Love Struck (14 page)

Gloria
observed the private dining room in its entirety, the after-taste of its
richness was not fading. “To eat out at a place like this
must
cost a pretty penny. You
must have a good paying job.”

“I do.
I'm Sara Sarracini's personal assistant.”

Gloria
gave him an interested look. “Oh, so you must have got to know her quite well?”

“Yeah,
we've been friends for many years now, even before I was
her
personal assistant.” his faded eyes gleamed with a spark of vitality, a
reminiscent smile shined on his downtrodden face, the relief from his inner
pain was easing “I still remember the day we met.
It was
so magical, I'll
never forget it.”

A
younger Tommaso was at a photo shoot, on location in the outskirts of the city,
in the rural Italian countryside, right beside a flashy, eccentric
perfectionist of a Fashion Photographer wearing a pair of shades to match his
all black attire and a jet black ponytail to go with his own artistic style
which was himself. Tommaso was working as his personal assistant. Everyone
involved in the shoot waited outside the cabin in the peaceful, beautiful piece
of earthly perfection.

“It
was nineteen-eighty-four and I was the personal assistant for a top fashion
photographer. He was shooting for a magazine article featuring rising star:
Sara Sarracini. In my youthful ignorance I was unaware of her and her movies,
but
all that was about to change.”

The
door to the cabin was opened, the grand moment they were waiting for was at
hand, the dazzling superstar was about to blind them with her illustrious
beauty.

“I
will never forget the moment I first saw her.”

A
youthful, vibrant Sara stepped out the doorway, garmented in a long black,
strapless dress. Her hair flowing freely, shining a golden blonde, stylised
like the diva she was, her eyes enthralling all with their shimmering blue.

“I
will never forget the
sensation in my heart.”

The
youthful Tommaso became so very transfixed by the divine sight gracing his eyes
for the very first time.

“She
was the most beautiful sight
I had
ever seen. From that moment on, I knew what an angel looked like. She was
a
goddess, perfect in every way.”

The
young, alluring maiden, Sara stood by the door, she spotted the charming and
kind young personal assistant marvelling at her beauty, she gave him a cute
wink. Tommaso was blown away by her. It was the first, but not the last time,
he was love struck by her.

“My
heart raced so fast, my stomach filled to the core with fluttering butterflies,
my body trembled, it might sound cliché but it was love at first sight.”

The
Photographer got straight to it, he snapped picture after picture of the
vibrant, beguiling and beautiful starlet posing in various elegant positions by
the cabin door. Tommaso watched her in enthralled amazement.

He
could not take his eyes off her. They said the eyes were the window to the
soul, it was absolutely true for when he gazed at her enchanting blue eyes, he
could clearly see the windows to her absolutely beautiful self, absolutely
sweet heart and absolutely wonderful soul, a soul which reflected her inside
and out, she was the most splendidly beautiful woman in the world, always and
forever

“I
knew she was the
one for me, the one I wanted
to
spend my whole lifetime with.”

After
the shoot, Sara returned outside in her casual clothes, a pair of jeans and a
white shirt, complete with a stylish leather jacket. Even when looking informal
after a hard day's work of shooting, Sara was fresh and lush as a spring
morning. There was nothing she couldn't do that would not captivate and impress
her silent admirer standing beside his employer who was congratulating his
divine model on an excellent day's work.

Of all
the models he had worked with, she was at the top of his list, the most
professional, dedicated and stunning, the camera loved her, so did the
photographer “Great work baby, you were on fire today.”

“Thank
you.” her radiant smile stole every last ounce of the breath away from the
stunned personal assistant.

“You're
going to make it big,
baby, I can feel it.” the
photographer had an acute eye for talent, he knew a natural superstar in the
making when he saw one, and none was more super in all stardom as her.

She
modestly blushed, even then Sara did not know how to react to flattery aimed at
her.

“I'm
having a little party tonight at my hotel, if you're not busy come over, there
will be a lot of important people there
interested
in meeting a fresh talent like you.”

Sara
hadn't been invited to a big party where various socialites congregated, eager
for the scent of new talented blood, it sounded exciting. She gratefully
accepted the kind invitation “Sure, I'd love to.”

“Great,
here's the place.” he handed her a card with the hotel's name and address on
it. “See you there at ten.”

The
Photographer walked off from another successful shoot, adding to his long,
flawless portfolio of perfect photography.

Finally
alone with her, the young, anxious personal assistant built up the courage to
speak to her. “You...” his voice nervously broke like a record scratching. He
quickly cleared his throat, put on a front of confidence, attempted to put the
needle back on like the obstruction in the melody had never occurred. “You were
really good today.”

