smokin' | louigan

twenty-six

"you haven't changed at all." rudy sniffed and smiled widely at louise. she brushed a strand of black hair behind her ear, brown eyes rolling. she walked around the bar to stand next to him. they quickly stepped outside under the streetlight. she eyed logan bussing a few tables inside.

"of course i haven't; i've been stuck here all year, dillhole." her tone was joking, but there was a touch of bitterness that kissed rudy's skin. she glanced at rudy. she had missed him. missed his face and his hair and his laugh. she remembered climbing to the roof under the soft moonlight, skin on skin, vodka on lips. she looked away.

he sighed, trying to find the words, any words, to make up for what happened.

"c'mon, lou. i didn't have a choice." she nodded solemnly and turned away. a yellow taxi passed. a group of teenagers ran along the sidewalk across the street, clouds of smoke and glitter puffing from their lips. rudy found her hand and entwined their fingers like the knot in louise's stomach.

"i never stopped thinking about you, y'know. you were my first, and i don't think i could ever forget you." he squeezed her small hand in his, smiling as she squeezed back.

"still asthmatic?" louise jested.

"always," he replied. they laughed together, a raw sort of music. louise crashed into his chest. she clung to his narrow waist, sighing as he pulled the clip out of her hair and ran his fingers through. she remembered laying her head on his chest and feeling the rumble of his laughter on her cheek.

logan watched louise wrap her arms around the lanky customer. he couldn't look away. he saw the relaxed smile on her face and the closeness of their hips and oh god he couldn't look away.

a customer soon rushed over, blotting the blood from his hand with a bunch of white paper napkins. shards of a bloody drinking glass laid haphazardly on the table. he couldn't f*cking look away.