Echo in Her Mind

Thirty.

Ruben felt terrible. He wasn't sure if it was because he was no longer around Bethany, or because they always seemed to end up back at square one. He thought it was different this time, that the spark he had always felt finally reached her, but he must have got it wrong like he always did when it came to her.

He was stupid to believe she would ever feel anything for him. That wasn't how their story was supposed to end anymore.

He continued walking until he came across a bar that lit brightly among the dark street that he walked down, and he decided he could certainly use a drink.

As Ruben walked in the entrance, he was thankful to feel that none of the people inhabiting it were of his world. Just a bunch of humans with nothing better to do than drink their lives away like him at the present moment. He never thought he would be thankful for that.

He sat down at an empty space at the bar, next to a young brunette-haired woman, and ordered a shot of their strongest whiskey. Ruben hoped it would be enough to mask the empty feeling in his guy, but it didn't. And neither did the second, third, or fourth. The fifth, however, got him talkative enough to strike up a conversation with the young woman next to him, and he was very much grateful for even the slightest distraction.

Even though he found himself comparing every single aspect of the girl to Bethany, he did his best to keep the interaction going.

"So, what's a good-looking fellow like you doing in a bar all alone at this time of night? No wife or girlfriend to entertain?" She laughed, and took a sip of the beet she had ordered.

"I could ask you the same thing, ma'am." Ruben grinned his famous grin, and the girl smiled back.

"I'm Dessi." She introduced herself, sticking out her hand for him to shake. "Ruben," he responded and shook it.

"I love that name," Dessi said, and Ruben took notice of her mouth as her tongue grazed over her bottom lip seductively.

He knew what he was doing was wrong, knew that he would never forgive himself when he sobered up, but it was as if he were standing off to the side, watching himself flirt with this stranger, and then lean into kiss her.

Ruben knew he was very much intoxicated, but he found himself growing excited as the girl began kissing him back instantly. It felt wrong, but the mystery of it felt right.

He had spent all of his life with the perfect image of how his life was supposed to be, and who with. But he had finally come to the realization that it was never going to be like that. Bethany would never want him the way he wanted her, and he was tired of fawning after her like a lost puppy. He was an angel for God's sake; he could have anyone he wanted.

Except her.

He pulled away from the lip-lock with Dessi, and her eyes spoke everything that he needed to know about their next move. She stood up from her seat at the bar, threw some money on the counter for her drinks, and Ruben did the same. Their eyes never left each other as she reached out her delicate hand to his, grabbed it, and led him out of the bar.

In that very moment, Ruben had given up on his love, and any idea of Bethany, as he drunkenly wandered back to the apartment of the stranger he had just met.

One can only take so much heartbreak, and Ruben had officially reached his limit.

It was time to let her go.