Like We Used To
"Jesse it's been years. It's done. Just go home man."
"Funny, that's what I thought I was doing."
"I've seen you in the papers. You've been doing well for yourself back in California. Don't come back here and just disappoint yourself again." He remembered...he remembered the thousand dollar ring I had shown him! The dozen roses I had bought, pink, because that was her favorite color even though red would be more romantic. He knew I had chucked it all an hour after I last saw him, and how I had got in my car with my life savings and drove. Away from everything I knew, toward the big bright promising sun of Southern California.
"Thanks for the coffee." I say releasing my frost-bitten hands from warm cup. I turned to leave.
"Jesse-"
"Yeah?"
"Good-"
He must have followed that up with something, but I was already listening to the door swing close behind me. The cold biting at my skin as I stood on the street corner, my breath swirling and visible in the mountain breeze. I tried to plan my next move, but I felt like I couldn't breath normally... like memories itself were suffocating me.
****
In this one-shot story, which is inspired by the song "Like We Used To" by Rocket to the Moon, Jesse returns home and must confront the terrible memory of the life and love that he left behind.
****
Currently entered in this Contest and the One-shot Portfolio Writing Contest
1,755 words.
"Funny, that's what I thought I was doing."
"I've seen you in the papers. You've been doing well for yourself back in California. Don't come back here and just disappoint yourself again." He remembered...he remembered the thousand dollar ring I had shown him! The dozen roses I had bought, pink, because that was her favorite color even though red would be more romantic. He knew I had chucked it all an hour after I last saw him, and how I had got in my car with my life savings and drove. Away from everything I knew, toward the big bright promising sun of Southern California.
"Thanks for the coffee." I say releasing my frost-bitten hands from warm cup. I turned to leave.
"Jesse-"
"Yeah?"
"Good-"
He must have followed that up with something, but I was already listening to the door swing close behind me. The cold biting at my skin as I stood on the street corner, my breath swirling and visible in the mountain breeze. I tried to plan my next move, but I felt like I couldn't breath normally... like memories itself were suffocating me.
****
In this one-shot story, which is inspired by the song "Like We Used To" by Rocket to the Moon, Jesse returns home and must confront the terrible memory of the life and love that he left behind.
****
Currently entered in this Contest and the One-shot Portfolio Writing Contest
1,755 words.