Metamorphosis (550 hits)
Category: RomanceRating: 2 on 8 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Lutes <absolutes18.at.hotmail.com> (View user info) at 2005-03-03 20:01:59 EST
Shadows flickered in a slow dance across Sam's face as outside the café window, the sun rejoiced in a game of hide-and-seek with the clouds. She sipped her hot beverage, eyes languidly soaking in the pages of her favourite novel. Sam often turned to the familiar story whenever she was upset, and today she felt as unsettled as the current weather. She had risen that morning with a sense of foreboding and, unable to shake it off, she had decided to stop for a quick doughnut in an attempt to relax her nerves.
That was how Bryan saw her as he walked in: idly stirring her cup and looking as pretty as he remembered. He paused, his hand on the door. He had purposely hunted down Sam's location, but it had been a long time since they had last seen each other and Bryan assumed she would not be very pleased by his unexpected return. It was tempting to leave and avoid the inevitable confrontation, but he had come so far to see her again. Pushing aside his hesitation, he approached her table.
A new shadow crossed her novel, blocking out the text. Sam looked up patiently, expecting her waiter.
"Hello, Sam."
"Bryan?" The book dropped from her hand.
"How've you been?"
She stared at him in disbelief. What was he doing here after all this time? And how could he stand there so nonchalantly, as if nothing had ever happened between them?
Her evident distress pushed all of the practiced lines out of his memory. "I've missed you," Bryan blurted instead, sitting down without invitation.
Sam could think of no better response than to scald his face with the remnants of her coffee mug, but struggled to restrain her initial reaction. She would not satisfy him by acting uncivilized in public.
He risked a mild smile, quickly filling the unnerving silence. "Haven't you missed me?"
Sam regarded him coldly, her darkened eyes showing no sign of the warmth he had once been accustomed to. "What's there to miss?"
Her caustic reply had been expected, but no amount of preparation could completely block the sting. Bryan adopted a playful tone that sounded strained even to his own ears, and reached forward to caress her arm. "That doesn't sound like the Sammy I used to know."
She jerked away from his hand, mouth tightening in anger. "Please don't call me that."
Bryan sat back against the chair in defeat. "Old habit," he muttered.
"Break it."
This was not going as he had previously hoped. Bryan sighed, inadvertently feeling a sullen twinge of pride. He had hurt her, perhaps beyond reconciliation, and then learned afterwards that she had lost the baby. Despite this, he had not broken her. Beneath Sam's gentle demeanour was a fiery will he had always admired.
From the other side of the table, Sam unhappily scrutinized the man in front of her: Bryan hadn't changed much over the years. He had grown a few inches taller and gained a little weight, but the charcoal hair she had once loved running her fingers through was still a hopelessly tangled mess. Looking at him now, she could vividly remember their old passion, and her traitorous lips parted with the desire to feel his mouth against hers.
"Listen, Sam..." he trailed off hopelessly.
"I don't know why, but I am listening. Why are you here?"
"I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am."
"Sorry for what?" she asked, incredulous. "Sorry for dumping me as soon as you found out I was pregnant? Sorry for coming back now when I was finally learning to live with myself again? Jesus! Do you understand the pain I had to suffer when you left us like that? She was the only thing I loved more than you, and then I lost both of you without warning. Frankly, I'm sorry we ever met!"
Bryan averted his eyes. He could deal with her anger, but he could not stand to see the tears staining her flushed cheeks.
Embarrassed to have displayed her vulnerability, Sam got up from the table and blindly clutched her purse. "I have to go."
"Wait!" Bryan stood up as well, desperate to stall her hasty exit. "You told me the test was positive and well... I freaked. I know I was a jerk, but we were only seventeen and any guy would've done the same! You loved me once, Sammy, and what's done is done. Why can't we just start over?"
Sam turned and studied him for a moment, half contemplating his plea. The spiel was typical of Bryan and his face was hopeful, reminding her all too well of the childish boy she had fallen for. Part of her yearned to feel his arms around her again, to share the grief she had silently carried for the past two years. But even as she entertained the thought, her abdomen cramped with the memories of his cruel departure, and the misery of the miscarriage that had followed. No, she was wiser now, and could never let him have the chance to hurt her like that again. Sam swallowed, feeling the bitter taste of loss rising in her throat, and instantly knew her answer.
"Things change."
And with those words burning the air between them, words he had once carelessly broken her heart with, she walked out of his life.
User Reviews
Submitted by ruthless (user info) at 2005-05-06 15:46:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2005-03-19 17:03:10 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
A good read.
Submitted by mrwolf (user info) at 2005-03-04 10:44:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
God damn it, get back on the MRR, this deserves more than 151 hits.
Submitted by mrwolf (user info) at 2005-03-04 10:23:57 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
"words he had once carelessly broken her heart with,"
wow.... stunning
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2005-03-04 06:52:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Strong writing. Nice.
Submitted by spedmonkey (user info) at 2005-03-03 22:08:01 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I was expecting something along the lines of Kafka. Guess not.
Submitted by epiphany (user info) at 2005-03-03 21:52:38 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
languid = superb
Nice.
Submitted by TigerLilly (user info) at 2005-03-03 20:14:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Yes!