The prompt song this week was:
I Try, by Macy Gray
Lily ignored the physical rejection of her attempt at a hug;
at least he’d allowed the peck on the cheek. She watched him hurriedly walk
away to the other side of the busy train station, a sudden heaviness on her
chest, and a sickness in her stomach. By the time she’d reached the train,
there were tears in her eyes. She missed him already.
The day had been perfect, their nervousness diminishing after the first hour. He was friendly, attentive, and interested. It made her feel renewed. It made her feel there was a chance. But now he was gone again, with no idea of anything further.
She stared at her reflection in the train window. He had no idea how closely she’d been watching him, how much she knew about his movements; the places he’d been to, the parties he’d gone to. How many times she’d resisted a comment on social media that would give it all away. But she couldn’t help herself, not where he was concerned. Not since they’d met at Joleen’s party.
Lily stared at pictures of him on social media all the time. She imagined conversations with him, drinking with him…sex with him. She bit her lower lip. What would that be like?
Her mobile phone beeped, and her heart leapt when she saw it was from him. “Good to see you,” he said. “You free next week?” A rush of adrenaline ran through her, banishing all the sadness. She sent a text back with a simple ‘Yes’. A few seconds later he responded with ‘I’ll call you. We’ll set something up.”
She waited, but he clearly didn’t mean now. She had no idea when it might be, but she was happy that it might happen at all.
Lily tucked the phone back in her pocket.
*
Roger looked at his phone, his heart thumping. He’d done it. He’s asked for the second date. Had he been too casual? He didn’t want to seem too keen. He still shook slightly after her attempt to hug him. He couldn’t let her do that - that was too much - that would give it all away. He had to keep the cool exterior. He couldn’t risk her seeing what she did to him. If they embraced he’d struggle to let her go, he knew he would.
After all this time they had finally met up. He’d scanned the timelines too for months, for any mention of her going to any of the parties he was attending. He’d waited avidly for her to ‘like’ any of the events, but she’d been absent. And then finally he’d managed to bring about a meeting - coincidentally been where she was. She always tagged the place when she went shopping, so it wasn’t hard.
But he’d thought about it for weeks. Would she see through it? Would she know? Would he be able to do it? Could he approach her and pretend to be relaxed and surprised to see her? Would she respond? Be interested? He thought she might, but until that moment he hadn’t known. It had taken a lot to get the nerve up.
And it had been perfect. She’d been in no hurry to leave. She’d been happy to join him for something to eat. And she’d lingered – or had it been his imagination? He didn’t think so, not after she attempted to hug him.
He tried not to berate himself for his reaction, but he hadn’t expected her to do that. Not yet. He wasn’t ready for that yet – not in reality. He’d gone over it a hundred times in his mind. How he would hold on to her, embrace her, and then kiss her.
He stood up. He had to break that thought process, save it for later when he wasn’t in public. He looked up at the board to see which platform his train was on, and started heading that way.
So when was he going to call her? How soon was too soon? And what would he say?
His mind buzzed as he boarded his train.
The day had been perfect, their nervousness diminishing after the first hour. He was friendly, attentive, and interested. It made her feel renewed. It made her feel there was a chance. But now he was gone again, with no idea of anything further.
She stared at her reflection in the train window. He had no idea how closely she’d been watching him, how much she knew about his movements; the places he’d been to, the parties he’d gone to. How many times she’d resisted a comment on social media that would give it all away. But she couldn’t help herself, not where he was concerned. Not since they’d met at Joleen’s party.
Lily stared at pictures of him on social media all the time. She imagined conversations with him, drinking with him…sex with him. She bit her lower lip. What would that be like?
Her mobile phone beeped, and her heart leapt when she saw it was from him. “Good to see you,” he said. “You free next week?” A rush of adrenaline ran through her, banishing all the sadness. She sent a text back with a simple ‘Yes’. A few seconds later he responded with ‘I’ll call you. We’ll set something up.”
She waited, but he clearly didn’t mean now. She had no idea when it might be, but she was happy that it might happen at all.
Lily tucked the phone back in her pocket.
*
Roger looked at his phone, his heart thumping. He’d done it. He’s asked for the second date. Had he been too casual? He didn’t want to seem too keen. He still shook slightly after her attempt to hug him. He couldn’t let her do that - that was too much - that would give it all away. He had to keep the cool exterior. He couldn’t risk her seeing what she did to him. If they embraced he’d struggle to let her go, he knew he would.
After all this time they had finally met up. He’d scanned the timelines too for months, for any mention of her going to any of the parties he was attending. He’d waited avidly for her to ‘like’ any of the events, but she’d been absent. And then finally he’d managed to bring about a meeting - coincidentally been where she was. She always tagged the place when she went shopping, so it wasn’t hard.
But he’d thought about it for weeks. Would she see through it? Would she know? Would he be able to do it? Could he approach her and pretend to be relaxed and surprised to see her? Would she respond? Be interested? He thought she might, but until that moment he hadn’t known. It had taken a lot to get the nerve up.
And it had been perfect. She’d been in no hurry to leave. She’d been happy to join him for something to eat. And she’d lingered – or had it been his imagination? He didn’t think so, not after she attempted to hug him.
He tried not to berate himself for his reaction, but he hadn’t expected her to do that. Not yet. He wasn’t ready for that yet – not in reality. He’d gone over it a hundred times in his mind. How he would hold on to her, embrace her, and then kiss her.
He stood up. He had to break that thought process, save it for later when he wasn’t in public. He looked up at the board to see which platform his train was on, and started heading that way.
So when was he going to call her? How soon was too soon? And what would he say?
His mind buzzed as he boarded his train.
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