TRUE COLORS

    Gerald gently laid Hazel on the bed, taking in the sight of her beauty. The glow on her face, the innocence of her eyes, and the scent of her perfume made him feel like the luckiest man in the world. He leaned down and kissed her lips softly, before deepening the kiss and letting his hands roam her body.

    Hazel moaned softly into his mouth as he pulled her closer. Her sweet fragrance drove him wild. He traced her jawline with his finger, trailing down to her lips. She giggled naughtily, taking his hand and kissing it, making his heart race.

    "Are you okay?" Hazel asked him, noticing the excitement in his eyes.

   "I'm more than okay, darling," he replied, lowering his face to hers, placing his lips on hers, and kissing her passionately.

    The kiss deepened and turned into the one that he would always remember. It was their first as newlyweds, and it meant everything to him. They shared a hot kiss, their bodies pressed together, feeling each other's heat. His hand found her waist, and he pulled her closer, grinding his hips against hers.

    He ran his hand down the curve of her body, feeling her curves, as they broke the kiss. Gazing into her eyes, he whispered, "I love you."

   "I love you too, Gerald," Hazel replied softly, pulling him back down to her, wrapping her arms around his neck.

   

       ★★★★ HOW IT ALL STARTED ★★★★

       HAZEL'S POV

    It was my very first time attending a party hosted by affluent person like Mr. Silverstein and all thanks to my bestie, Clara. She made it all possible, however, she had warned me to be careful.

We were about to enter the house when Clara pulled me back and grabbed my ear. “I want you to behave yourself here. No stealing. If you do, you are gone. Just ignore whatever you see." She said to me like a mother scolding her child and I shrugged.

"Fine!" Was all I said because I wasn't sure if I wouldn't steal something. I will try my best not steal. It takes me nothing to grab whatever I want to grab. Within a twinkle of an eye, I am done... but still, I would try not to embarrass her here. I ensured her and we both walked into the mansion. We exchanged pleasantries with the Silversteins and they welcomed us warmly too. If not for me, it was for my bestie. Her dad and Mr. Silverstein are quite cool.

    Everywhere was almost empty when we entered. Oh gosh no! I knew immediately that we came too early. This was to be a late night party and here we were... Anyways, we can't go back home. We've just got to stay back.

While my eyes kept traveling around the room, admiring the beauty of the interior designs from where I sat all alone, something caught my attention. A golden bangle laced with something I didn't know and I would like to know.

Oh my Gosh! It was so attractive and shiny. Normally, I don't put bangles on, especially something like that. I wear beautiful wrist bands made with pearls and made by myself.. That's one thing I love doing. I didn't need that bangle but I must take it because it's beautiful shiny, and I wanted to know what it was laced with since I couldn't sit clearly from where I was sitting. I had already spent almost an hour, staring at the bangle and strategizing how to go about it and I was wondering if I could go take it without anyone knowing. If I try to stand up now, Clara will be alerted. Her eyes were probably on me.

I looked around surreptitiously for my bestie who was certainly with Mrs. Silverstein. I was supposed to be on my best behavior for the impending warming/welcoming party. I wasn't sure of which it was. I knew these people hosted parties almost all time but this one seemed very important and... different. I could catch a glimpse of the field, it was beautifully decorated.

Eventually, I stood up from where I had been transfixed all these while, ready to put my strategy into action and began sneaking towards the shelf when no one was there. There should be enough time to take whatever I wanted before leaving. Not necessary to wait for the party anymore.

"Hazel! Party has started... the guests are here." Clara shouted from outside making me jerk up in fear but she didn't show up. I took a deep breath, grabbing my heart that could have fallen off if I hadn't grabbed it. Thank goodness. I would have fainted.

That really scuppered my plan. I would have taken it successfully. I scowled and trudged through chairs until Clara was in sight. She smiled at me and placed her arms around my shoulder.

"You won't regret coming here. I promise this will be very lively. There are not so many people out there, you can meet the few ones. Whatchu think? It's definitely not gonna be boring. Entertainment galore." She said, grinning from ears to ears.

That caused my mood to dramatically increase. Normally, wealthy people don't host parties inviting the whole town, and Clara knew I don't like parties with crowd, especially those that would recognize me and ruin my reputation in front of these people. I used to live in a world where people recognize me as a kleptomaniac. And ostracized in the society, my family and I decided to relocate but I was soon recognized in this new city since I didn't have the control over my actions. I am sure I wouldn't let myself down today.

Clara led me into the veranda where a group of four people were waiting, they all had wine glasses in their hands but I couldn't figure out who they were immediately. I would need a brief introduction of each to know exactly where I was coming to.

There was this guy amongst them standing in between two girls, oh damn! He was too cute. The first thing that had my attention in him was his hair. His hair was Achilles-gold and coiffed to perfection. His eyes had the same startling clarity as a mountain stream and the lineaments of his face were in perfect proportion to each other.

He seemed moulded from a different cast as he had an androgynous look uncommon to most people. Lacquered and enamelled by the sun, he radiated energy and brio. His mountain peak cheekbones appeared chiselled into shape by a master craftsman. They were of such sharp contours, it looked as if they were sculpted and pared to perfection. With eyes as bright and spellbinding as lode stars, they bewitched all those who fell under his steady gaze. They were a-sparkle with mirth and shone like two eternity-blue jewels enwrought in snow. This was the only time to know if I was good at stealing like always thought because I will have to steal his heart.

I was about to inform Clara about him when he looked at me and I averted my gaze immediately and I regretted I did instantly.

"Hey wassup guys, how's the party going here?" Clara howled, embracing the females that were there while I held my hand to the back and kept my gaze fixed to the floor. Where did my confidence go all of a sudden? I was suddenly nervous, my lips were quivering while my knees trembled. I couldn't control my heartbeat.

