“You hate someone whom you really wish to love, but whom you cannot love. Perhaps he himself prevents you. That is a disguised form of love.”

-Sri Chinmoy



“Alessia, scendere le scale.” I stood up, and walked out of my room. It was going to be another one of those days; hot, humid, and boring. About five months ago we had moved from Italy to this boring hot place. It wasn’t even fun here, there were no interesting people at all.

Author’s note: The story will alternate between POV’s and sometimes Alessia’s POV will be in the form of a diary entry.




Dear Diary,




March 20th, 1935
Hello diary today was another day. It seemed as if it was going to be another one of those days were my superficial brother would talk about himself and all the lovely ladies he’s been courting, but I finally went somewhere besides the garden! I finally got to wear that corset dress that my mom got tailored especially for me. It was a little hot but fun.

I also saw this ‘boy’, however when I walked over to talk to him, my mom grabbed me and whispered in my ear, “Alessia, non parliamo di 'servi' come loro, sono proibiti, io non voglio vederti parlare con loro è chiaro?” We do not talk to 'servants' like them, they are forbidden, I don’t want to see you talking with them is that clear? But the boy I saw didn’t seem like the servants, he had this aura, this look in his eyes that defined him from everyone else. Who is this mystery man?

Jimmy Fields POV:

Today while I was walking around town, the newcomers who had been holed up in their mansion finally ventured out. They shouldn’t have interested me, but their daughter, I think, enraptured me. She didn’t seem like the other rich families’ kids; she acted like everyone was equal. When my mom dropped her basket, the girl dared to walk over and pick it up...that is until her mom grabbed her and wrenched her away.

This life was slowly eating me apart; I was 19, fully educated not to my parent’s knowledge, and still in the same rural city of Springfield, Louisiana! But thankfully, for the first time in 19 years I was happy at the prospect that I finally had someone or something to captivate and interest me. She stood tall even though her mom pulled her away, and her body language said that even though her mom said one thing, she wanted and would do the complete opposite!
Alessia’s POV:
The next day my mom and dad announced that they had business to take care of, and that if Adriano wanted to go we could go into town. So finally I would get a chance to meet Mr. Mysterious. Maybe I would get a chance to sneak away from my brother. “Adriano, can we go to town pleeaasse?” At first he shook his head no, but after I gave him the puppy dog eyes, I could see him visibly break down.

CHAPTER 2
“There are those among us who are blessed with the power to save what is love by another, but are powerless to use this gift for love themselves.



-Alicia Keys; Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart


“Yay! Thank you so much Ad.” I walked out of the dining hall and up to my room. I was finally satisfied I would get a chance to meet that mystery man. I decided that I would were my purple gown, and my new bonnet I had gotten for my birthday.

“Adriano, chiamare l'allenatore, ed essere pronto in dieci.” Adriano call around the coach, and be ready in ten. I slipped 5$ into my purse and descended the stairway.
Adriano POV:
Uggh!!! I love my sister, but she was so annoying! I was in the middle of writing a love letter to my new love. I walked downstairs and signaled the butler to prepare the coach. I didn’t know why she was so eager to go into town, there wasn’t anything appealing there. “Alessia hurry up, we gots to go!!!” She descended the stairs and we slipped into the carriage.

We arrived in town, in little less than an hour. Alessia was 18, so I knew she could take care of herself. Besides I wanted to check out the lovely ladies strolling about on this hot and humid day. I was getting REAL bored having to hound my sister everywhere she went so I let her roam, telling her we’d meet back in 2 hours.
Alessia POV:

Finally my annoying brother left me! I thought he would never leave. Phase 1 of my mission was done, so now its time to start phase 2. I was goin’ to find out who that boy was. I followed the route my mom and I went the last time we came to town, and like before I saw him standing in the doorway of a fabric store gazing. Completely disobeying my mothers instructions, I walked up to him my head held high.

