Sweet Obsession

by Theodora Koulouris

  She smiled at me, and my heart stopped.

  I whistled all the way to the ship. This was one of the happiest days of my life. Being in love was one of the nicest feelings in the world. When I reached the ship, I found Billal drinking whisky on the deck with his mates. Billal was surprised when he saw me, and he followed me to our cabin. He wanted to know where I had been all day, and I told him. He thought I was a nut. But that did not bother me. I was in love, and that was all that mattered.

  I went to meet Loula in the prairie every day after the day I first saw her. It was the best time of my life. I was dancing to the tune of my heart. Our time together was so special, so beautiful, and so real. Two days before my ship was to set sail, Loula and I were walking away from the prairie.

  “Loula, there is something I need to tell you,” I said. I wanted to tell her everything, including how much she meant to me. “Please come to the prarie tomorrow,” I begged.

  In response, she leaned over and kissed my lips. It was a simple kiss, but I almost lost control of my legs. I stood there frozen like a lovesick puppy. I lost my voice, and terrified, I turned and ran away, leaving Loula behind just staring after me. My private part was rock solid the rest of the night, and I masturbated with her on my mind to release all the tension.

  I could not sleep that night. I tossed and turned and argued with myself.

  “Will you please stop acting like a nut!” Billal yelled, “She is just an American and we will never see her again. Get over it!”

  I knew he would never understand, so I just dropped it. The ship was going to sail the day after tomorrow. I had to tell Loula my feelings before then and beg her to come with me.

  On the last day at the prairie, I listened to her chattering away about the different kind of loaves of bread that the bakery offered, while my mind wandered to the kiss she had given me the day before. It was almost sunset, and just as I mustered up the guts to tell her my most inner thoughts, we heard someone calling her name. We both turned at the same time and saw Angelo running to us, angry as could be.

  “Loula, where have you been? I have been looking all over for you!” he scolded. Then he threw me a mean look and said, “If you go near her again, I will kill you.”

  Angelo took her by her arm and dragged her home, while I just stood there openmouthed. I wanted to rip her out of his grip. She was mine. She belonged to me! Soon, I thought, she will be in my arms.

  I followed them from a distance until they disappeared inside their home. I was overwhelmed with sadness. The day had not turn out as I had hoped. I never got the chance to tell Loula how I felt. I thought to visit Loula early in the morning, right before we set sail, and declare my love for her.

  I went back to the ship and drank a bottle of vodka. I got drunk and passed out in my cabin. The next day in the afternoon, I awoke with a pounding headache to the sunshine that had made its way inside my room through the small portal. I slowly looked around the room and tried to adjust my eyes to the brightness of the room. That was when I felt the ship moving, and I jumped quickly to my feet and ran out of the cabin and onto the deck.

  My suspicions were real. We were in the middle of the ocean, miles from shore. I got sick to my stomach and ran to the side of the ship and barfed. My men came running to my aid, and I pushed them away from me.

  “Why have we sailed away without my permission?” I angrily yelled at my men.

  The only answer I got was that the tide had set in earlier than expected and we had to leave immediately. Besides, they chimed, the king had warned them to return on time, or else he would behead them. So they wanted to make good time reaching Arabia. I was devastated. My whole world came tumbling down.

  I was a tormented soul thereafter. By the time we reached Arabia, I was a mess. I had lost my appetite, and I cried myself to sleep every night in my cabin. I, the crown prince of Arabia, who had not cried ever, cried now for Loula like a little baby. Billal told the crew what I was suffering from, and I was the laughing stock on the ship. But I did not care. I loved Loula, and one day, I would be back to claim her as mine.

  When we reached Arabia, the king was told of our adventures, including the part about Loula. He was not pleased with that specific information, but I pleaded my love for her, and he just shrugged it off as if it did not matter. I was devastated that he would not even hear me out. He laughed at me every time I mentioned her name.