"Who is this?" I heard one of them say and I knew they were referring to me. Clara placed her arms around my shoulder again and pulled me in. "This is my baby girl, her name is Hazel. She is my bestie and... she is very witty." She introduced me.

"Hazel!" Clara called and I was forced to look up but I didn't dare look at the guy. I could collapse. His aura was just very intimidating. "This is Carmen Silverstein, and this is Doris Burks." She introduced them and they both gave me warm embraces. I guessed this was making me regain my composure. I wasn't expecting such gesture and maybe that added to my fear.

"Oh! Lest I forget, this is Gerald, the new C.E.O of a Jewelry Company." Clara introduced as soon as our eyes met and I could feel chills running down my spine as his bright blue eyes bore into mine. I swallowed when he stretched out his arm for a handshake and I feigned a smile to hide my nervousness. I shook his hand and for some reasons, I didn't feel like letting go of the arm again. His hand were so cute and with the way it made me feel... Oh Goddamn! He also didn't take his eyes off me making my nervousness grow more. He leant down slowly and placed a kiss at the back of my palm.

OMG.... My body gonna explode.

"Can you both now let go of each other's hands?" I heard one of the girls said and that was when I realized I was out of my mind. I quickly let go of his hand and moved back slowly, returning my gaze to the floor.

"I think I have something important to do upstairs. Enjoy baby girl." Clara patted my cheek and left with that kind of wink I couldn't understand.

"We haven't said hello to Uncle Wesley, have we? He must be waiting for us. Let's go Doris." Carmen and Doris flew away immediately, leaving me wondering what was going on. What could be happening? They also left, winking at me.

"Gerald, we catch up later okay? I need to go get some things, enjoy the party." Atlas, the other guy also left and then, it began to dawn on me. I was deliberately left all alone with Gerald. I should be happy but I was again nervous. My heart began to palpitate faster again, what was I supposed to do now? Find an excuse and leave?

"Erm..." I hummed, scratching the back of my neck as I thought of something to say to leave the scene. Oh yea, I could just say I wanted to go to the restroom. "I will like to..."

"Have some drink with me?" I heard him suddenly blurting out and my eyes flared up. I wasn't going to say that. Why did he complete my statement? “Do you mind if we go find somewhere to sit? We're alone here, don't you feel awkward? We can go to the garden to watch the stars together since we are both not feeling the party."

I didn't expect things to be so fast. How was I supposed to respond to this? I shrugged. "Fine." I feigned a smile and we both walked into the garden.

"I am Gerald, it's nice meeting you." I smiled wryly, wondering if he had forgotten that I know what his name was and tried to remove my hand from his but he held tighter.

"What's your name again?" He asked me. Oh wait, was he trying to say that he had forgotten my name? Or, what could be going on with him? Was he drunk?

"What is wrong?" he asked, raising his brows. "don't you want to tell me your name? I am not harmful." He laughed and tickled my palm with his thumb. I smiled dryly at the effect.

"I am Hazel." I said, hoping he would leave my hand any time soon.

"Oh wow! What a beautiful name. You were christened after the beauty of your eyes and that is the reason you are so cute.

"Thank you." I said tugging my hand out of his grip.

"Fine then, we could look at the stars together." He both said, gesturing towards swing which we both went to sit on. There was a long silence for a while as we both fixed our gazes to the sky. I wanted to say something but I couldn't, I was nervous. This could just end here, my nervousness wasn't helping at all.

"Your face actually looked more cute under the stars." He finally broke the silence, gazing at me weirdly, making a sensation flood through me. I broke the gaze by looking in another direction, we stayed that way in silence until I decided to know more about him.

"So, you are..." I was about to speak when he cut in.

"Can I tell you something?" He asked and I nodded slowly. His lips curved into a beautiful smile as he slowly reached for my hand. “I want you to know that you are very beautiful. You are a damsel. And... I like you."

That quickly settled in my head than I expected. He said he liked me.

Oh wait, for real? Oh my God. I was on top of the world. I couldn't believe I hear that. What was I supposed to say now? I tried not to show my excitement but I didn't even think it was working. "Thank you." Was all I could say because I had never been in this kind of situation before. He would actually be the first man to tell me something like this and I couldn't believe it.

"You were going to say something." He reminded me.

"Oh yea. I was going to ask you how it feels to run a jewelry company. It will be so lovely and I am sure you make lovely jewelries." I said.

"You are right. Running a company like that is really lovely. It is a place to show what you have and the beauty of it. I actually made this golden watch myself." He said, stretching his hands out. I looked at his wrist but there was nothing there. He also looked puzzled and jumped out of the swing. "The watch was in my wrist, where could it have gone?" He said, looking around the garden.

"You have probably dropped it somewhere. You don't need to get yourself worked up, okay? Someone must have found it." I told him but he seemed to be more interested in the golden watch. We both searched every nook and cranny of the garden but we didn't see anything. "I told you, you must have misplaced it somehow. Forget about it."

"Oh not me! I can't forget about it. I know of a way to find it." He said and brought out his phone. "I installed a tracker in the watch. I should be able to fine out where it is."

"That's better." I nodded and all of a sudden, we began to hear a beeping sound. "I knew it, the watch is somewhere here." He said and began to walk towards the swing where the beep sound was coming from.

Oh no! I knew I was in trouble already. I actually stole the watch from him and I didn't expect him to notice it so soon. Gerald picked up my bag and brought the watch out of it. He gazed at me and I averted my gaze immediately. "How did this watch get into your bag?" He yelled but I didn't say anything. I was caught already and there was no way I could defend myself.

"Did you steal this watch from me?" He yelled again, grabbing my arm.