Short Stories

To Fall In Love

Curls bounced out of the grey hood as she walked beside me. They barely peeked out, jiggling with each step. Her strides were long and fluid, and she outstretched her foot with each step.

Her exposed legs looked exceptionally beautiful in the dimming light as the sun set all around us. She hardly ever spoke, yet now her soft voice echoed down the empty dirt road. She told me about books and music, and how she loved the lake.

Her hand whispered to mine, beckoning me to grasp it. Her slender fingers looked so lonely against the bleak grey of her sweatshirt. You could just see the tip of her palm before her sleeves ate her arm up.

She stopped suddenly, and stared out at the serene, empty lake. It cast grey and pale blue shadows along the features of her face. Her shoes were off and sat silently beside me. A grey mass blanketed them, and I looked up at her as she picked her way along the black rocks to the edge of the water. Her small feet grasped the rough corners of the stones until they reached the sweet release of the water.

The wind flicked her hair across her face, and a smile formed in her cheeks. She never let herself grin with her mouth, only her eyes and cheeks.

After she'd been satisfied with the silence of the water, she returned to me, picking up her shoes and sweatershirt as she began to walk again. I watched her hips sway with each step, the way she extended her leg to reach for the dirt.

For a split second, I imagined those legs around my waist and my hips against hers.

The thought slipped away as we reached the ashes of an old fire. She picked up a broken twig and poked the ash, letting it fall to white dust. She began to swirl the ash around until she found the glowing embers she desired.

The blue grey shadows of the water melted away against the bright orange light of the tiny fire. Suddenly, her whole face was illuminated by the small flames. I saw her lips curve slightly, and her eyes mute the brightness of the fire.

I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to press my lips against hers very softly and place my hand on her cheek to pull her closer. I wanted to feel those lips curve just slightly against my own as they pressed against me. I wanted my other hand to stray to her hair, and her own fingers to grasp at the back of my neck. I wanted to kiss her so badly.

But she stood up and walked away again. I stared at the fire a moment longer, and watched her face disappear in the smoke.