He saw her from a distance, her purple umbrella shielding her face from the rain. She stood with impeccable posture, a trench coat covering most of her body, long brown wavy hair blowing lightly in the wind. He imagined her to be beautiful and mysterious, a face that's worth waiting for. He couldn't help but wonder what she might have been waiting for as she stood out there alone. She seemed to be standing too far from the bus stop on the corner and there was no smoke swirling above her umbrella like she was enjoying a cigarette. He felt a since of relief, imagining her as a smoker ruined her for him. Maybe she was running away from something, a tortured past possibly. Maybe she was planning her next escape route. He wasn't sure why picturing her as a runaway was so exciting for him, but it was.
Nothing adventurous had ever taken place in his hum drum life. It had been months since he even had a real conversation with anyone. Sara had ruined that for him. He trusted her. Gave some of his best years to her and what was his reward? She took everything when she left, even that fun piece of his heart that used to be there.
Unfortunately his boring routine was the only thing that comforted him anymore. He knew drinking wasn't doing him any good, but it numbed the pain. His friends tried to tell him to move on...at least they had when he had friends. But he abandoned them all. Solitude became his only friend. It wasn't all bad though. There was something nice about having nobody to worry about. Not to mention, in that particular moment, he was almost thankful for that shit hole of a bar he went to every night. Had he not been standing outside of it to enjoy the peacefulness of the rain he would have never seen her.
She shifted her position slightly, placing most of her weight on the left leg instead of the right. He couldn't tell if she was looking around for anyone or simply trying to achieve the same calming feeling he was. He imagined what it would be like to approach her, what might he say?
"Good evening ma'am." He says approaching the blind spot on her right side. She doesn't turn to connect with his eyes or respond to his greeting.
"Are you waiting for the bus?" He asks, making another attempt at conversation. Still nothing.
"Sorry for bothering you." He walks away.
He sighed in disappointment at his imagined scenario. He didn't want that to be the reality of their conversation but what could he possibly have to talk to her about? She would probably just find him to be creepy for spying on her and uncomfortable with his obvious awkwardness.
No.
He thought to himself.
She doesn't know what kind of man I am.
"I don't mean to bother you, but a woman should never have to wait in the rain alone." She turns towards him slightly.
"Don't worry..." he continues. "...I won't force you to have a conversation with me. However, I do feel an uncontrollable need to tell you that I noticed you immediately over here. I've been coming to this bar for quite some time and never have I been so entranced by a stranger. So if you tell me nothing else about yourself, please tell me what brought you here. What are you waiting for?"
Slowly she begins to turn towards him, her face was painfully gorgeous. She smiles gently and replies.
"Someone like you."
He smiles to himself. He liked that fantasy so much more. For a moment he almost felt like an old version of himself he could barely remember anymore. As he was trying to soak in the feeling of that moment his socks decided to soak in the water that now began to move through the small holes in his boots. He grunted a bit and looked down at the boots he had been so exclusive with for the past two years. He wished he had taken better care of himself. Sara told him to buy new ones because she hated those boots. He suddenly realized that he had been wearing them for so long to spite her.
His philosophy professor once told him that life is made up of a series of chain reactions and we don't always know how they're going to relate until we're already suffering from the consequences. Maybe had he taken anyone's advice and moved on from this he wouldn't be literally standing in a puddle of regret, ruining one of the nicest moments he'd had in months. As he looked away from his ruined boots and back towards the mysterious stranger he got very still. She was now watching him. The heavy rainfall distorted her face so he couldn't make out any features. He wasn't sure if it was his imagination but it almost looked like she was smiling at him. Was he smiling back?
No!
He smiled quickly and tried to tapper back some of his excitement which equated to a weird half smile, plastered on his face for too long. He thought that maybe he should wave, but that seemed too desperate in his mind. So he simply extended his hand out to the rain instead and caught the drops on his palm.
Why am I just standing here catching rain? She's giving you a chance, take it!
But he couldn't do it, fear left him completely immobile. It took him a second just to realize he had been awkwardly catching the rain for what seemed like forever. He dropped his hand quickly. She just watched him. It seemed as though her smile was gone.
She must have realized I'm not as intriguing as she thought. Well obviously she did, you're just standing here playing with the rain. Why have you lost the ability to be a man? Fuck you Sara. You took everything from me.
He knew it wasn't Sara's fault anymore. But it was easier to blame her then to blame the real culprit...himself. After all, he was the victim in all of this, wasn't he? He did what he was supposed to while they were together. He loved her unconditionally, supported whatever she wanted to do, apologized when he was wrong. She used him and threw him away like garbage.
Well maybe not garbage. I probably could have been more romantic. But she just moved on with her life like I never existed
.
Out of sight, out of mind
.
As the beautiful stranger seemed to smile again and turned away from him he wondered if she was anything like Sara. He wondered if she was also too good to be true.
One Hour Earlier
Her day had been long. The night shift again. However, the night shift isn't nearly as bad when it no longer reminds you that you're there instead of at home with your family. She used to be so excited to go home after a long day. No matter how exhausted she may have been, Sam would always be there waiting for her. His warm smile melted her every time and revived her better than even the best night's sleep could. But he's not there anymore. He needed something more than her. She wasn't his forever the way she once thought he'd be. She was simply another number for him. Now he can say he dated a nurse.
She had been throwing herself into her work for months now trying to forget about him. It wasn't working. The bar she went to that night wasn't the most popular one or the cleanest but she didn't want to be bothered by anyone she knew. As she sat at the small table in the corner of the room she noticed a man sitting alone at the bar. He seemed sad and lost somewhere in his head. The light at the bar was causing the blue in his eyes to stand out. They were a deep shade of blue, mysterious looking. She wondered why he was so sad and what might have brought him to the bar.
