Closer

She watched as the curtains of the gloomy bedroom moved in a slowly pace from one side to the other. It was getting dark outside already so the lights of the street where the only thing providing luminosity inside. She could feel a soft breeze travelling through her naked flesh making her shiver in amazement. The young girl smiled to herself, remembering that leather jacket and the way his brown eyes took her appearance in. As the once soft breeze became a stronger wind, so did her breathing and as the young woman curled her toes with the sheets of the bed the only thing on her mind was the man at the coffee shop that she couldn’t forget.
The girl abruptly took her hand off of between her thighs when Ville, the cat, unexpectedly jumped on her bed making her jump.

“Jesus! Ville! God, you just ruined the moment…” She yelled looking at the black cat in disapproval.

“Meow.” The cat apologized earning a smile from it’s owner.

“Yeah right… It’s getting dark already, I better get outta’ here.”

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Previous day

Huntington Beach - California

“You’re going to leave this house Brian! Now! I don’t want to see your face ever again!”

“But Chelle… please.-”

“Do not ‘Chelle’ me! Get your things and get the fuck ‘outta here!”

As the blonde woman started crying, Brian gave up on the conversation. It hurt him to see his wife like that, after all he did love her, but she was difficult sometimes. Always wanting to know more, always asking unnecessary questions, and after some time of their marriage that started to piss Brian off. He just wanted freedom. What she was saying to him right now didn’t worry him though, it was like that every single time. They would have a big fight over nothing, Brian would spend the night over at Matt’s and after a deep conversation with her twin sister, Michelle would get calm, talk to Brian and everything would get back to normal. Well… on previous fights Brian didn’t get home with red lipstick marks all over him and smelling like sex, that’s true… but still. That didn’t seem to worry the young man.

Michelle was sitting in a kitchen chair, with her elbows on the table and her hands covering her face still crying. She loved Brian too. A little bit too much. He was the first and only man she purely loved and she didn’t want to lose him. She just wanted to be loved back. Michelle believed on his love for some time, but with Brian’s current behavior, she wasn’t sure anymore. Obviously with the lately unfortunate events that happened on their life, she was assuming things would get hard, but they were supposed to be there for one another. She was there for Brian, but he didn’t seem to be there for her.

She glanced over to the living room, watching as the love of her life carried a bag on his shoulder. He stopped putting the bag on the floor and picking up one of his ‘most prized possessions’ as he used to say. “Take care of mommy.” Brian whispered to the white ball of fur as he petted it. Walking towards the front door he looked over to the kitchen again, finding Michelle on the exact same spot. “I’ll come back later to pick up the rest of the stuff. Ok?” She didn’t answer him and quickly got upstairs making the young man wince in pain. Maybe this time things would be different. Maybe he really fucked up this time.

“I’m sure things will get better bro’.”

“Don’t say that to him!”

Brian drove to Matt’s house and rapidly got there. Obviously they already knew the news. On situations like this, Matt had the supportive role of the comprehensive best friend. Valary on the other hand had the role of the supportive twin sister, crushing any valid explanation Brian had.

“He’s my best friend!”

“And she’s my twin sister! I really don’t understand how you can defend him like this Matt! He always fucks up! And I’m the only one who has to go over and make Chelle change her mind! Guess what Brian? I’m not doing that anymore! My sister should’ve gotten rid of you from the first time you pulled a trick like this one! She fucking loves you! She’s been there for you through every dark time in your life and this is how you repay her?! You know what? I’m- I’m going upstairs, scream my name if somebody’s dying, and by somebody I mean Matt or Bella because if you were dying I would gladly watch Brian!”

Matt was looking to his wife like a scared puppy but he knew she was right. Even though he was only protecting his best friend it was true he was always fucking things up with Michelle. He focused his attention on his friend, who was now with his head down, looking towards his lap. “You know she’s right Gates… Right?”

“Yeah dude…I just… I don’t know.”

“What are you going to do then? I mean… You love Michelle don’t you?” That question made Brian raise his head and roll his eyes to Matt. “Yeah you’re right that was unnecessary. But if you love her that much… why do you keep doing this?”

“I told you… I don’t know. I’m just lost. I don’t know what to do with my life…”

“Hey… this is difficult for all of us, but if you’re acting like this because of -”

“Don’t.”

“Brian-”

“Don’t Matt! I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay, okay. Easy. But c’mon… what are you going to do now?”

“I’m gonna… I guess I’m gonna be free.”

“Are you going to divorce?”

“I hope not. I’m gonna cool off and give her some time. It’ll be good for both of us. I’m sure of it.

I still have to get my guitars and stuff..”

“You want me to pick them up for you?”

“No dude… I’m not going to stay here so…”

“Then where are you staying? I’m sorry , I’m just really confused.”

“Let’s just say I’m going on a road trip. Just me and the wind…”

“Okay… obviously you don’t want to say where you’re going…”

“Dude… I don’t even know… But I really don’t care. But like I said, this is going to be a good thing for me and Michelle.”

“Yeah… you’re right. I’m sure when you come back you’ll sort things out…”

“If only Val saw things like that…” Brian replied chuckling.

“C’mon… you know she didn’t mean anything she said… She loves you, so do I.”

As the two best friends hugged each other, Brian thought maybe that was the last time he would hug Matt. But he wasn’t afraid, he was content. He was officially going on a road trip…

“Tell Val that I’m really sorry and that I love her, okay?”

