And Then She Was Gone

He was waiting for his girlfriend under the metal covers that extended over the picnic tables outside. It was pouring down rain. She burst through the door with about five other people, none of which she knew. She stood a little bit away from them as they scurried off to their classrooms. She shook her hair out, letting it sit in soaking disarray on top of her head, most strands sticking to her bright face. She was covered in water from her mid thighs down, giving away the fact that she’d probably just been jumping in puddles. In that one moment, she looked absolutely beautiful. Absolutely happy. She was giggling and grinning like a mad woman, and he realized he hadn’t seen her actually completely happy in what felt like months

He couldn’t remember why he was standing there, alone. He couldn’t remember who or what he was waiting there for. All he knew was that she made the entire world seem beautiful with that one little smile. Then it all ended.

His girlfriend walked past the pretty, drenched girl and over to him, kissing him quickly. He looked at her and noticed that her smile was gone, her eyes were shiner then usual, and she looked as if she’d just been struck. His heart ached at the sight of her heartbreak. He’d been seeing it all year. Everytime she saw him, everytime she saw them. And he’d done nothing about it. He hadn’t tried to talk to her. Hadn’t even thought to make sure she was okay. And, based on the way she looked at the ground, it was obvious she wasn’t.

She rushed past them like she did every day, only this time, she didn’t have that determined walk. She looked defeated, like everything in the world had just collapsed on her. And then, she was out of his mind as his girlfriend began to speak to him. She didn’t cross it the rest of the day.