The Next Level

He sat in the dark living-room, watching as the rain fell, droplet by droplet down the windowpane.  He couldn’t sleep.  All he could think about was her.  She was out there somewhere with another man.  Was she having a good time?  Did she have any idea of how much this was hurting him?

It was after mid-night.  He should hit the sack but he couldn’t sleep.  He dragged his fingers through his hair, his expression drawn.  Why did he have to go and fall in love with her?  Life was less complicated when they were just friends.  Then, one night, they were goofing around and the next thing he knew they were kissing wildly.  They ended up in bed.  Immediately after, she got dressed and got out of there fast.

For several weeks she avoided him.  She didn’t return his calls or answer his texts and emails.  And when he finally got through to her, she informed him that she was going on a date with some guy a co-worker set her up with.  When he asked her about what happened between them, she said that it was a mistake and that they should cool things off for a while.  That hurt like hell.  After she hung up, he went to a bar and got plastered.

The next morning, he woke up with a terrible hangover.  How he managed to get through the day, he had no idea.  As soon as five o’ clock rolled around, he walked out of the office.  He was tempted to go to a bar but headed straight home.  When he got in, he fixed himself something to eat but had to force himself to eat it.  After he cleaned up, he took a long, hot shower.

He tried to read but couldn’t concentrate.  He went on his laptop for a while but ended up going on his Facebook page to look at pictures of them together.  They looked so happy.  Agitated, he logged off and got up from the desk.  He went back into the living-room, turned on the television but he was distracted.  He turned it off and switched off the lights.  It was ten-thirty when he climbed into bed.  He lay on his back.  Outside the rain was falling.  He could hear it hitting against the window.  He closed his eyes but sleep evaded him.  He glanced at the clock.  It was eleven-fifteen.

Throwing off the covers, he climbed out of the bed and left the room.  He went into the drawing-room and sat down on the sofa.   He watched the rain droplets running down the windowpane.   At first, he thought he had imagined it.  Then, he heard it again–faint.  Someone was ringing the doorbell.  He got up and went to see who it was.  His eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat when he saw who it was.  He opened the door.  His eyes ran over her.  She was drenched.

“You’re soaking wet,” he exclaimed as he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her inside.  After he closed the door, he took her into the bedroom.  He turned on the light.  “You need to get out of that wet dress.  While you do that I’ll get you a towel to dry your head.”

He went and got a towel and took it back to the room.  He handed it to her.  She took it.  “Haydn, I’m sorry…”

“For what?” he asked, his expression tense as his eyes met hers.

“For the way I’ve been treating you.”

“When I wanted us to take our relationship to the next level, you made it painfully clear that you didn’t.”

She dropped the towel on the bed.  “I haven’t been honest with you.  After what happened between us that night, I panicked.  I didn’t know how to handle it so I needed a break.”

“I could understand you needing a break but why did you have to go on a blind date?  Do you have any idea how much that hurt me?”

“I’m sorry, Haydn.”  She moved towards him.

“Is that why you came?  To apologize?”

“Yes and to tell you that I’m ready to take our relationship to the next level if you still want to.”  She was standing very close to him now, looking up at him.

His eyes darkened on her upturned face and reaching for her, he moaned thickly, “Of course, I still want to.  Oh, Malika…”  He held her tightly against him as he kissed her passionately.  She put her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

As they exchanged kisses, he backed her over to the bed.  Then, he broke off he kiss long enough to strip and undress her before they were under the sheets making love love.  Outside the rain continued to fall.

He later found out that Malika had changed her mind and didn’t go on the blind date.  The two friends became lovers and the following year, they got married.

This was written for the Ragtag Daily Prompt for today’s prompt, Droplet.  If you’re interested in participating, click HERE for more information.

Toshiro’s Violation

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“No matter which way you spin this, you’re violating that poor woman.”

