"TWO HOUSEHOLDS
BOTH ALIKE IN DIGNITY
IN FAIR VERONA WHERE WE LAY OUR SCENE
FROM ANCIENT GRUDGE BREAK TO NEW MUTINY
WHERE CIVIL BLOOD MAKES CIVIL HANDS UNCLEAN
FROM FORTH THE FATAL LOINS OF THESE TWO FOES
A PAIR OF STAR CROSS’D LOVERS TAKE THEIR LIFE"
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It all began on a cold November night. The brutal wind harshly hit the
windows and the rain started to pour out of the sky. The lights in the house
were off, except for the fickle candle up in her room. It was after midnight
and she sat on her bed leaning against the wall with the phone in her hand.
The TV was on, playing the tape of Romeo and Juliet. The smile did not leave
her face and she giggled once in a while. At that moment she felt as if her
life was so simple. If only she had known how it was about to change. If
only she had an idea about the surprises that were in store for her.
"MY ONLY LOVE SPRUNG FROM MY ONLY HATE
TOO EARLY SEEN UNKNOWN, AND KNOWN TOO LATE
PRODIGIOUS BIRTH OF LOVE IT IS TO ME,
THAT I MUST LOVE A LOATHED ENEMY."
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Her hair was neatly pulled back in the ponytail. Her black eyes sparkled in
the gleam of the night, and her skin was as soft and white as snow. Her
glance fell on her gold watch. It was 12:45. She pressed the power button
on the remote control and turned the TV off.
"I must go to bed, Tyreese, or I will never wake up tomorrow," she said with
a gloomy face.
"Good night, sweetie."
The silence filled the line.
"I love you," said Tyreese.
"I love you too."
{ ~ ~ ~ }
She got off the phone and put her head on the soft pillow. Her heart was
full of content, for at that very moment she was the happiest girl alive.
She could not wait until the next day: their five-month anniversary. Staring
blankly into the ceiling, she motionlessly laid in her bed, not being able to
fall asleep. She looked again at her watch and suddenly felt a knot in her
stomach. My parents gave me this watch for my 16th birthday, she thought.
She sighed and wondered why life was so unfair. She knew that her parents'
view on the racial differences were similar to some of the others. That was
what worried her, they were not thinking the way she was. For her, people of
any race were the same. This had always been the debatable subject in her
family, which she tried her best to ignore. She could not understand how
people from the same family could have such different outlooks on life. That
was only the beginning to her recognition of the twisted ways of life.
The next morning, she got ready for school faster then usual. She got
into the car, popped a tape into the car stereo and was on her way. She
walked to her locker and saw many red, heart shaped balloons tied to it by
the strings. Smiling to herself, she opened her locker and inside saw dozen
roses and a card. She clutched the card close to her chest and smelled the
flowers. She opened a card and skimmed it fast, because she could not
contain her excitement and wait any longer. Smiling to herself she read it
once again out loud.
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"Raven, Honey, words can not describe how I feel about you. You are the most
precious thing to me in this world. Meet me in the "Heaven’s Park" at 4:30
today.
ALWAYZ Yours,
TYrEEsE."
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{ ~ ~ ~ }
She felt strong arms wrap around her waist. She turned around and saw
two beautiful black eyes staring back at her. Lips formed a smile and gave
her a kiss.
"Hey you," he said in his deep voice.
The sun that just came out, warm as oil, and sweet as cotton candy slanted
through the window and shined on his black skin. A tiny earring sparkled in
his left ear.
"Happy anniversary, girl." He said, taking a single rose from her locker and
handing it to her.
"Hey buddy, catch." Screamed one of Tyreese’s friends from the team,
throwing a football at him. Tyreese span around fast and caught it without
any trouble. That’s what Raven loved about him; he was good at everything.
He was one of the best football players on the team. He got good grades. He
was funny and very good looking. The most important quality of all was that
he treated her with all the respect that she deserved. What else would a
girl dream of in a guy, but a loving person who will always be there for
better or worse? What else would a girl’s parents want in their daughter’s
boyfriend, other then their little girl’s happiness? Unfortunately, for some
parents contentment is not enough, if they are not satisfied with money and
ethnic background.
