One More Notch

Tyson sipped the hot liquid in a medium size Styrofoam cup, watching the Sun rays dancing across the ocean. He felt nostalgic. He missed everyone, inwardly cursing himself and the irrational decision of moving. If one stopped to look at the face of this troubled man, he would see his face twitching, almost as he was talking to an invisible person; it was the way his shoulders would shrug and eyebrow rose. By the time he finished his overpriced cup of coffee, he was sitting at a bench that overlooked the beach. Tyson tried clearing his mind, so instead of wallowing in self-pity, he watched the girls strolling up and down the beach, imagining he was a judge at the Miss Universe competition. Except, all the girls were so damn fine, he couldn’t find a single flaw on any of them.

“It has its perks,” he murmured.

He reached for his phone from his pocket, sending a message to Jeannine where to meet him and shifted in his seat. More and more people walked by; Tyson figured they were going home from work. Oh, work. How he missed it. He missed staying up late with Nick writing and fighting, while Nick’s dog was running circles around them and barking at Tyson for yelling at Nick. ‘Little overprotective shit’, Tyson thought with a smile.

“Talking to yourself again?” Jeannine commented as she took a seat next to Tyson.

“Thinking about Nick, actually,” Tyson responded, closing his eyes while resting his head on the hard wooden bench. “I miss him. I miss everyone.”

“Well, it was your brilliant idea to move here,” Jeannine sighed, remembering her girlfriend, who, by now must have gotten a new one. “It’ll be fun,” she mocked, “sun, beach and girls in skimpy bikinis.”

Tyson looked at the somewhat sad and regretful face of his friend and for the first time, the consequences of his action weigh down on him.

“I’m sorry,” and he meant it, “come on, let’s go home.”

He outstretched his hand, smiling sincerely and apologetic; so true that Jeannine forgot for a second everything and went home with him. Because he was a serious mess, she knew that, and many times she had told herself she would leave, just pack and leave, but one glance at Tyson, it would all fell apart. So, she collected his pieces and tried to force glue them back together.



Rosalind was power walking; poor little girl had no strength to run. Well, she thought of herself as poor little girl on whom has been done all the injustice of the world. Why she couldn’t run; first of all, it was so damn hot, and second, who could have the strength to run when all she had in her system was a piece of wheat toast and a half glass of OJ? Poor little girl indeed. Eventually, it came up with her and she fell down on her knees and gave up. She gave up on everything, at some point she even considered taking her own life. Talking about little drama Queen over here. Back in New York she had everything, over here she had nothing, they wouldn’t even allow her to have her make-up with her. Strange people.

“Ros!” she heard the increasing volume of her chaperon coming to her. “I died of worry looking for you. What happened?” The older girl looked at the younger and at that moment she saw Rosalind breaking up in front of her.

“I can’t,” Rosalind barely audible murmured.

“You can’t what?”

“They forced me to, I never wanted any of this,” Rosalind felt the tears walling up in her eyes. She knew she looked like a mess, and felt like a pathetic piece of shit for the scene she was the culprit for. “I can’t.”

Laura felt somewhat sorry for the weak body in front of her and slowly got down on her knees. She took a deep breath before deciding, “I haven’t told this to anyone, but I used to be just like you. A selfish little brat, literally crying for attention,” she stopped and Rosalind looked at her, not believing, “trust me, these people, they will help you. And you desperately need help.”

And Rosalind sat with Laura, listening to every word, and thinking how her problems seemed so small comparing to Laura’s. Till this day it stays unknown whether that moment was the crucial for the change that came.