Toshiro looked at his sister, Miko.  She was livid which wasn’t surprising since she was a Human Rights Activist.  For some foolish reason he had told her about Ife.  Perhaps it was his guilty conscience which had been eating away at him.  He should have known that Miko would react this way.  He sighed.  “You’re right.”

“Stop getting your jollies with her.”

“It’s more than just sex for me, Miko.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve fallen in love with her.”

92 Words

This is the sequel to Ife’s Toilet Crisis

This is for the Weekend Writing Prompt by Sammi Cox. For instructions, click Here.

Chalise

I’ve tried to get every single memory of you out of my mind but it is like trying not to breathe.  You are all I think about.  Yours is the only face I see or want to see.  You are my past but I still want you to be my present and my future.  This is bloody pathetic, isn’t it?  I have an incredible woman in my life and I’m still hung up on you.

How is this fair to Vanessa?  She’s such a beautiful and amazing woman.  We met two years after you and I broke up.  I wasn’t looking for anything.  The last thing I wanted was to get into another relationship because I was such a wreck.

Before Vanessa, I tried to forget you with other women but that didn’t work.  I tried getting loaded but that didn’t work either and I’ve seen what alcohol did to my father.  I didn’t want to end up like him.  I traveled all over the place, trying to lose myself in the different cultures but that didn’t work either.  No matter what I did, I couldn’t wipe you, your face, your voice, your smell and the feel of you out of my memory.

Then, I met Vanessa and at first, being with her made me feel like a condemned prisoner who had just been pardoned.  For a while, she helped me to forget but then, I heard it–our song.  The song that we used to like to play in the background whenever we made love.  Hearing it again after all that time brought back memories I would rather forget and a longing that I had managed to suppress.  Everything began to unravel and I found myself thinking about you again and longing to be with you.  Vanessa could no longer save me from you or myself.  How can I look her in the face and tell her that I don’t love her?  That I never did?  That I had fooled her and myself into thinking that I did?

I have to face the truth.  I’m still in love with you and I will love you until the day I die.  If you were to tell me now that you want to get back together with me, I would dump Vanessa in a heartbeat.  I know that you’re not dating anyone.  I ask our friends about you.  I can tell that they feel sorry for me.  They think I’m pathetic but I don’t care.  I’m relieved that you’re not dating anyone.  The mere thought of you with another man makes me crazy.   You belong to me, Chalise, just as I belong to you.  Just say the word, and I will come running.  We belong together.  We can make it work this time.  Just say the word.

I just got your text.  My heart is racing.  You want us to hook up this evening at your place.  I can’t wait to see you, Chalise.  My arms ache to hold you and my body yearns to feel yours against it.   I know I’m being a bloody fool but I can’t help it.  Love does crazy things to people and I’m no exception.

I’m supposed to see Vanessa later but I’ll tell her that something urgent came up and I’ll see her tomorrow.  Tomorrow I will break up with her.  She deserves to be with a man who loves her and not me, a man who’s hung up on his ex.  I hope that after this evening, you won’t be my ex anymore but my woman again.    I believe that if two people are meant to be together, eventually they will find their way back to each other.  That’s you and me, Babe.

 

This was written for the Ragtag Daily Prompt for today’s prompt, Memory.  If you’re interested in participating, click HERE for more information.

Source:  Heartfelt Quotes

 

 

Love vs Tradition

“You’re such a hypocrite, Kaito” Hana told her brother.  “You object to my relationship with Danny because he’s not Japanese and yet you’re sleeping with Duana, my African American friend.”

Kaito looked up from his laptop, his expression darkening as he met his younger sister’s incensed gaze.  “I don’t have to explain myself to you,” he retorted.  “After our parents died, I became responsible for you.  Danny may be a nice guy but he’s not the right one for you.  You should be with someone like Riku.”

“Riku?  You know very well that I’m not in love with him.”

“That could change.”

“It won’t,” she insisted.  “I’m in love with Danny and he’s in love with me.  I don’t care what you say.  I’m not a child.  I’m not going to marry Riku or anyone else for that matter.”