  One day, he brought a harem to the palace as a gift to me, saying these women would make me forget I had ever met Loula. I rebuked his gift, locked myself in my room, and cried all night

  The years passed by quickly, and I still could not get Loula out of my mind. I loved her even more now. I was twenty-five years old. Six years had passed, and Loula was still fresh on my mind. I did not want any other woman, only her. The people of Arabia could not believe that I was twenty-five and still not married. They could not believe that their prince was still a virgin, and they could not get over the fact that I still refused every girl they brought me to marry.

  I lost my zest for life. I had lost my appetite and had no desire to drink and get drunk like most men did. The king, my father, was losing his patience with me.

  “Nidal, I demand you marry the lovely Princess Shaeena,” he said gruffly.

  “Impossible, Father, I see her only as a brother sees a sister!” I declared.

  My father laughed in my face. “Son, do you have eye trouble? Have you taken a second and third look at her? Maybe you have missed something! She is one of the most beautiful maidens in the country, not to mention the fact that she is a princess.”

  I simply ignored him and walked away.

  Every night when I closed my eyes, I thought of Loula, her lovely face, her big, black eyes, and soft, full lips. I imagined running my fingers through her thick hair and bringing her head closer to mine, and our lips touching as I caressed her lovely breasts. I whispered my love for her in her ear, and she whispered it back to me. I entered her with a passion above and beyond anything I had ever felt in my whole entire life.

  I had masturbated every night since I had seen her, and it was only the memory of her on my mind that I shared these moments with. I told no one because I knew no one would understand the love I felt for her. They were precious moments, and I treasured them.

  I was a prince obsessed with a girl who was a world away. I begged the king every day to allow me to sail back to America and bring her here to Arabia. He only laughed in my face. My mother begged me to stop thinking of her. I told them that they need to understand the depth of my feelings for her. I would never love another. They did not believe that. Even Billal, instead of siding with me, laughed too. So I kept to myself, and I accepted all the criticism from everyone. I did not care that they laughed. What was that to me? They were fools! They did not know what love meant. I continued to bring her memory into the bedroom every night. It was there that I felt her in my arms. It was there that I shared my thoughts and feelings with her. It was there that I made love to her every night thereafter. It was during my dreams that I lived the happiest.

  Another four years passed, and I was really feeling the pressure to marry the princess, my best friend. I held my ground and told them that I would not even consider her or any other woman. I wanted Loula and no one else. By now, the people of Arabia were crying for me to get married. The pressure was tremendous.

  One day, my mother took me aside and cried in my arms.

  “Nidal, you do not smile anymore. You have lost your zest for life! All you do is obsess over this American woman! You are getting older and you must choose a bride soon! Reconsider Princess Shaeena. She is a perfect match for you!”

  “I would never marry anyone but Loula, Mother. It has to be her or no one,” I told her.

  “I want grandchildren! You are depriving me of a happy life. You are selfish, Nidal! she said, and sh
e ran out of the room crying.

  I went back to the king, begging him to reconsider.

  “Father, you will be waiting for years, because I will not change my mind! I am not going to marry Princess Shaeena! I want Loula and no other!” I told him sternly.

  “You are an obsessive, self-centered fool!” the king growled, but in the end, after much deliberation, he gave up and finally agreed.

  I sailed away a week later, and I could not contain my excitement. My mother begged me not to go, but I refused to listen to her, telling her that I was going to bring her back a daughter-in-law. She gave up the argument and stalked off to her room, but not without saying first that I had broken her heart.

  My father, the king, laughed at me and told me, “It has been ten years since you last saw Loula. She is most likely married with ten children.” I flinched at this possibility.

  “If you come back without her, I will have you marry Princess Shaeena,” he said without blinking an eyelash.

  And I agreed, knowing deep in my heart that I would not come back without Loula. I would move heaven and earth if I had to. I would cross mountains and oceans and kill anyone who stood in my way. I would do all that, but I would not come back without her.