"You are to marry a prosperous Italian man, whose family will be as wealthy
as us, because that is what you deserve." Her mom would always say. When
Raven’s dad saw a picture of one of her black friends, he said in an angry
and threatening voice, "I better not catch you going out with anyone like
that." All those racist remarks by her parents made her feel not only
uncomfortable but also ashamed. She loved them with all her heart, but could
not understand how stubborn and narrow-minded they were when it came to
equality among races.
That’s where Tyreese came in. She had met him at "Heaven’s park" when she
was there, trying to sort out her thoughts. She got into a fight with her
parents, got into the car and drove away. She drove for about fifteen
minutes when an unfamiliar sight emerged before her. She had never seen that
park before and was amazed at how beautiful and quiet the place appeared.
Raven never noticed it there on the daily basis, but that day it was as if
some strong force pulled her towards it. She sat on the green grass with her
face facing the sun. Her tears rolled down her cheek one by one and her
mascara that she put on so carefully that morning was smudged. She saw a
dark, tall figure, not far from her, walking a German shepherd puppy. He
gave her quick glances, but seemed too shy to go up to her and strike up a
conversation. She wished that he would though, because she needed somebody
to talk to. When that thought crossed her mind, a guy walked up to her and
asked her if she was all right. He was very tall and looked even taller,
because Raven was sitting down. His puppy playfully tagged on her shoe and
then licked the tear off her face. Raven smiled and petted the dog. The guy
knelt down beside her and said "Hey, My name is Tyreese, why are you here all
alone?" He pulled a daisy from the ground and handed it to her.
"I’m Raven," she said feeling a lot better. Not realizing the time, they sat
there and talked until it turned dark.
"I can’t believe you like pineapple pizza?" Raven exclaimed.
"Yeah, I thought I was the only one!" Tyreese said smiling. Raven wondered
if Tyreese was just a figment of her imagination or a real person. She felt
that her life was falling apart and he came in like knight in shining armor,
just in time to pick up all the broken pieces. She wondered if he was the
one; the person she would marry and spend the every waking moment with.
Sometimes she would sit in her room reciting the very beginning. She
realized that such small details had to coincide so perfectly for both of
them to meet. She wondered if she would have still met him, if she did not
get into a fight with her parents and accidentally found the park. If at
that time Tyreese did not walk his puppy. She knew that there was something
special about their relationship. She was certain that they were brought
together by fate and there was a reason for their rendezvous. Tyreese then
gave her a ride to her house and asked her out on a date. Since that date,
Raven and Tyreese were inseparable.
She was near her destination and finally decided to stop daydreaming. She
saw the sign for the "Heaven’s Park" and drove into the entrance. She parked
her car and checked her face in the mirror. Scanning the area, she saw
Tyreese standing near a big tree. When she came closer, she realized it was
the same tree near which they met for the first time. He was finishing
carving something on it and told her not to look until he finished. He put
his arms around her and she saw what he had done. In a perfectly shaped
carved heart it said: RAVEN & TYREESE.
They sat on the cold ground without anything around but trees, leaves and
flowers. It was the only place where they could spend time together without
stressing about anything. There, Raven did not feel captivated or trapped,
but felt free from everything in the real world. There she spent time with
Tyreese without worrying that her parents might see them together. Once she
had enough courage as to invite him over to meet her parents.
"Mom, Daddy, this is my friend, Tyreese," she said casually. When Tyreese
was about to shake their hands, they stormed away with stern expressions on
their faces. Later that day Raven got screamed at, not really comprehending
the cause. She did not give up thought. She tried to find a way for her
parents and her boyfriend to connect, but it was useless, for the person’s
heart can not do what it’s told; only what it feels.
She finally got home, and went upstairs to her room. There was a knock and
then two more. Before she had a chance to reply, the door burst open and her
mom appeared in the doorway.
"Where were you?" Her mom angrily asked. Raven sensed that something was
wrong, and felt anxious.
"I was at the park." She said standing near her desk, unpacking her backpack.
"With who?" Her mom asked raising her voice.
"A friend." Raven replied opening her math book.
"Do not lie to me." Her mom screamed.
"Mom, what are you talking about?"
"This." Her mother screamed and swung a little gray notebook at her.
Raven looked at her mother and felt anger building inside her. She clutched
her fists tightly, trying to control the rage within her.
"How could you?" Raven finally shouted ripping the diary out of her mother’s
hands.