Chapter 3
He had heard that women often love plain ordinary men, but he did not believe it, because he judged by himself and he could only love beautiful mysterious exceptional women.
-Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy

Jimmy’s POV:
Like before I saw that mysterious girl. The only big difference was that she wasn’t with her parents she was all alone. I wanted to approach her, but I know that if I did bad things might happen. It was funny how the color of ones skin could affect a lot of people. In a surprising turn of events, I saw the girl walk up to me, which was surprising because if she was one of the people known to associate with “blacks” she would be put down and teased.
“Umm hello.” I could hear a lilting Italian accent come from her mouth.
“What are you doing don’t you know that you can’t be seen around me.” I whispered in a furious voice.
“Excuse you, but you know that it is a free country, and I will talk and socialize with whomever I want to!” Wow not only was she captivating, but she was feisty.

“Fine, fine come in, and hurry up we can’t have people seeing you.” I herded her into the store and to a private room in the back of the shop.
Alessia POV: Diary Format:
Dear Diary,












March 31, 1935

Today was a very interesting day for me. I thought that like all the other colored people, he was going to shoo me away. But you know what he didn’t, he actually let me in. I finally found out what his name was it was Jimmy Fields. I never thought that he would be similar to anyone else; he stood out from the moment I saw him. You know how they say that you can never judge a person until you hear them speak, lemme tell you that is sooo true!

He talked in a manner that made my heart flutter! What was going on here? I just met him today up close face to face and I’m swooning over him. The day with him went well until…my bro caught us. It had been time to go home so I reached up to hug him ‘fore he seemed to be about 6 feet or something like that. My brother marched up to me and wrenched me away. This is exactly how our hushed conversation went:
AD: alessia sei pazzo?
AL: No, non sono cosa tua Adriano problema!
AD: Ho appena visto che abbraccia un ragazzo di colore! Sai di avere un enorme se ho detto mamma e papa.
AL: Si prega di non !!!!! won't prometto che farlo di nuovo, qualcosa di proprio non dicono mamma e papà.

He told me he’d let it slide, but I never was the obedient one…that much! Before he caught us, I had promised Jimmy that I would meet him tomorrow at 2pm. Mom was going into town so I would go with her.






Chapter 4
How on earth are you ever going to explain in terms of chemistry and physics so important a biological phenomenon as first love?
- Albert Einstein
April 1st, 1935 Jimmy’s POV:

The day had finally come! I would get a chance to meet Alessia. I loved everything about her. I hoped her brother didn’t come because I knew that bad things would happen to me...not so much her. Once again it was such a coincidence how the color of one’s skin can have such an affect on the lives of themselves and others. At about 1:45 I walked over to Alessia and I’s secret meeting place. I sat down on the bench and began practicing my guitar.
I was going to play Rising Sun for her. I had only known her for about a day but she was so captivating. She was only one year younger than me but still under her parents rule. Oh how I wish she could be mine! I checked my watch...or rather the raggedy, broken up thing they call a watch. She emerged from the garden’s maze and sat down on the bench. We exchanged coveted kisses and began to talk.
“Jimmy I don’t know what has become of me the strong hearted girl you knew...I feel as if somebody know were meeting today and something is going to go down.”
“Oh, I believe that everything is going to be ok...I have only known you for 2 days but it seems like forever...I would ask for you hand in marriage, but I know your parents would disapprove.”

Once again the coveted kisses and fondling began only to be stopped by a voice.
“GET YOUR FILTHY COLORED HANDS OFF MY SISTER!!!!” It wasn’t the soft lilting Italian of Alessia, it was the venom-dripping, ice-cold roar of her brother. We sprang apart as we turned to face her brother, who’s name I think was Adriano. In his right hand he held a gun.
“Get away from my sister you filthy scoundrel, I told you, that you’d pay if you didn’t stay away from her.”
As I stood up to leave; I had barely moved a muscle, there was a gunshot. I stood there expecting to feel the bullet penetrate my chest, but instead saw Alessia...on the ground...with blood dripping from her chest. My heartbeat seemed to get louder in my ears, as my vision blurred, and I drifted off into a troubled unconsciousness.


Maybe the time had come…maybe it wasn’t meant to be…and maybe just maybe the wrong had prevailed…so the saying goes as followed love conquered all!
-Nikki