  Every day on the ship, I stayed in my cabin and tried to figure out ways to tell Loula that I was back and wanted her to marry me. There was a good chance she was married, as my father had said, and even if she weren’t, she might be in love with another. It had been ten years. Anything was possible. My nights were the same as always. I lay in bed, closed my eyes, and thought of her. My excitement was released in masturbation, and I would fall asleep with her on my mind.

  The dreams never came back. Ever since I saw her ten years ago, the dreams had stopped. I did not know what that meant. It worried me. Am I chasing a dream that was never going to become real? I would die if that happened. There was no life for me without Loula. I could not explain it any better. It was just simply Loula or no one. I would not yield. I had to find her and make her mine.

  The weather was perfect, and that allowed our ship to make good time reaching America. Almost two months later, we docked at port, and I could hardly contain myself. I jumped off the ship and ran to town to the little bakery to find Loula. To my dismay, she was not inside, and when I asked the young girl who worked there if she knew where I could find her, she stood silent, not saying a word.

  I went to the house where I knew she had lived the last time I was here. I knocked on the wooden door, but there was no answer. My heart pounded drastically as I walked around to the side of the house and peeked inside through the window. The house was empty. No one was home. The reality was that I had taken too long to come for her. Ten whole years had passed, and she probably did not remember me after all this time.

  Sick to my stomach, I roamed the town like a chicken without a head. I knew not what to do. So I went to the corner cafeteria to have a cup of coffee and gather my wits. It was there that I overheard the conversation between two older men that tore my heart out.

  They were discussing the wedding that was to take place an hour from now. I heard them say the names Angelo and Loula. I jumped off my seat, ran up to them, and demanded they tell me where the wedding was to take place. The two men looked skeptical about telling me a single thing. I pulled five gold coins out of my pocket, and I got all the information I needed from them.

  Loula and Angelo were getting married in a little chapel about a mile from here. The wedding party and all the guests were on their way there now. My heart pounded in my ears as I ran to find a horse and try to get to the chapel to stop the wedding. But first I needed the help of my men.

  I bought a horse, rode back to the ship, and told my men what was happening. They all wanted a piece of the action. Even Billal was excited to steal the bride from the groom. I could hardly contain myself as we all rode as fast as possible to the chapel. We had a plan. We were going to kidnap my woman. It was a little risky, but I had no other choice. I wanted her, and I would go to any lengths to get her.

  Some men stayed behind to prepare the ship to sail away as soon as we returned. We couldn’t waste any time on our way back. The law would probably be after us when we kidnapped the bride. Our plan was set in action, and we were on our way to the chapel to steal the bride.

  When we got there, the plan was set into motion. My men very quietly surrounded the little chapel, just as we had planned, and we waited for the best opportunity to grab the bride. I peeked through the little side window, and my heart tightened. The chapel was full of people, the groom stood proudly by the side of the altar alongside the minister, and they all waited for Loula to walk down the aisle.

  Loula was taking little steps as she walked toward her groom. She was wearing a simple white gown with short sleeves that were trimmed with lace, and she was holding a single white lily in her hands. Her hair was pinned up in a simple updo that showed off her beautiful facial features. She was breathtakingly beautiful, but no sparkle was in her eyes. No smile on her face. In fact, she looked very sad.

  I caught my breath as I watched her walk closer to the altar. The love I felt for her at this moment overwhelmed me. It had been ten long years. Ten years of torture! Frantic now, I acted quickly. I just wanted to get this over with and put this day behind me. My men were all in position. All was set. Nothing could stop me now. This was my fate, and Loula was my destiny. I took a deep breath and opened the side door to the chapel, the one closest to the bride, and walked in.

  Everyone’s head turned, including the groom’s. I ran to Loula, swept her up in my arms, and started running as fast as I could out of the chapel. Behind me, everyone was screaming and yelling, and the groom chased after me. As soon as I stepped outside, my men barred the chapel’s door from opening. That would give us ample time to ride away.

