Barren | ✓

l i m e

"you're such a bore!"

"what do you want me to do, dance?"

"well not dance, but a little spontaneity wouldn't hurt."

brian rolled his eyes. trust his girlfriend to keep prodding him in the direction he wasn't comfortable towards.

haley had been his high school sweetheart. they'd known each other since kindergarten and what once started out as being cradle besties turned out to become the romance of a lifetime.

she was the classic extrovert, he was the textbook introvert.

they were perfect for each other.

at 20, brian and haley were both at the summit of their love, having already declared their intentions of wanting to spend the rest of their lives together.

college was looming around the corner and their paths were beginning to diverge.

it was scary.

"well don't worry, distance won't keep us apart. if we've managed to stick together all these years, we'll do so ahead too. besides, a little distance from you wouldn't be the worst thing," added brian playfully and earned a smack in return.

in his heart, he wish he could have eased in the same confidence.

as months drew on, the fervour of love seemed at its peak. phone calls were daily, texts were umpteen and love was floating heavier than caviar on a rich man's yacht.

even long distance seemed trivial.

and then, it gradually seeped in. schedules became rigorous, timings no longer matched. efforts were more self-directed than applied to the opposite person.

silences began to increases, conversations reduced, conversations would get heated quickly. the extroverted introverted affair was beginning to see another side of the coin.

one that neither liked.

it was christmas eve when haley sat on the sofa, fuming her mind out. it was her birthday tomorrow and contrary to try and bridge the gap, they'd gotten into a huge couple's spat.

"brian, i am sick and tired of your dumb schedule and routine! can't you for once actually do something fun with your life?"

"you know what, that's it! i've had it up to here with you and your spontaneity. this is who i am and its about time you deal with it!"

before a retort could be acidly shot back, the line had gone dead.

haley sat for hours in the front of the tv, alternating between crying out of anger and crying because the relationship of her life was failing right before her eyes.

but she couldn't help it.

no matter how hard she tried, things always got bumpy instead of easy.

screw spontaneity!

haley pushed herself off the couch and wiped her face hastily. her friends were at the bar anyway drowning themselves in the festivities of christmas, she could probably join them and blow away some of her worries.

she took a deep breath 15 minutes later, admiring her appearance in the mirror as she looked ready to kill.

picking off the keys, she opened the door with her usual flair when her breath hitched and a low whistle left her lips.

screw spontaneity indeed.

before she knew it, brian had latched his lips onto hers with a finesse that left her thoughts long behind, the lemon in his mouth dazzling her senses with a current she hadn't felt ever.

she reciprocated with more than enough hunger as she lost ground, letting him take over the steering wheel for once.

when they broke apart for air, brian smiled.

"how's that for spontaneity?"

"you're bat crazy, you know that right?"

brian smiled cheekily before letting his tongue lap at her lobe, his teeth nipping behind in obedience.

and that was the last thing she was consciously aware about before she upon the roller coaster of a lifetime.

the next day, she found herself being escorted around the city, finding herself at disneyland before ten in the morning.

there was not a single roller coaster she left behind that day.

the thrill was unprecedented, yet nothing could compare to the thrill she'd felt last night with everything she'd experienced with brian.

it was quite akin, she supposed.

everything was forgotten and everything was forgiven once the ride begun. and then, it was only adrenaline and the blood rushing up your mind in ways unimagined.

and perhaps that's what made relationships and rollercoasters even more fun.

the spontaneity.

🍋

- the zing of young love

🍋