“Has Danny asked you to marry him?”

“Not yet but when he does, I will say yes.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it.”

“You’re my brother not my father.  You being responsible for me doesn’t give you the right to dictate who I marry or who I love.  Riku is a nice guy. We’ve known each other since we were children but I don’t love him.  I’m not going to marry someone I don’t love just to please you and your love for tradition.  I hope Duana does the smart thing and dumps you.”

His mouth tightened.  “I don’t want to discuss my relationship with Duana with you.”

“You won’t have a relationship with her much longer.  I will see to that.”

“What do you mean?”

“Tonight, we are going out on a date with Danny and his friend, Leshawn.”

“What?” Kaito rose to his feet.  His eyes flashed and his fists clenched.  “How could she be going out with someone else while she’s still in a relationship with me?”

Hana watched him.  She never saw her brother act like this before.  He was always so calm and reserved which sometimes annoyed her.  Nothing seemed to faze him and here he was now, like a volcano about to erupt.  “You made it clear that you didn’t want there to be anything serious between you.  You were fine with the way things were–purely physical.”

He dragged his fingers through his hair.  “This guy she’s seeing tonight, has she been out with him before?”

Hana shook her head.  “No, this is the first time and I hope it won’t be the last–”

“Imaimashī!”  He grabbed his keys off the desk and headed for the door.

“Where’re you going?”

“Where do you think I’m going and why do you care?” he retorted before he stormed out of the room.

As soon as he was gone, Hana picked up the phone and called Duana.  “Kaito’s on his way over.  He’s as mad as hell.  I’ve never seen him like this.  I think he’s jealous.”

“You told him about Deshawn?”

“Of course.”

“Oh, Hana.  I didn’t want him to think that I was interested in Deshawn or anyone else.”

“Well, maybe you ought to be.  You can’t continue hoping that things will change, Duana–that Kaito will change.  He’s set in his ways.  He’s been a bachelor for so long that marriage isn’t a possibility right now and if he did get married, it would be to a Japanese woman.  You’re better off moving on.”

“I wish I could but you know I love him.”

“Yes, I know.  He’s my brother and I love him too but I think he’s a jerk.  You deserve better, Duana.”

“Right now I can’t imagine being with anyone else but Kaito.  Thanks for calling, Hana.  I’ll see you later.”

“All right.  Call me on my cell if you need me.”

“I will.”

Hana hung up the phone and left the study.

Duana was about to change out of the white dress she had worn to church when the doorbell rang.  Her heart began to beat faster.  It was probably Kaito.  It was and Hana was right.  He looked furious.  As she slid the latch back, she asked herself why she had allowed her friend to talk her into to going on a double date tonight.

“Hello, Kaito,” she said when she opened the door. 

“Don’t hello Kaito me,” he snapped as he brushed past her.  He swung round and faced her as she closed and locked the door behind him.  His eyes were blazing with anger and jealousy.  “How could you go out on a date with another guy when you and I are in a relationship?”

“It–it was Hana’s idea and–”

“I know it was her idea but you didn’t have to agree to it.”

“She called me and told me that you were coming over.  She warned me that you were very angry.”

“Don’t you think I have reason to be?  How would you feel if I were going out for dinner with another woman?”

“I would be angry and jealous,” she admitted.

“That’s how I feel right now, Duana.  The thought of you going out with another guy is making me crazy.”  He reached for her hand.  His expression was drawn and tormented.  “Don’t do it, please.  Don’t go out for dinner with this guy, please.”

She swallowed hard.  “I won’t,” she promised huskily.

He released his breath in a shaky sigh.  “Thank you,” he muttered.

“Why don’t you spend the night?” she asked.  “I didn’t make any dinner because I was going to eat out tonight but we can order in.”

He nodded.  “Yes, I’ll spend the night.”

She smiled.  “Good.  Let me call Hana and tell her that I won’t be joining her and the guys for dinner tonight or any other night.”