"No, how could YOU?" Her mother hollered, slapping her face.
Raven’s very breath turned to glass in her throat. She ran out of the room,
raced down the stairs and locked herself in the bathroom. She heard the
banging on the door, but ignored it. She heard her father come out of his
office complaining about the noise. She heard her mother’s shrieks and
screams.
"What the hell is going on?" Raven’s father screamed.
"Our daughter have been sneaking out and seeing a black guy."
Raven’s mother said sternly in a loud voice.
Raven sat down on the floor and leaned her head against the cabinet. She
contained herself for so long, that at that moment she felt so weak and
helpless and she burst out crying. Tears were running down her face.
Everything around was blurry. She felt numb all over her body. She heard
her mom’s hysterical cries raving about some insane plans of hers, and her
dad’s irritated threats.
"We have to move. We can’t let it go on. How could she do this
to us?!?! Why are you just standing here?!?! Do something."
Raven’s father just stood there, not saying one single word.
"This is obscene!" She heard her mom scream again.
Raven was shaking all over. The sobs were too strong to allow more. The
concealed hysterics had come out grinning and gibbering. She could not stand
up. She could only crawl to the window with her hair hanging in her face,
braying huge, hoarse sobs. She shut her eyes really tight as the banging on
the door slowly started to quiet down, until she heard it no more. She
managed to get up to her feet, and opened the door. The kitchen door was
open and she saw her mom and dad argue about the entire situation. She
picked up a phone that was lying near the sink, and impatiently dialed the
number.
"Hello," a voice said.
"Tyreese, we need to talk," she said trying to contain her tears.
"Are you all right? You sound kind of…."
"No, I’m not all right," Raven interrupted him.
"Aight, I’ll meet you at the park in fifteen min." Tyreese said and hung up
the phone.
Raven again opened the door only to see her parents more in to the hall,
still fighting. "I’ve got to get out of here," she kept on repeating to
herself. She hit the wall with her fist. She did not feel the pain, for the
agony inside her was so much worse. She pulled out the keys to her car from
her pocket, which she forgot to take out earlier. Raven opened the window
and quietly got out. She used this window when she played hide and seek with
her friends as a little girl. Back then everything was so simple. Her
biggest worry was to find a perfect hiding place. She got into her car and
started to back out from the driveway. It began to rain and turned dark.
She raced down the road, the radio was on and the music blasted out of the
windows. Her mind was blank and the only thing she could see were her
parents’ disappointed faces.
She didn’t pause at the stop sign that marked the intersection into the
"Heaven’s Park." Her eyes widened with shocked disbelief. Then a kind of
insane rage filled her face. Time seemed to close around her in a frame and
for a moment she was frozen even in motion. The car’s tires screamed against
the asphalt. She jammed on the power brakes with both feet. It was too late
though, the tires wailed on the pavement and she hit another car. She was
thrown into the windshield like a rag doll. Pieces of shattered glass were
all over the ground. Traffic filled the street corners. Far away the police
sirens insinuated that help was on the way. Soon the police and ambulance
surrounded the two cars. They pulled Raven out of the car. Glass was all
over her body. She did not move. Her face was as pale as a ghost and
covered in blood. She had no pulse. Her heart did not beat. She was dead.
"She did not stop at the stop sign." Somebody yelled to the police.
"She just flew into the entrance of the park." Another one added.
People got out of their cars to see what had happened. Others came outside
of their homes to see if they could be of any help. Screams and horror
filled the streets. The rain was pouring out of the dark and angry sky.
"The young man in the other car is dead also." One of the police officers
screamed from across the street.
Two policemen stood at the porch of a nice small house. They looked at each
other, hesitant to knock on the door. They were brave but like any other
human beings had their own weaknesses. This was one of them. This was not
something pleasant that they enjoyed doing, but could not dismiss the orders.
{ ~ ~ ~ }
"It’s strange how life works out." One of the officers said sadly.
"Fate doesn’t just change because we want it to, life goes on." The other
one added. Knock, knock. Time was passing slowly, maybe not even passing at
all. A middle-aged woman opened the door.
"Mrs. Knight?" One of the police officers asked, probably in order to stall
some time.
"Yes?" She answered.
"Your son, Tyreese Lloyd Knight, was in a major car crash. He did not
survive."
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