sundress, seeming to be Aphrodite in disguise. Rayla couldn’t breathe. Being so close to such an enchantress was unimaginable for her, yet here she was.   

The couple had danced their way to where Rayla had set their date up. In the long grass of the fields, a blanket sprawled on the floor with biscuits and treats and sandwiches. She had wanted to show Miranda what she felt with her, what she loved about her, and my was it much. Miranda had been the gentlest of souls Rayla met, and she loved her. No, perhaps more than that. She had felt whole with her. She had watched the galaxies in Miranda’s eyes, lost but never truly forgotten, for in her eyes she was remembered. She was welcomed, and she was home.   

Miranda hadn’t realized how wide her smile had been until her cheeks began to hurt. These were the moments that she lived for. Moments with Rayla.   

Rayla had never known what it meant to feel complete until Miranda had danced into her life. “The stars dance for you my love, and I the same. I will waltz beside you through this life, and I will do so with a smile. For my nights have now become fantasies, and in our fantasy, you are my queen, and I am yours.” She held her hand out gingerly, Miranda without hesitation taking it with such shyness. She was no queen; she was no goddess. But Rayla, oh how she made her feel like she could just conquer the world. Pulling her close, Rayla rested her face against Miranda’s, a soft kiss placed against her temple.   
 
Their bodies connected just as perfectly as the moon was for the sun. “You shine through my dark clouds Rayla, and you have shown me the sun and her rays. You’ve blessed me, you really did.” Miranda whispered; her words were just as powerful as hers. Miranda had loved Rayla as deep as her blood went through her veins. She had loved her so much, that they had no words for what they had no more. Miranda was kept in a daze, her mind was always on Rayla, she was always looking for her, always lost without Rayla. For she had become her compass, Miranda always found her way back to Rayla. Always.  

In Rayla’s arms, Miranda had felt safe. She was welcomed and she was held so delicately almost as if she would break at any moment. In such moments, Rayla would dance her way through the grass foolishly, only to hear Miranda’s laugh. Rayla danced through the grass, her eyes matched with hers, and she let her hands flow freely along with her body. She had never thought she could get close with such a girl as Miranda. Someone who would save even the petal of a flower, someone who had well, completed her.   
 
Rayla hadn’t known the definition of love before, she realized. She realized that with her relationships, with the people she supposedly loved, it wasn’t true. It must’ve been desire; it must’ve been the thrill of life that had gotten to her. But this could not be? She had loved so much; she had much love to give.   
  

But Miranda. Miranda.  

“Miranda…” Rayla started, her dance concluded, and she pulled the girl closer until she could feel her light breaths. Their noses barely brushed against each other, and of course Miranda had smelled like blossoms. The scent lingered whenever they had danced together. With one hand in the other, and steps after the other did their dance continue. “I have told you about my love for you, I have told you how I am now complete. But I haven’t said nearly enough to you as I should. Miranda, when you hold me, there is such warmth that I have forgotten what it felt to be cold, I’ve lost touch with the brittle winters that would nip at my nose. But now, you are in my arms, and I can see it all too clear, clear as our days together. I see how I love you, no no, that’s not the right word. I see how I can live with you, and by that, I mean how I can picture us together, with you by my side as we grow old together. You, my love, are the divinity that has started wars among the gods and goddesses. For they wanted to keep you as their own, but Aphrodite, no she was jealous of you.” Rayla whispered, her hand intertwined with Miranda’s watching such words wrap themselves around her in an embrace. “Aphrodite had wanted to curse you, she sent you to earth thinking you were to be punished there. But love, oh that is not true. I will bless your days and I will hold you close. You, Miranda have become the goddess of love, it no longer is Aphrodite. She died the moment you came to this world. How I didn’t know you before I regret. How I regret many things, my love. But I will never regret us. I hope that the gods and goddesses watch our love, and make the stars follow us to where we go. Although stars I no longer see in the sky, rather I see in your eyes. When I look into your eyes, Miranda I can no longer speak, I can no longer form words. In your eyes, I see the stars, I see the light in this cruel dark world, and I see my reasons to continue living. For you, Miranda, you give me life, I breathe for you, and I will learn to open such a dark heart for you. I live for you my love, and only you.”  

Miranda could have sworn that her heart had scurried from her in glee, and once it returned, she was still the same. She was still smiling, and she was in love. How beautiful this feeling was. To be someone else’s love, to be what they thought of when they slept, when they woke, and through their day. She was enamored by Rayla; she was all that Miranda could understand. She knew the pains of loving that came with Rayla, however for her they were not pains. They only made her love the girl more. She had loved Rayla as the worlds loved the sun, always revolving around her. Miranda would no longer know the definition of loneliness; she had been alone all her life. Yet the day Rayla walked into her shop, she was no longer alone in this world. She was no longer fighting alone, she was no longer crying alone, she was no longer laughing alone, no longer alone. She wanted to marry her. Miranda wanted to grow old with Rayla and still dance until the sunrise with her.   

Rayla had been the reason the sun rose each time for Miranda. She was the reason she could go about her day with a smile, knowing that in this world, and others, she was loved