I danced to
my heart’s content, letting my hips sway and my cares melt away. It felt like I
was seventeen again- like I was invincible and nothing was going to stop me. My
whole life was ahead of me and I was running toward it with no intent of
slowing down. Everything around me blurred into a fantastical mixture of black
against neon- reality slipping further and further away from me the faster I
danced and the more I drank. I have to admit, I had no idea what was going on
around me or even inside me, but I was completely fine with that.
Tammy
grabbed my hand and dragged me toward the bar to get more drinks- something I
knew I didn’t need more of, but I really couldn’t resist. The bartender handed
each of us a set of three shots and we raced to see who could down them the
fastest- I won. I turned around and even though his back was turned, I
immediately recognized him. I slammed the shot glass back down onto the bar and
he turned around, startled by the noise less than two feet behind him. We made
eye contact for a long time- too long. He then released his grip on the girl
grinding all over his business and walked the few steps over to me.
He ruffled the
back of his hair with his hand in anxiousness, “Hey, Claire. Long time no see,
huh?”
He looked
the same, just as handsome and eyes just as blue, “Yeah, it’s been a while. How
has life been treating you, Cain?”
I tried to
act casual, although drunk me was slightly slurring her words, “Oh, you know,
the usual. Last year in college and all. I heard you moved to England with
Klaus, how is that going?”
I stuck out
my hand and the ring shimmered in the light that danced around us in between
the shadowed bodies, “I’d say it’s going pretty well.”
I could feel
the venom dripping from my lips. I felt our past rising up between us- the
passion, the lust, the loss… My chest tightened and I refused to be weak. I
knew that I was throwing my life in his face, hoping that is stung, because I
was jealous. Jealous that he was young and free. Jealous that the little blond
thing he had on his arm a moment before didn’t seem serious. And jealous that
she wasn’t me.
I suppressed
the feeling, pushing it so deep inside that I could sense it in my stomach. He
smiled and looked at the ground, “Well, um, that’s a nice ring. Congats, by the
way. I, uh, haven’t really gotten to that stage yet… Well, with anyone but you.
Can’t seem to find the right girl, you know?” There was a moment of silence
between us and I knew that both of our minds were reeling. I looked into his
eyes and saw everything- just like I always had. He remembered us and
everything that had happened all those years ago.
There was hardly more to say, but,
somehow, I managed to open my big mouth, “Do you ever think about it?”
I knew the question was vague and it
probably didn’t make sense. His eyes softened even more, “Yeah, I do. All the
time.”
I couldn’t take it. I bolted out the
door and started running across the parking lot and I heard him running behind
me, calling my name, but I couldn’t stop. I wouldn’t stop. My breath came in
rasps as I struggled for air, but even that didn’t stop me. Before I knew what
I was doing, I had run out into the street and was caught in the headlights of
an oncoming car. I stood there for a moment, just staring ahead into the light,
frozen in fear. Something hard hit me in the side and shoved me out of the way,
throwing my body the rest of the way across the road into the dirt. I heard
brakes squealing and then the sound of bone against metal. My body cringed
inward- afraid of what I would see when I looked up. There, in the middle of
the street, was Cain’s body lying in a pool of scarlet blood.
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