Hot tears. Dark room. Nothing, but the glow of my cell phone. 6:45am. Just a bad dream, but I couldn't shake it off so easily. I lay there for a moment recollecting my thoughts as the images ran through my head like a rapid wild fire hoping that the water pouring down my face would put out the flames.
But my mind wouldn't let me rest that easily either...
I stood in front of a toy store, staring at my reflection in the large display window. Wooden airplanes of all sorts of colors dangled above while a miniature train set spun in a circle beneath them. It seemed like a peaceful town, mid-day and kind of chilly. I wore a black raincoat and a pair of jeans and felt the soft fabric as I placed my hands in my pockets. A cool breeze, trailing a soft scent of fresh bread, brushed passed me.
He came out to greet me, tall and slender with a boyish grin. I smiled, ready to grab him with open arms. Until suddenly she followed closely behind him, her golden brown hair slightly covering her face.
"Hey, you ready?" she asked (as if my purpose for being there was to wait for them).
"Ummm...." I stalled not knowing what I should be ready for.
"You said you wanted to shop for presents, silly," she explained, pointing to the toy store.
"Uh, o-oh ok..." I stuttered, playing along.
She shook her head and giggled, turning to him. He bent down and said, "Love you," giving her a sweet kiss on the lips.
My heart stopped.
"That's my kiss," I said to myself. Confused, I turned the other direction and just walked away.
"Hey, where ya goin'?" she said.
I started to run.
They followed.
I saw a small cafe up ahead and made my way to the back patio. I turned to see if they were still behind me, but saw no one. I ordered a salad.
The waitress had her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail. She was chewing gum and seemed friendly as she spoke.
"Not very hungry, huh?" she asked.
"Not really, just had a craving." I responded, my voice a little shaky.
The salad came in a small, clear plate with dressing on the side.
"Sure that's all ya want, hon?" she asked politely.
But before I can answer her, I see them sitting side by side at a booth near the back entrance. I got up, holding my salad plate in my hands, and made my way to them.
"So I see you guys are comfortable," I said sarcastically.
They just looked up at me as if I was someone else.
"What in the hell has gotten into you?!" he demanded.
Without warning, I dumped my salad on his lap and sat down directly across from them, crossing my hands to prevent it from trembling.
"What the hell has gotten into me? You're supposed to be following me and instead you're sitting here!" I shot back.
"Why should we run all over the place trying to catch you when all we have to do is sit here and let you come to us? Either you'll be calm enough to talk or of course, the usual. You can throw your food at me...," he retorted, as he picked up some lettuce and plopped in on the table.
I slapped him hard across the face as she got up in shock.
"What the hell?!" she screamed.
"Don't you for one sec even think about it," I said, pointing at her.
He just sat there, unaffected.
"You need to calm down and tell us what's wrong?" she said.
I left not realizing I haven't paid for my meal. Halfway down the block, I decided to turn back.
"I already caused a scene, but the waitress didn't deserve that," I said to myself.
People were staring at me as I re-entered the restaurant. My waitress was at the cash register as he handed her a $20 bill. I yanked it from her hands and threw it to Ms. Golden Brown. It landed in her V-neck sweater.
"There goes your tip," I said.
The waitress swiped my card and commented, "Hey whatever happened to happily ever after?"
"It doesn't exist," we all said in unison.
As soon as we stepped out of the restaurant I couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Who the hell are you with?" I demanded.
"What are you talking about?" he questioned. "We say we love each other all the time and you never had a problem with that before!" he continued.
"I don't care about that. That phrase gets used and abused all the time that it seems like nothing more than a casual hello these days," I explained.
"It's the KISS!" I yelled to the top of my lungs. People stopped in mid-chew and rushed out to see what the commotion was about.
"You kissed her the way you used to kiss me. It was so sweet and genuine that it even took her breath away! The way I once felt long ago..." I trailed off.
I could see from the corner of my eyes that she nodded in agreement, in shock that I even noticed the subtle change in her facial expression.