“Sure dude…” Matt answered with a confused expression. “Hey Brian! Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

Brian drove through every single street in Huntington, collecting old memories as he went all day. Of one thing, Brian was sure: He was leaving town. But he couldn’t do that yet.
He nervously opened the door, and got inside his own house. Silence was the only thing filling his ears. Michelle was probably in their room. He cautiously got upstairs and knocked on the door. “Come in.” He opened to find Michelle in bed with Pinkly on her lap. She looked tired and she looked like someone who spent the entire afternoon and evening crying. “I just came here to pick up the rest of the stuff.” She didn’t say a word to him. He sighed in frustration. “Is it gonna be like this?”

“Yes.”

“Chelle…”

“It’s gonna be like this, because it has to be like this Brian. Maybe I’m better off without you…”
The young woman started sobbing again.

“No! You’re not! Baby…” he sat on the bed facing her. “You’re not and you know that. You know that I love you, don’t you?”

“I don’t know in what to believe anymore…”

“Believe in this.” Brian said holding her hand, pointing to her wedding ring. “See this? This is worth fighting for. But maybe some time apart will do us good. I just didn’t wanna leave without saying a proper goodbye I guess.”

“But… Where are you going? Where are you staying?”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll come back sooner or later. Probably sooner.”

“Okay.” Michelle smiled at him and he stared into her eyes. “What?”

“This is me asking for a kiss that most likely I’m not gonna get.”

“Bri- I …okay.” She leaned in planting a soft kiss on Brian’s lips.

“I shall go now.”

“Take care of yourself Brian.” She sighed hearing the front door close.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

After entering his vehicle, the young man didn’t stop driving. He had no idea where he was going or where his so called trip was going to end, but actually this didn’t seem that bad. For the first hour driving Brian didn’t pay attention to where he was. He kept admiring the streets and the people passing by, the way a group of kids rode their bicycles with a happy smile on their faces. He experienced that himself a long time ago. They were best friends and they were unstoppable. Those five kids were a complete nightmare to teachers and adults in general, but they had a good heart and they were happy. Until they lost a piece of the puzzle and it all fell down. That was when Brian’s smile disappeared for good as well.

While memories came to his head he lost notion of the time and before he could see it was dark already. “Where the fuck am I…” The streets were empty and the orange lights illuminating it made it look beautiful. He didn’t even realized how he got there but for now he was going to stay. He comfortably adjusted himself on his car and soon enough his eyes started to get heavy and Brian fell asleep.

“Hey get the fuck out of here freak!”

Brian jumped on his seat, when somebody knocked hard on his car window. Some kid with his pants falling from his ass riding a bicycle only six year olds should ride according to its size was now mocking Brian with his middle finger up in the air. Brian calmly pushed the button so the window would get down. He eyed the kid up and down through his aviators getting them to the end of his nose. “I’m in a bad mood, my back is hurting. Get out of my sight or I’ll fuck you up.” And with that morning husky voice he scared the kid away along with his bike. “Uurgh, I hate sleeping in the car…” he muttered while he tried to stretch. “First thing to do, know where the fuck I am…” That didn’t take long. After driving around town for some minutes Brian soon realized his first road trip stop was Truckee. Interesting… “Second thing…” He ignited the car again and found some place to have breakfast. And like with everything, Brian didn’t take long to find one. It looked just fine. From outside he could see that the windows were very humid from the heat inside, that making the visibility to the insides of the coffee shop, null. “Shit… It’s cold…” Living in Huntington taught Brian to be a very hot person, in every sense of the word, so feeling a soft breeze, not so soft, made the young man hold on tight to his leather jacket. As he walked fast he could feel little rain drops hitting his skin.

The screechy sound made by the ugly decorations hanging on the ceiling annoyed the hell out of him. He looked around seeing strange faces who looked at him and then looked back, almost as if they were disgusted by his presence. He proceeded taking his aviators off so he could take a better look at the coffee shop itself when he saw something that made him smirk. A girl sitting right in front of where he was standing just dropped what she was eating on her plate, and not to brag Brian really thought he made her do that.

“I want a white chocolate mocha please.” After he made his request Brian looked behind him. He saw the girl look at him from the corner of her eye, making him smile and feeding his ego even more. He made sure to sit in a position where he’d be looking straight to her and when he did so his smirk faded. This time he really didn’t look carefully at all. At first sight he saw a girl, but right now that he looked cautiously at the female he saw how wrong he was. This was not a normal girl and he could see that just by looking at her. She was wearing a black tank top showing off the beautiful tattoos on her arms, beanie on her head with some locks of her what it looked like dark brown hair falling down, and jeans and some very used converses. Next to her was a skate and in her hands she had an I-pod. She was for sure a ‘tomboy’, but not the typical one if that makes any sense. She still looked very feminine at the same time, and she was completely gorgeous. Not that other tomboys weren’t but she was different. This girl at the coffee shop looked breath taking to Brian and something inside him changed. He was staring for a while now when she looked back at him. Embarrassed, he looked back to his mocha not before he saw her smile too. When he was done, Brian stood up. He thought of talking to the girl, but next thing he knew he saw Michelle’s face on his head. He walked outside and pushed that thought away. That would be just stupid, she’s just a random girl…

Random girl that was now next to him on her skate smiling at him. Great… Oh screw it…

“What did you say it was your name?”

“I didn’t…” As her appearance so did her voice sound beautiful and he smirked at his response seeing her skate away.

And right at that moment it all fell down for the young man.