S M O K E

11. Time

A week later
we were walking in the park side by side

I had met Ink
—considering her real name was Ingrid, it worked effortlessly—
after work and we had decided to take a walk while we smoked her cigarettes

There was nothing to tell me that I had a chance with Ink
nor was I expecting
but when I took her hand in my own
as we walked
I felt that one way or another she would remain in my life

Ink didn’t look at me as we walked
fingers entwined, but I gave a shiver when her thumb brushed across my palm
yes
yes, this would work