Windows

Silver Window

The sky began to grow darker as quiet rumbles escaped through the density of the night's grey clouds. Quickening his pace, he took a right and walked down the street of Las Ondas. He stopped by a large white house with tall marble pillars holding the front balcony up. Seeing the silver reminded him of New Year's confetti flying through the air as he had his first kiss.

He had been invited to a New Year's party at Maribeth's house. Her parents were gone on vacation, so the whole town of Santa Barbara seemed to be invited. Partying really wasn't his scene, though, so with a drink his lips had only touched once, he ventured around the house. Mindlessly wandering, he found himself away from the crowd and escaping into the solidarity of the house's kitchen. But, movement in the corner of the room of long black hair swaying against a countertop caught his attention. Staring at the heart wrenching scene before him, he heard soft 'stop' pleas escaping from Maribeth's innocent, pale lips. Before he could comprehend his own actions, he was ripping a tall, dark man off of her, and shoving him out of the room.

"Jesus, dude! Chill! She was the one asking for it!" The man said, shaking his head as he left the two of them alone in the kitchen.

With wide, terrified brown eyes, Maribeth stared up at him with a look so enticing he couldn't look away. Seconds later, at the stroke of midnight, they had their first kiss, with silver confetti cascading down around them like raindrops. He felt as if every care in the world couldn't touch him, as long as she was in his arms.

That night he took her home. He sat up with her all night on the couch as she puked her alcohol away into a bright blue recycling bin until she fell asleep. He stroked her silky black hair as she slept peacefully with her head in his lap. She was his first love. But, that was why, from the bills on the counter and the foreclosure sign hanging on the front door of his house, he knew he had to let her go.