  My men were outside with the horses they had stolen from the guests who were inside the chapel. They held on to Loula as she was kicking and screaming for help. I jumped on my horse, Loula was handed to me, and off we rode. All my men rode behind me, and we raced toward the ship. Loula was holding on to my waist for dear life. I had never felt a bigger rush than what I felt at that very moment. I closed my eyes for a second and allowed the wind to blow in my face. It felt so good. I took a deep breath and smiled. Life is good, I thought.

  The horses behind me galloped at a very fast pace. We had to reach the ship within the next few minutes. At exactly four thirty, the ship would sail away, according to plan. Loula’s hold on my waist tightened as we raced up some small hills and down the other side. I could see the ship from where we were, and I was thrilled that we had almost accomplished our goal. I heard some of my men riding behind me, while most of them raced ahead, and finally we were there.

  I jumped off the horse, grabbed a hold of Loula’s waist, and pulled her off the horse hastily. The ship was just about to sail away as we rushed up the plank. Loula resisted and tried to break free of my hold, so I lifted her, threw her over my shoulders, and ran up the plank. My men pulled up the plank, and we sailed away just in time. Angelo and about twenty of his men raced up to the dock, but they got there too late.

  Everyone on the ship cheered with excitement. They were glad to be going back home. I took Loula to my cabin and threw her on the bed. She was enraged, raving, panting, and throwing a fit. I smiled down at her, and I was just so glad to finally have my prize. She was my life now. I knew at that moment that I could not live without her.

  I locked Loula in the cabin and went to thank my men. We ate bread and cheese and drank wine in celebration. Some were singing, some were dancing, and everyone was drunk. This was a happy day for them. Their prince was finally bringing home a bride!

  I left them to go visit my girl, thinking they were right. I finally was bringing home a bride, but would she have me? She did not look too happy to be here. I slowly opened the door and peek
ed inside. Loula was lying on the bed fast asleep. Tears were on her eyelashes, and I knew she had cried herself to sleep. That hurt my ego, but, most importantly, my heart. I loved her so much, and I only prayed that she would feel the same way for me one day.

  I lay down on the bed next to her and looked into her beautiful face. This woman was mine. And I was never going to let her go. Never! I slowly took her in my arms and held my breath. I was bursting with happiness. My dream had come true. Eventually, I fell into blissful sleep.

  The next morning, I had to explain to Loula why I kidnapped her on her wedding day. She patiently waited for my explanation. I was not sure she would understand what I was about to tell her, but I had to say something because I could tell by the way her eyes looked around the room that she was searching for something to throw at me. I took a chance and told her the simple truth. Even as it came out of my mouth, I knew she was not going to believe me. The whole thing sounded ridiculous.

  I bent forward as the oil lamp came flying out of nowhere and crashed on the wall behind me. This wasn’t going to be as easy as I thought, but I would try my best every day to make her understand my feelings for her. Only then would she see what I saw, that we were meant to be together forever. It was our fate. It was our destiny.

  I made many attempts to speak to her, but she would not listen to reason.

  “It is not fair to Angelo that I was taken from him in such a way. He is a good man and does not deserve what he got,” she said angrily.

  My heart twisted with jealousy at the mere mention of Angelo. I hated him with a passion.

  Loula cried many times in our cabin, and I tried comforting her, but she pushed me away, saying she wanted to be left alone. One day, I asked her flat out, “Do you love Angelo? If you swear to me that you are in love with him, we will sail back to the Americas and hand you back to him.” I held my breath for her answer, but to my delight, she clamped her mouth shut and spoke not. My heart swelled with love. I now knew that my chances were greater to win her love. I would take it slowly, one day at a time. I knew one day she would understand my motives, but until then, I respected her wishes and did not push her in any way.