New Love

I found myself in an Irish pub, listening to the music and drowning my sorrows. I was sitting at my usual spot at the small table in the corner. After about an hour of sitting there ordering beer after beer, I notice that the pub is slightly busier than usual. I believe that it because of the fact that it is open mic night. It is about that time that I notice two girls walk in and sit at a table to my right diagonal.
The one girl I remember vividly. Her hair was slightly curly as it fell down to her shoulders and upper back and was a bright red color; much like a kindling fire and it resembled fire the way it swirled when she walked. Her eyes were a deep emerald green, more beautiful than the gem. Her skin was pale and soft, for the most part; her face fit the perfect Irish girl description. Her friends' description escapes me, however, what I do remember is that she had dark brown the same length, and her eyes a lighter shade, and she had naturally tan skin.
So to my drink I returned, only to find myself periodically looking back at that table where the girls have sat down for their conversation. Now the performers playing were a local band that were playing exceptionally well by my standards. I noticed that the song they were playing is one of my favorites, The Queen of Argyll, and I see the two girls getting up to dance. Now as they were dancing, I was fixated on the red haired girl as she softly swayed and moved to the music. She was so beautiful in my eyes that watching her dance lasted only minutes, but my minds' eye had slowed down that moment and it lasted for an hour or two. In that time I watched her sway back and forth to the rhythm of the music.
Once the song ended, they sat back down and continued their conversation. I noticed that they had started to giggle. Could they be laughing at me? I wondered to myself. Of course they must be, after all I was practically starring at them like a blubbering idiot, probably with a dumbfounded look on my face.
Now as I was thinking this to myself I looked back to the table only to realize that the red haired girl had left. But where too? To the bar to get another drink? Or perhaps she left because she saw me as a creeper. I couldn't blame her for that.
I thought that I wouldn't see her again, to possibly tell her that I had fallen under her spell as she danced away; I had become mesmerized by her dancing. In that short amount of time I couldn't shake her out of mind. The image of her face seemed to haunt me in the shadow of my memory of her face. In the time that she was gone from that table seemed like days, even weeks, however, the reality was much different. She had only been gone a few minutes and returned to her seat.
As I continued to think to myself I was curious as to why I am so attracted to her. What makes her different from any other girl in the bar? As I thought, I had noticed a figure approach the table I was sitting at.
Her she was at my table. But why? I couldn't think of any reason for her to approach me. No good reasons anyway. As I examined the situation closer I noticed that she was holding to drinks. She offered one to me and asked me a simple question.
I was hanging on her every word. The best way to descried it is that her words carried so much meaning to me. No matter how simple the question or statement, I was happy that she was talking to me.
"So, what brings you here?" she said as she set down one of the drinks in front of me.
I still had this dumbfounded look on my face I realized that I have no clue as to where I am! I know I'm in a pub, but where was the pub?
"I'm drowning my sorrows."  I softly said.
She quickly answered with, "Sounds like you need a little pick-me-up!"
I noticed a slight accent in her voice. As I answered her, I followed up with a question of my own.
"It would seem you are right. That accent of yours, it sounds familiar. Where are you from?" I asked trying to make some small talk with her.
"I'm from northern Ireland, what about you?" she replied.
"I'm from a small town in Pennsylvania." I quickly blurted out.
To which she followed up with, "You're pretty far away from home then don't you think?"
"I suppose I am…" still not knowing where I am. "By the way, I'm Nathan, what's your name?"
"I'm Ashlyn, pleased to meet you."
As we continued making small talk about ourselves, sharing childhood stories, school lives, future goals. Time seemed to no longer matter as it quickly passed by without either of us noticing. One thing she did notice was that the band was playing one of her favorite songs and she dragged me out to dance with her. Yet again I was entranced by her every movement. She continued to sway back and forth, only this time she had a partner. We did not dance for long when I noticed something odd. Her friend that she came with was gone.
"What happened to your friend?" I asked her
"She left hours ago."
Hours ago? How long have we been talking and dancing? We went back for another drink when she offered to go somewhere else.
"Where shall we go then?" I questioned.
"Leave that to me!" she said with great excitement."Don't worry you are going to love it!"
So I followed her out of the pub. Once we reached the door, I noticed the sun was out. How long were we in there talking? Ashlyn seemed to make time both stand still, or pass by so rapidly, and I didn't seem to care either way. Her mere presence kept me at peace with my inner demons that have plagued me for some time before our meeting.
We walked for about half a mile when she started to walk towards this pool with no fence surrounding it, and very few people were even there. It was a wave pool, the kind you see at water parks. The maximum depth reached 12'-13'. At the far end of this pool there was a structure in the shape of a giant sea shell, approximately 3 stories tall.
Ashlyn started taking off her shirt and cut off jeans to reveal that she was wearing a bikini underneath and she started toward the pool. So, with this being my only rational thought at this moment, I took off my shirt and followed her. We both swam towards the enormous sea shell structure, and as we got closer I realized that you could climb up inside it and jump out at various heights, kind of like a multi level diving board.
As we both entered this shell, I lost where she went to so I found the nearest platform to see if I could find her. I came out one level above her. As she saw that I was above her she encouraged me to jump. Now, I am afraid of heights, in hindsight, not the best idea to climb up to this height. Nonetheless, there she was pushing me to jump. I don't know if I was taking too long or what, but she jumped from her platform. After I saw her jump I summoned up all the courage I had and jumped in after her. I jumped to my unknowing fate that would await me at the end of this stunt.
After I landed in the water I swam over to Ashlyn, and I don't know what possessed me to do this, but I made my move to kiss her. As I looked into her eyes I slowly moved in. I placed my left hand behind her head and my right hand in the middle of her back to pull her in close. As we inched closer together our eyes closed, and as our lips touched something had taken over me. A feeling that had escaped me ages ago had suddenly reached across the abyss that used to be my heart. And in that moment that feeling consumed me, and I felt truly happy. Like nothing could ruin that moment. And as we slowly moved apart our eyes met, and these thoughts ran through my mind. Could this be love? But, how can this be? I have only just met this girl, yet, everything about her seems sincere, honest, and perfect.
Only after that moment, and thinking those thoughts, and believing in the spontaneity of what I interpreted as love did I awake in my bed.
"It was just a dream?" I muttered to myself. "Was I just trolled by my own brain, or could this be something bigger? Maybe this is a sign that I may find a stronger love towards another girl."
Personally, I am going to stick with thought number two. However, you can believe whatever you want. My mind is made up, and I will not stop looking for the girl that will mean everything to me, I won't stop looking for my new love.