Blue Eyes

Blue Eyes

    Sul Hee 

     We left Korea and moved to Haleiwa, Hawaii when I was seven years old...

1936

I can remember the first time we met very clearly. The sound of jazz had filled the air. The wind blew strong as people danced barefoot on the soft Haleiwa sand. It was an hour past sunset. The air was chilly. Girls had flung their skirts while boys shuffled their feet. It seemed as though I was watching a live cinema. Despite the failing economy we had still seemed to find happiness in the most unlikely places. Some had probably even gone hungry that day but still found a way to smile through it. The sound of the waves were triumphed by the radio that sang all throughout the night. I looked up at the sky, completely enchanted by Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing”.  It was my favorite. I sat at the table sipping my Coke waiting for my friends to return to the table. Rachel and Kimi were my two best friends we had grown up together. Rachel was the eldest among us and boy could she move. She twisted her body and swung her arms side to side. Dancing was what she was famous for. She was known as the Queen of Swing. She was blonde, had a killer smile, and was the most sought out dame in school. Kimi danced beside her, laughing while she missed a couple of beats.  She's the most optimistic girl I've ever met. After her mom left her for some grifter, she still had hope she’d come back. Kimi's father was a Korean woman and her mother was American. When the song finally ended and the restless pair came rushing towards me giggly and laughing. 

“You’re dancing for the next song. I won’t take no for an answer,” Rachel said.

“I’m tired,” I said. 

    “Come on, Soul,” Kimi said. She had reached for my hand and gave me the same puppy eyes that had convinced her dad to let her out in the first place. Eventually I gave in. I was just about to take a sip of my soda pop when I got dragged to the dance floor.  “Let’s go!”

I didn’t know what to do so I just stood there for a while debating on a dance move. Thinking about it now it’s pretty funny cause I always find myself dancing even without music.

“Just feel the rhythm and your body will move naturally,” Rachel said. 

I started to bob my head as I felt the beat and swayed my hips as I had begun to get into the rhythm. Before I knew it my body was swinging side to side, my head was bobbing left and right, and my feet had a mind of its own. That time we laughed together. I could feel the sand getting caught between my toes. Suddenly Rachel had pulled me in close, and slyly pointed out a guy, who stood opposite of us. He had a big smile and deep dimples. His dirty blonde hair hung lazily in front of his face. He was standing next to the snack shack drinking and laughing amongst his friends.

“He’s been staring at you all night,” she said.

“No he hasn’t. Maybe he was staring at Kimi’s wacky dance moves,” I said. Kimi giggled.

Rachel put a hand on her hip and said, “You always do this. Don’t you know how pretty you are? If a guy is giving you attention you should be happy. ” 

“And I would be except he’s not.”

“Oh really. Well let’s go ask him shall we, missy.” 

“What? Rach-”

I tried to protest with no success. It was too late. Before I knew it I had tripped and fell into the arms of a man that I would soon fall so deeply in love with.  At that moment our faces were so close I could practically taste the mint on his breath. His eyes had smiled at me. Bue like a lake.

“Are you okay, miss?,” the blue eyed boy asked with genuine concern. That was enough to bring me back to reality. 

I’m alright,” I said slightly out of breath. It then came to my recognition just how close we really were. My hands were placed against his chest while his arms were tightly wrapped around my waist. 

Surprised, I quickly drew back. I looked down at the soda pop bottle I had tripped over and turned around to glare at Rachel. She quickly averted her eyes to avoid eye contact well aware of my firecracker like temper. I turned back to the boy. He smiled at me.

“Thank you,” I said and smiled back at him.

“No problem it’s every man honor to save a beautiful lady”

His friends snickered and a girl said, “Oh God. Dawn, he’s at it again.”

“Leave the boy be, Sunny. He can’t help it,” said one of the guys.

They were a couple. The girl he called Sunny sat on his the table while she played with his hair.

“My name is Bud but my friends call me Buddy. You can call me Buddy”

I could feel my cheeks go hot. I swear it had gotten twenty degrees hotter. He was so cheesy but it was the way he stared into my eyes.

“Hi Buddy” I said. 

He had me right where he wanted me because I was cheesy too.

“Buddy!” 

A small boy had shouted from the distance as he rushed towards us. He couldn’t have been about five. His sandy brown curls that shook wildly along with his movement.

 “Buddy.” He called out to the blue eyed boy.

“Jo!” he replied. His muscles tensed. His concern for the boy deemed obvious. “What happened?”

When Jo got into the light, I could see his busted lip. The poor little guy was dressed in rags.

“Oh, Buddy, they got ‘em. They got Noah,” he said. “I didn’t know what to do. The had us cornered. Oh, Buddy, I left ‘em. I can’t imagine what they could have done to ‘em”

Buddy grabbed him and said, “Come on Jo! Spit it out. Who’s got Noah?”

“The Bailey Brothers” The tension had risen. “They said, 'if you don’t give them the Graveyard Noah was gonna get it'. I, I don’t know what they’re gonna give him Buddy but it doesn’t sound too good.”

Sunny got up and walked towards Jo. She knelt down and put a hand on his cheek and said “How dare they put a hand on you? They’re just begging for a fight.”

“Uh oh, who’s upset the empress upset,” said Weston coming out of the crowd. Everyone knew Weston he was the biggest playboy of Haleiwa. 

Sunny turned around greeting him with a smirk then rolled her eyes once she saw the latest chick on his arms. 

Dawn stood.“The Bailey Brothers got Noah. Take Sunny out here and get the boys”

“Hey I can handle my own,” Sunny said.

“I know I just can’t let them scratch that pretty face.”

Buddy turned to me.

“Guess I’ll have to take a raincheck.”

“On what?

“Why, our dance of course.

I looked at little boy Jo and said, “Is he going to be alright?

“You mean our Jo?” He put a hand on his back. “The boy was born hard-boiled. He’ll be okay” That’s when he pulled me in close and said, “You’ll save me a dance, right?”

He placed a kiss upon my hand and before I could even respond he left into the night. I was unsure of what to do. I knew trouble was stirring. I was worried. I knew it was silly. I didn’t even know him and I didn’t even know if I would see him again. But I wanted to.

***

We were all spread out on Kimi’s bed. We were eating popcorn and strawberries while we listened to Kimi gossip. She knew what was going on with everybody.

“Oh, come on Soul. You have to tell us what happened,” Kimi said.

“Well, it’s kind of a blur.” I blushed. They stared at me. “All I remember is him.” 

“Oh no she’s in trouble. She’s got it bad, Rach.” 

I bit my lip.

“Well,” Rach said. She was antsy

“When he smiled at me I felt my heart melt… but he was probably just being friendly” I said. I was trying to practice rationality. 

“Oh please Kimi he stared at her like a newborn pup. She’s got him whipped and doesn’t even know it.”

“What’s his name?”

“Buddy.”

“The proper name for puppy”

 I pushed her and we started laughing.

Never before had I had a boyfriend. I did not want to rush into anything because of a mere assumption. I was trying to protect myself. Perhaps I was just afraid. I started playing with my hair and my mind began to wonder towards him.

“You think I’ll see him again”

“With Kimi’s professional stalking abilities. Trust me. We haven’t seen the last of him.” This had us laughing again.

"Hey, it's call precautionary research," Kimi replied

"Whatever you say, Kimi," Rachel said. "So what did he say when you fell on him".

"Goodnight, guys".

“So does he have any cute friends,” Kimi said.

I wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight.

Hawaiian Phrases

maholo > thank you

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