smokin' | louigan

forty-eight

the coffee machine rang out suddenly, jolting louise from her stupor as she leaned against the kitchen counter. she rubbed her eyes quickly, blindly reaching into an open cabinet for a mug.

3:32 a.m. she'd gotten a good few hours of sleep before abruptly waking from a bad dream. she'd woken up in a cold sweat, her heart racing wildly in the confines of her ribcage, though she felt the organ was desperately trying to leap from her body.

she poured herself some coffee, adding in a few spoonfuls of sugar and stirring. she found a seat on the sofa, chills running down her spine as a strong breeze entered through the open windows. she sighed and took a sip, the burn of hot coffee leaving her tongue throbbing, though she only drank more. 

her eyes began to droop once more with some much-wanted sleep when a car alarm started to blare outside. she jolted in her seat, "sh*t!" she yelled, as the coffee had swirled over the rim and onto her arm and hand. she could feel her face heat up in anger as she stormed over to the open window and looked outside, eyes scouring the lit street. 

though it wasn't a car alarm, but rather a car horn, that was blaring quite loudly. she squinted in the darkness and could make out the reason the car was blaring. a figure stood in the dark street, stepping along the yellow lines of the road as a car tried to pass. she blinked and looked closer,

the short hair, the paling skin, the cigarette smoke. 

she slammed her coffee down on the kitchen counter and grabbed her keys. as she exited the apartment, the car was already racing down the street. she could hear the loud bass of the song even as the car turned the corner. 

louise stepped off the sidewalk and found his hard gaze. as she moved closer, he took another drag of his cigarette. he turned to face her, the smoke mixing with her exhaling breaths. they stood a few yards apart now. 

"you, uh, got some blood on your face," louise stated, fingers fumbling together almost nervously. logan met her gaze, a hint of a smile painfully lifting his split lips.

"nice line, belcher. how many guys you pick up with that one?" he asked sarcastically. she scoffed softly and brought a hand close to her face, examining her recently-painted fingernails absentmindedly.

"well, it usually works on girls, but..." she trailed off, smiling widely as he let out a deep laugh. it seemed to echo down the street, or maybe just in her ears. logan suddenly gripped his abdomen, the smile becoming a small grimace.

"this is the only time i'll ever say this, but don't make me laugh louise."

"better be the only time," she reprimanded lightly, before crossing her arms tightly over her chest and resuming a more solemn tone, "but seriously, what happened to you?" he smirked. his hand fumbled with the cigarette, toying it between his fingers. 

"huh, you should see the other guy." the cigarette was back between his lips.

"logan," louise retorted sternly, suddenly plucking the cig from his mouth and taking a long drag herself with an annoyed roll of her eyes.

"i saw rudy."

"rudy?" she jested confused, another drag of smoke leaving her lips. he eyed her for a few moments before sighing.

"yeah, yeah. rudy," he mocked, "great guy." louise looked at logan, her stare unblinking and unnerving.

"yeah, i know how to pick 'em, don't i?" she muttered, finishing off the cigarette and throwing it down onto the concrete. the pair watched it smolder for a few moments longer before it ultimately burnt out. they both found the irony in it.

"ha. ha. ha. very funny," he retorted, reaching into his pocket. louise's eyes watched the pack of cigarettes emerge from his pocket; she held her hand out and he complied. before he could offer his lighter she was already taking a drag. she met his gaze.

"i always keep a lighter on me," she answered curtly, taking a smooth drag from her cigarette. he smirked,

"have you always been a pyromaniac?" he asked. she rolled her eyes.

"not until i met you, i suppose."

"you suppose?"

"yeah."

"how posh."

"thanks."

"wasn't a compliment."

"didn't think so."

pause. a still took over the pair. sudden and surreal. louise sighed. logan felt a sudden breeze brush over his ears. he rolled his shoulders back, calmly puffing on his cigarette.

"ugh," suddenly exclaimed, a repulsed look twisting her features as she pulled the cigarette from her mouth.

"what?" logan responded, looking over at her. louise's profile was lit by the bright moonlight and his eyes caught on her features, those of an artwork. she sighed in disgust. 

"i just realized this is menthol." their laughs were small over the rushing wind. louise shook her head and took another puff anyway. "come on, bush," she stated with a small smile, gesturing to the apartment.

"inviting me inside? don't you remember what happened last time?" he asked lowly, averting his eyes away from her strong gaze as he took another puff off his cigarette.

"i can't forget." she turned away from him before he had the chance to meet her gaze, her eyes of stone that had softened for him, just for him, for logan berry bush.