One Look
“¿Te gustaría salir a cenar alguna vez?”
Derek fought the smile on his face, he had said the words
out loud and even he thought for a moment they felt natural. Or he didn’t sound like a fool which he would
have considered a win. He had been
coming to the café for weeks, like clockwork after work, trying to get up the
nerve. He had realized early when
hearing her speak with one of the other waitresses she spoke fluent Spanish and
he found himself regretting not learning the language in high school when he
had the chance. Today was his day.
“Hello.”
He paused fear engulfed him as he looked at the laptop
screen a long moment before he brought his eyes up to see her. Three cities away, and there she stood. It was like yesterday instead of the two and
half years that had passed since they last saw each other. Derek slouched back in his chair, he tried to
speak but nothing came out.
“Don’t just sit there.” She smiled.
Derek smiled his half smile as he stood circling the table to greet
her. They stood for a moment he still
couldn’t speak but now he did not know what to do either. The last time he had been this close to her
they kissed, but that was a lifetime ago.
He hoped more than anything his face did not reflect how he was feeling
inside.
He stood for a moment and
watched, not until she moved in closer did he reach around her for a hug. “How have you been, Lori?”
“Happy,” she smiled, a smile that
always melted his heart and often left him speechless with its beauty.
“I’m glad,” Derek replied. It had taken him over a year, before he had
found his heart mended. She was the only
woman he had ever loved and since he had often questioned the whys. He found solace in knowledge. Most had avoided the topic but a couple friends
had often let him know how she was. She
was happy and it always made him smile through his hurt. It was all he ever wanted, was for her to be
happy even if that meant without him. He
could not help but glance to her hands, her left and the bare ring finger. He tried not to make it obvious but he had heard
she was engaged the year before. He had
thought then he was finally over her but the news was enough to send him down
again. There was no loneliness more devastating
than missing the one person he had always thought would be there.
“How are you?”
“I’m good,” Derek looked around,
he had for the moment forgotten why he had come today. The confidence was gone leaving only the new
hollow feeling in his stomach. “Are you
living here now?”
“Yeah,” she replied looking away
any time their eyes met one would look away but for that instance. For just that moment he remembered looking
down into her eyes before a kiss, a memory always burned into the back of his
mind.
“Me too.”
“It was good seeing you, maybe we’ll
see each other around,” she smiled a sly smile before she turned and walked
away.
Derek watched her as she walked
away unable to speak. Hoping she’d look
back give him a reason to run after her.
He wanted to, the feelings were still there but he knew they always would
be. She would always be the one to him,
the one no matter the distance or time a piece of him would always love her. He
felt the life rush from him the moment she was out of sight.
“That looked awkward,” Emilia stated.
Her dark eyes met his and he
smiled an unconvincing smile, “An old friend.”
“We should play poker some time.”
she smiled a knowing grin.
“Is that your way of asking me
out?” he replied quickly looking away.
“You’ve been here every day for a
few weeks watching, flirting, the eye contact but you’ve never asked. I figure I would have too.”
“So you’d like to go to dinner
with me?”
(696 Words)
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So, I said after last week I would attempt to write a happy flash fiction entry... Or romantic. Or anything. Anything that isn't my normal depressing, down on ones luck, forlorn, sad pieces. I let my day to day life sometimes bleed into my flash fiction... And I have for months now. But with this song....I just couldn't do it. lol I hope you all enjoy.
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So, I said after last week I would attempt to write a happy flash fiction entry... Or romantic. Or anything. Anything that isn't my normal depressing, down on ones luck, forlorn, sad pieces. I let my day to day life sometimes bleed into my flash fiction... And I have for months now. But with this song....I just couldn't do it. lol I hope you all enjoy.
After reading this several times, I wish I had done something different with the end.
ReplyDeletelol...not a fan of the romantic...but i liked it..why would you change the end? it is what it is... realistic :)
ReplyDeleteI like to think I'm a hopeless romantic and love wins out in the end.....
DeleteOr I used too anyways.