(I know that I'm still working on "Storms Upon the Heart", but I'm close to finishing it, so I thought I would start on this new project as well as trying to pick up "Secret Cupid" again... this is an old idea that I completely forgot about until I found a rough draft lying in an old notebook. So I'm going to try this and see what becomes of it.)

Dark to Light

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Chapter One

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You find yourself sitting in a local café in your usual booth, sipping your usual cup of coffee: black, strong, no sugar, and no cream. You're thinking about your future, about what is ahead of you. You're not worrying about your career, no, of course not… that's settled. You're studying and working hard to become the doctor you've always dreamed of being. You're not worried about your friends. You have a wonderful best friend, who's always there for you, and many other friends who are fun to be around.

What you are worried about is… why was the last date you went on six months ago? And why was it a blind date that a friend forced you into, no less, which went so terribly wrong that you found yourself praying for it to be over… only fifteen minutes into the movie?

After that disaster, you watched your best friend find the love of his life and get married. You were there, of course, as the best man. At the reception, every woman was giving you the 'eye' and wondering where your date was. You danced with only your best friend's new bride and his sister, and did not venture out to meet anyone new. Why? Because at the time, you didn't care. Dating, love, marriage: none of that really mattered to you.

But now, you're sitting alone and watching a couple at the booth across from you flirting and nuzzling noses over coffee. You stir your own coffee miserably, wondering what it's really like to be in love.

But what really brought about this change of events? What really made you look at love for the first time and beg for it?

She did.

The one girl that could change your mind about dating, love, marriage, soul mates, sappy holidays, pointless gifts, nuzzling, flirting, kissing, cuddling by a fire… and now you can't get your mind off of her.

You try.

You pick up a newspaper only to sigh with frustration and put it down again.

There's no point. You know you're going to sit in this booth and conjure up an image of her face in your mind. You're going to outline each lovely feature… the deep blue of her eyes, the way her smile lights up her entire face, the natural pink of her cheeks, her small nose scrunching up in concentration… the soft look of happiness that seems to always be there, as if she's always waiting to be kissed by a handsome prince.

You frown now as you think about who could be her handsome prince. Did she have one? You know she's the kind of girl who is infatuated with the thoughts of romance… and she is beautiful, so there's no doubt in your mind that she has someone.

You sigh, tuck your newspaper under your arm, leave a tip, and leave the café. Walking outside, the bright sunshine hits your skin and you feel like a vampire released into the light before you adjust to the brightness.

You laugh at this analogy. How can you even be thinking of wanting an angel of light when it seems to you that you have a likeness to a vampire? Why would she ever want a dark, gloomy man who hides in dark cafés and quiet libraries under mountains of books when she loves the brightness of life and everything in it?

Accustomed to sighing, you heave another one and continue your way down the sidewalk, heading home to a night of quiet contemplation… most of which you know you will spend thinking about her.

Now you're staring down at the pavement in front of you, your hands in your khaki pants pockets. The dark green jacket and black sweater you're wearing seem to reiterate the idea that you are dark, and you smile wryly.

You enter your apartment building and head towards the stairs, deciding against the laziness an elevator would provide. You walk slowly up, moving the muscles in your legs as if it's the only workout you ever get, even though you spent an hour in a gym this morning. Reaching your floor, you make your way down the carpeted hallway to your plain green door, slip the key in the lock, enter your dismal, bleak home, and collapse on your expensive sofa. Running a hand through your black bangs, you stare up at the ceiling and wonder if there is any way you could change. If she would notice you if you changed. If you were more… light instead of dark.

If you weren't so… quiet, she might look at you differently. She might actually notice that you're not the brooding man in the back of the café, but that you're fun and loving, and that you only want to make her the happiest girl alive.

Your mind races, trying to figure out how to achieve this, but you decide, as a wave of exhaustion hits you, that you will have to decide later what to do, and a small smile plays on your face as you slip into sleep.

For now, you only want the comfort of an afternoon nap, a pleasure you rarely have the time for.

And while you sleep, the small, blinking light in your heart that yearns for her becomes slightly brighter as the thoughts of being her love seem just a small step closer.

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End Chapter One

(Weelll….anybody have any thoughts? Is this a good or bad idea? Should I drop it and run or go with it? Oh, and I promise this will not be totally 2nd person… lol, no way could I do that.)