Headlights

     In-between each squeak of the wipers, Sofia's gaze lingered out the water kissed windshield. The raindrops that dance between the luminescent glow of a rusty Fords unpolished headlights imperiously pull at the strings of her heart. A rosary sways from the review, a faded ballcap lies in the back. The lingering scent of Old Spice oozes comfort into her core as the radios faded melody brings her back to years before. Twirling a silver band around her ring finger, a faint smile breaks the corner of her lips.

     She remembers it well. The crunch of the gravel beneath her shoes, the crisp September breeze dancing with the sweat upon her cheeks. Humid from the storm clouds riding the horizon, her pace began to weaken as she approached the final kilometer.

     Three weeks had passed since the final sunset of summer. Falling back into the flow of university's demanding schedule continued to play at the strings of her heart as she found herself reminiscing once again on dock side memories; made underneath the sweetness of a cotton candy sky on many of the summers temperate July evenings. Crowded within her thoughts about school, desire began to fade from her steps as her pace slowed down to a walk. Focusing on balancing the steadiness of her breath, headphones protected her ears from the rolling thunder overhead. Twisting with the hairband that held her ponytail secure and high, her fingers massaged against the pressure along her scalp as her long hair flowed down the length of her back.

     An apricot glow danced within the deep purple sky as the falling sun squeezed light through a fast-approaching curtain of rain. Although captivated by her surroundings that were engulfed by the sky's glowing yellow haze, Sofia recognized the scent of rain growing stronger still as the rumbling clouds above devoured what was left of the wishful evening sky. Without worrying about the state of her hair, Sofia regained a quicker pace as her focus locked on the road before her.

     Deacon's tires slipped sideways as quickly he turned onto a gravel road, his wipers full speed had nothing against the downpour that showed little interest in subsiding. A crack of thunder overhead caused the radio to static, inviting Deacon to fiddle with the dial in hopes of finding a clearer station. Advancing over a hill at a cautious speed, Deacon had noticed between each squeak of the wipers, a bobbing figure hugging the ditch line on the right side of the road. He squinted through the unstoppable downpour as his headlights brought recognition to the figure jogging along the side of the ditch. He had driven on by before peering in his review when suddenly his wheels came to a stop.

     Sofia remembers squinting, and how frustrating it was to run in such a rain. Mud covered the back of her calves, her quads begun to burn as she struggled to pass over the thickening mud. Just as a mindset of hopelessness had begun to sink in, from over the top of the slippery hill before her, a pair of headlights broke through the never-ending downfall of rain. Sofia had begun to walk as cautiously the truck passed by. Her rosy cheeks were lit up by red taillights as only a few feet before her the trucked slowed down to a stop. Sofia approached the truck with discretion. She saw the driver from within the back window, lean over to push the passenger's door open upon her approach.

     "Hop in!" he invited, while extending his hand. Sofia wrapped her fingers around his and he helped her step up into the truck.

     "Thank you," she expressed while wiping away long strands of wet hair as it clung to the sides of her face.

     "I'm Sofia," she introduced as she turned towards him.

     "Deacon," he smiled as recognition clouded over Sofia's gaze. Hair messy from a long day's work, Sofia remembers the way it curled down the back of his tanned red neck. She remembers the way his black t-shirt hugged tightly against the strong muscles of his arms. She remembers how the dust on his dashboard must have been the same dust from his jeans.