Odessa's Choice

Pretty girls dance in the rain

Mike

What was wrong with this girl? You didn’t just go sauntering around Spring Valley, especially late at night and in the full moon. She was definitely from out of town. She kicked some rocks, scuffing her already worn converses. “Shit, shit, shit.” She let out a wail that belonged in a horror film before she turned towards my house and I saw her tears. “I know you’re there…and I can feel you watching me.” I made my way towards her as slowly as possible. “Are you ok? Are you lost?”                     “Is that Harley yours?” I smiled. So she was just going to ignore my question, ok cool.“Yeah. I’m Mike.” I held my hand out.                                                                   “Can you give me a lift into town Mike?” She ignored my hand and straddled my true love Nicole.“What right now?” She nodded and licked her lips.

This was a bad idea, she was a bad girl. I could tell by the way she gripped my thighs as I drove her to town. “Stop right here.” I cut the engine and she jump off as I’d barely come to a stop. “I need wine, we need wine.” I laughed and rubbed the back of my neck.“Look, I’d love to but, I live here. Everyone here knows everyone and everything about everyone, we live in each other’s pockets. They all know me here. No one will serve me.” She raised her brow and removed her sweater from her waist and chucked it at me. “Catch. I’m about to go get us some drink.”

I watched from the window as she sashed into the liquor store. I saw her peruse the wines like a connoisseur before asking Marco which one he preferred. She smiled and fluttered her eyelids a lot, playing with the neck line of her top. She licked her lips and laughed. I couldn’t read her lips from where I was standing but I knew she had Marco eating out of the palm of his hand. He nodded as she blew him a kiss. She took five steps outside before waving the bottle of wine. “Look what I got Mike.” She giggle after she said my name. I liked the way she made it sound M-UH-III-K-UH.“Yeah I saw, well done. So where are we drinking this?”                  “We?” She pushed her lips together and shook her head. “Uh uh. Me, just me.”    “So you used me for my ride?”                                                                                          “I’m sure it’s not the first and last time a woman will use you for what she wants, next time get it in writing before letting me hop on your ride.” And then she ran off. Like seriously ran, like I was going to chase her, maybe that’s what she wanted.

I tried to fight every instinct telling me not to chase after her but the thoughts in my head wouldn’t quit. She’s new here, she’s about to get drunk, she’s a girl out late, she’s a girl full stop. “Shit.” I just wanted a quiet night. I only went outside to feed the dog and now it was raining and I was in the town centre about to hunt down a girl whose name I didn’t even know.

When I saw her I felt more than relief, she was alive. Alive and well. “Hey” I yelled as she danced in the rain.  Her sweater was long gone and her clothes were soaked. I felt like a jerk by admitting how hard the sight of her all wet got me. “Mike, come and join me.” She raised the bottle in the air and made her way to me. When she reached me she poured drink down my throat without any prior warning. I jumped back spluttering. “Stop I’m driving back.”         

“Boo hoo, buzzkill.” She danced her way over to the bridge. “Don’t you just love the rain?” Was that a serious question? “Umm no.”                                                         “Why not? Let’s just dance in the rain, come on, dance with me.” She unbuttoned her shirt and I looked away. “Stop that.”                                                                     “Can’t handle a little boobage? Just take a swig and we’ll dance.”                            “I’m not dancing with you.” I folded my arms to let her know I meant what I said.“Fine.” She huffed. “Screw you.” Then she threw off her shirt and did something that would haunt me for the rest of my life.

She climbed over the barrier and jumped off the bridge.

I ran over to see if she was still alive and she was lying on some grass. “See I’m a okay Mike.” She could have killed herself, or broken her neck or worse. How was I gonna get her back up? Groaning brought me out of my own head. She was sitting up slowly. “Ha, maybe I should have left the wine.” She’d cut herself. Her leg was bleeding pretty bad, I couldn’t see where the bottle was, I didn’t know if I wanted to see it.