The
rough start went off without a hitch, it would only get smoother from there.

Going
against his expectations, Sara actually giggled, she liked him instantly, he
was a trustworthy and good natured guy with a gentle heart and honest mindset,
she could tell by the warm reflection on the outside with his eyes giving her a
clear view into the sweet soul he was inside. “I'm glad you liked it, it's my
second time modelling, I'm getting the hang of it. I'll be a pro in no time.”

Tommaso
had great yearning to tell her. “Sara?”

“Yes?”
she could see it in his amorous gaze, she waited eagerly to hear him.

He
paused, hesitated to express his feelings.

“I
wanted to tell her how she made me feel, I wonder if maybe I should have done,
but something in my head told me that it wasn't

the
right time, it was too soon.”

The
hesitant admirer brought himself to speak to his admired angel. “I'm Tommaso.”

“Pleased
to meet you.” she said with all the sincerity she could give.

“The
pleasure is all mine.” he replied with the same magnitude of sincerity.

They
hit it off right there, in one beautiful instance, the groundwork had been laid
to construct something timeless and ageless for just the two of them.

“So?
How are you getting to the party?” Tommaso threw the question at her, leading
it towards the off chance of offering his assistance to her.

Sara
pondered on it for a second, she hadn't thought much about that little detail
to the bigger picture. “I'll probably get a taxi.”

The
opportunity to take her to the party and get to know her better along the way
was open to him, with a chivalrous politeness, he seized it before the chance
got away “Well, I could take you there,
if you
wanted.”

“You
would?” Sara exclaimed with much wide eyed appreciation, he was a knight in
shining armour to her fair maiden in need of a champion. It wasn't so much
because of transportation, there were many methods of getting there, she was
overjoyed by the prospect of spending more time with her considerate and
selfless new admirer.

“Absolutely.
Gives me a reason
to go now.” he laughed
nervously, trying hard to play it cool and smooth, he wasn't doing a subtle job
at it.

Sara
was charmed by him instantly, it was love at first sight for her as it was for
him. “I like you.”

Tommaso
almost fainted, he could barely stand on his light feet and weightless legs
hearing such great words expressed in three small paragraphs “You do?”

She
nodded, Sara was not leading him astray up some path, building him up just to
knock him down, she was being honest “You are the kindest guy I've ever met.”

That
he was, she was an excellent judge of character and her verdict of him was
precise.

Sara
walked along the trail, heading off to the road that lay ahead, past the cabin
and its woods. She peered over her shoulder at the love struck admirer, left
numb from his first encounter with an angel on earth. “Coming?”, she called
out, pulling him out his numbed enamour.

Tommaso
opened his mouth, no words could be uttered, he was gripped by love, he could
not bring himself to speak. She had held him captive by her enchantment, only
she had the key to free him, but neither yearned for that outcome.

“I
thought we could have something to eat first, I saw this nice little place, be
great to have
some company.”

Tommaso
managed to break himself from the trance by a margin to accept her legendary
request “Sure, I'd be honoured.”

His
legs found their fortitude, his feet found their balance, he caught up to her
and walked along the trail beside her, how they would have loved to have held
hands right there and then, but they had formalities to get underway before
they could follow their hearts and do as they desired.

“That
was the best day of my life, knowing her.”

The
two youthful budding companions, Tommaso and Sara sat at a table, enjoying a
cup of coffee and a nice chat, knowing more about one another, peeling the
mystique of the beautiful mask to see truthful beauty that lay within.

“We
talked right through the whole evening, so much so we
almost
missed the party.”

Arriving
at the party, fashionably late, better than never showing up at all, Sara
blended in seamlessly and made herself part of the social gathering, standing
out from the crowd with her unparalleled beauty, grace and charm.

She
found herself snatched up by an enchanted and captivated editor to a popular
fashion magazine who at first sight was determined to have her model for his
latest line of dresses to start the summer season with a bang.

“The
party, it was the first time in my whole life that I actually belonged in a
vast crowd. The first time in my whole
life,
I enjoyed myself.”

The
beguiled admirer supported the wall, admired her having the night of her life,
it was her time to shine, he would not put it in the shadows. She spotted him
in the corner of her eye, gave him the sweetest smile in the world, she
signalled him over. Shyly he accepted and stood beside her.

Tommaso and Sara leaned side by side on the balcony,
observed the enchanting view of the city basked in the night, illuminated by
the array of lights from the windows like stars containing the diverse lives of
many varied people. It was a romantic sight to behold for two youths
boarder-lining on love.