As she finished unpacking the last of the cardboard boxes, Carmen examined her new apartment. It was much smaller than she was used to, having just left the cluttered luxury of the place Matt and her had slowly turned into their home over 5 years. The idea of exploring a life of total independence seemed scary at first, but now Carmen felt a strong urge to get out into the world again. Carmen looked at herself in the stand-up mirror. Her wavy brown hair had become quite long, falling down her back. Though she felt she looked a bit older, around her eyes especially, Carmen still felt confident in herself.
Carmen remembered when someone had told her she looked like an old movie star, and with her dark eyes and pouty lips she could almost see a resemblance. Going to the gym and living a healthy lifestyle for the last several years had paid off in terms of her body - she was in the best shape of her life, her already athletic build especially lean and with light muscle tone.
Carmen and Matt's relationship had been comfortable and fulfilling for several years. But once they decided to move into their large penthouse apartment together, Carmen started noticing warning signs. Matt grew distant and self-involved. The intimate time that they spent together and their sexual bond dwindled away.
She recalled, feeling a sad twinge of nostalgia, the initial weeks of their relationship. She saw in his eyes a dark intensity that made her both scared and excited. This intensity was the thing that pulled Carmen towards him. He spoke in a reserved way, and opened up to her even more rarely. But when he did open up to her, the intense emotion came torrentially - like the spring storm that flooded the city on their third weekend together.
It was one of the first really hot nights of the summer. Carmen waited for Matt on a park bench, watching the people walk by. Thunder cracked and a heavy downpour began. Carmen did not run for cover - in fact, she hardly even noticed the rain. She was thinking about Matt. Streams of water ran down her shoulder-length hair and onto her t-shirt, soaking it through and making it stick to her skin. Matt rode towards her on his bicycle, through the dark fog of the rain.
Matt was tall, with dark brown hair. He had a strange handsomeness that did not immediately jump out. For most women, it took time to understand the intricacies of Matt's face, but Carmen had felt an almost immediate spark. He pulled up in front of her.