"Yes, it was." she said, blushing.
I cried.
Hot tears. Dark room. Nothing, but the glow of my cell phone. 6:45am.
But my mind wouldn't let me rest that easily either...
I stood in front of a toy store, staring at my reflection in the large display window. Wooden airplanes of all sorts of colors dangled above while a miniature train set spun in a circle beneath them. It seemed like a peaceful town, mid-day and kind of chilly. I wore a black raincoat and a pair of jeans and felt the soft fabric as I placed my hands in my pockets. A cool breeze, trailing a soft scent of fresh bread, brushed passed me.
He came out to greet me, tall and slender with a boyish grin. I smiled, ready to grab him with open arms. Until suddenly she followed closely behind him, her golden brown hair slightly covering her face.
"Hey, you ready?" she asked (as if my purpose for being there was to wait for them).
"Ummm...." I stalled not knowing what I should be ready for.
"You said you wanted to shop for presents, silly," she explained, pointing to the toy store.
"Uh, o-oh ok..." I stuttered, playing along.
She shook her head and giggled, turning to him. He bent down and said, "Love you," giving her a sweet kiss on the lips.
My heart stopped.
"That's my kiss," I said to myself. Confused, I turned the other direction and just walked away.
"Hey, where ya goin'?" she said.
I started to run.
They followed.
I saw a small cafe up ahead and made my way to the back patio. I turned to see if they were still behind me, but saw no one. I ordered a salad.
The waitress had her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail. She was chewing gum and seemed friendly as she spoke.
"Not very hungry, huh?" she asked.
"Not really, just had a craving." I responded, my voice a little shaky.
The salad came in a small, clear plate with dressing on the side.
"Sure that's all ya want, hon?" she asked politely.
But before I can answer her, I see them sitting side by side at a booth near the back entrance. I got up, holding my salad plate in my hands, and made my way to them.
"So I see you guys are comfortable," I said sarcastically.
They just looked up at me as if I was someone else.
"What in the hell has gotten into you?!" he demanded.
Without warning, I dumped my salad on his lap and sat down directly across from them, crossing my hands to prevent it from trembling.
"What the hell has gotten into me? You're supposed to be following me and instead you're sitting here!" I shot back.
"Why should we run all over the place trying to catch you when all we have to do is sit here and let you come to us? Either you'll be calm enough to talk or of course, the usual. You can throw your food at me...," he retorted, as he picked up some lettuce and plopped in on the table.
I slapped him hard across the face as she got up in shock.
"What the hell?!" she screamed.
"Don't you for one sec even think about it," I said, pointing at her.
He just sat there, unaffected.
"You need to calm down and tell us what's wrong?" she said.
I left not realizing I haven't paid for my meal. Halfway down the block, I decided to turn back.
"I already caused a scene, but the waitress didn't deserve that," I said to myself.
People were staring at me as I re-entered the restaurant. My waitress was at the cash register as he handed her a $20 bill. I yanked it from her hands and threw it to Ms. Golden Brown. It landed in her V-neck sweater.
"There goes your tip," I said.
The waitress swiped my card and commented, "Hey whatever happened to happily ever after?"
"It doesn't exist," we all said in unison.
As soon as we stepped out of the restaurant I couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Who the hell are you with?" I demanded.
"What are you talking about?" he questioned. "We say we love each other all the time and you never had a problem with that before!" he continued.
"I don't care about that. That phrase gets used and abused all the time that it seems like nothing more than a casual hello these days," I explained.
"It's the KISS!" I yelled to the top of my lungs. People stopped in mid-chew and rushed out to see what the commotion was about.
"You kissed her the way you used to kiss me. It was so sweet and genuine that it even took her breath away! The way I once felt long ago..." I trailed off.
I could see from the corner of my eyes that she nodded in agreement, in shock that I even noticed the subtle change in her facial expression.
"Yes, it was." she said, blushing.
I cried.
Hot tears. Dark room. Nothing, but the glow of my cell phone. 6:45am.
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