Burn for You

4

Serena
I didn't have a plan when I dragged him out here and I didn't have a plan when I decided to walk around with him and abandon my car.

"Why do you come to the bar?" I looked up at him as he stared straight ahead.

"Why does anybody?" I shrugged and adjusted my jacket over my arm.

"To have fun, to forget, to think, all sorts of stuff but why do you go?"

"Is this your attempt to get to know me and have a deep conversation?" I chuckled slightly and pushed my hair back.

"No," I licked my lips and sighed "just trying to make conversation. Maybe understand you a little bit." He hummed and we continued walking. "Speaking of conversation, what's with being so rude when I saw you at the station?"

He looked down at me, almost embarrassed. "I don't know. It was my first reaction I guess."

"Being rude is your first reaction?" He chuckled lightly, a small but deep dimple peeking out.

"I guess." I sighed and stopped in place, lifting my arms and stretching.

My jacket fell to the ground but I continued. The breeze hitting my exposed lower stomach and the smell of fresh, summer air refreshed me.

I took a peek to see Grayson standing in front of me with his hands in his pockets.

My hands dropped to their sides as I approached him. "Stretch with me Grayson." My voice was low but playful as I lightly touched his arms.

"..ok." He said hesitantly.

We stretched up and I smiled at him. I waited for him to close his eyes for me to do the same. "Now breathe," I said through a deep inhale.

"What are we stretching for?"

"No special reason. Just learned from somewhere that you should always stretch, keeps your body young." I groaned slightly as I released and wiggled my arms around.

"It's midnight and we are on a sidewalk. I'm sure they didn't mean now." I chuckled and leaned down to pick my jacket up.

"Well we aren't doing anything else, might as well do it now." I held my jacket close to my chest as I stared up at him.

He sighed, placing his hands in his pockets and looking around. "My wife's...my ex-wife's brother came to pick her stuff up today."

I watched as he walked to the edge of the sidewalk and sat down, his arm resting on his knee as the other ran through his hair.

"We got married because she was pregnant and her parents thought I'd be best," I slowly approached him and sat down next to him. "We were too young to get married. No matter how in love we were or thought we were." He chuckled at himself.

"Still, I tried to make the best of it. Treated her how I saw my father treat my mother. Took extra care of her and the baby...until she had a miscarriage." His voice was low as he trailed off. He paused for a moment, a look of deep thought covering his features.

He looked as if he was replaying his entire experience over again in his head like he did when he first told me he was getting a divorce.

"I was crushed. Even if we didn't expect it and weren't entirely ready for it, I was getting ready and I thought she was too... but I was the only one who was crushed. She was upset for a week or two at first but I'm sure it wasn't about the baby. More about that fact that she was married to me for no reason." He sighed and dropped his head between his knees.

I did the same, looking at him through the gaps between our legs. He turned to look at me, slight confusion on his face at what I was doing before he smiled and laughed.

His eyes watered as he sat up and continued to laugh deeply and gently at my childish actions.

He cleared his throat, a smile still on his face.

"Anyways, we stayed married for a long time after that. She did end up getting pregnant again but it ended the same way. This time, she didn't even pretend to be upset. She continued to go out every night and have the time of her life while I stayed home... cooked, cleaned, stayed up, and waited for her to come home safely only to have to get up and work the next day... I wouldn't say I was perfect but I know I tried."

He didn't look so sad anymore but angry. His jaw was clenched slightly and his eyebrows were slightly furrowed like he was thinking hard about it.

"One night, she accidentally texted me that she had fun and that she 'loved how deep they got.'" He chuckled and covered his face.

I rolled my lips up in an attempt not to laugh.

"I'm sorry, not the time, but is that like...a pun?" He chuckled louder and nodded. I put my hand over my lips and laughed quietly.

"It's fine to laugh. I laughed at the time too." Our laughs turned into light chuckles before disappearing into the air.

He stared forward, a slight smile still on his face. "I told her she had to be gone by the time I got home from work. Despite that," he stood up and stuffed his hands in his pockets, staring down at me. "She still didn't leave. She begged me to stay with her and that she was sorry. She even managed to muster up some tears... we were married for ten years and my twenties were basically gone because I held onto something that would've never made it."

I placed my hand on the concrete and pushed myself up, dusting my hand on my pant leg as I stood in front of him.

"That's a lot to unpack there Grayson." He nodded with a sad smile.

"Yea but try not to. Moving it out as fast as possible is the goal."

"Mm..yea."

"Yea.."