He nodded again and removed his jacket as she called his sister.  As soon as she finished the call, he took her into his arms.  “I’m sorry for the way I’ve been,” he said.  “I grew up believing in family traditions and determined to honor them at the expense of Hana’s happiness and my own.  I love you, Duana and tonight when I realized how close I came to losing you, it opened my eyes to what really matters.  When you meet that special someone, making a commitment to him or her is more important than holding onto tradition.  Tomorrow, I will let Hana know that I no longer object to her relationship with Danny.”

Duana put her arms around his neck. “She’ll be happy to hear that,” she told him.

“Yes, she will be,” he agreed.

“I love you, Kaito.”

Kaito lowered his head and kissed her.

“Just because something is traditional is no reason to do it, of course.” – Lemony Snicket, The Blank Book

Winners and Losers

It’s eight o’clock on a Saturday morning.  I’m on my way to buy groceries when my cell vibrates.  I stopped and I pull it out of my handbag.  It’s him.  He’s texting me.  Tonight still on?

I reply, Yes.  See u at 8.  I slip my cell back into my bag and continue walking towards the supermarket.  It’s a nice, mild morning.  I try to ignore my conscience which is telling me that what I’m doing is wrong.  I’m not a bad person.  I’m a nice person who gets along with most people and I go to church every Sunday.  Yet, why doesn’t it bother me that I’m sleeping with my friend’s boyfriend?  It should but it doesn’t.  Am I a heartless woman?  Have I ever stopped and considered how I would feel it the tables were turned and Wanda was sleeping with my man?  I guess I haven’t.  Love can be a powerful thing and it can blind you too.

Yes, love.  I’m in love with Jose.  If I weren’t I would be with him.  I never expected to fall in love with him.  Before him, Wanda dated other men and I wasn’t attracted to any of them and even if I were, I wouldn’t have done anything about it.  Wanda was my friend and I would never ever hurt her by hooking up with her boyfriend.  That was my mantra until I met Jose.  I was instantly attracted to him but I tried to fight my feelings  for as long as I could.  It wasn’t easy at all, especially when I realized that he was attracted to me too.  We sneaked looks at each other and when we were alone, he would touch my hand or slip me a note for us to get together.

The first time we crossed the line was when he and I “accidentally” bumped into each other at a nightclub.  He was there with his friends and I was there with mine.  Wanda was out of town at the time.  She had gone to visit her sister in Tampa.  Jose and I were careful how we interacted with each other but when he offered to give me a ride home, I readily accepted.  On the drive over to my apartment, we talked about different things but the air was crackling with sexual tension.  At one point, he reached over and rubbed his knuckles against my arm, making me tremble.

When we got to my apartment, he saw me to my door.  We could have said goodnight then and parted company but I invited him in.  As soon as the door was closed, we were all over each other.  In between frenzied kisses, we tore off each other’s clothes and then we were on the sofa making love.  Afterwards, we showered and had something to eat.  He left after one in the morning.  While Wanda was away, he came to my place ever evening and sometimes stayed over.  When she got back, we couldn’t see each other as often but we texted and called each other everyday.

Last night when we were together, he told me that he loved me.  I was thrilled to hear him say that because I loved him too.  I know that he doesn’t love Wanda and I think that he should break up with her.   I know that it won’t be easy for him to end a five year relationship but he has to do it.  It’s no use prolonging the inevitable.  Wanda will be devastated and it will be the end of our friendship.  It’s unfortunate but that’s how life is sometimes.  It throws us a curve-ball.  And in Wanda’s case, she couldn’t dodge hers.

“In love there are no winners or losers, there are only those who are hurt more or those who are hurt less” – Thai Proverb

 

 

Playmates/Clouds #writephoto

Photo by Sue Vincent

 

“You’re in love with my grandson, aren’t you?” Mrs. Walker’s unexpected question startled Marlo and for several minutes, she was at a loss for words.  They were sitting in the drawing-room in front of a roaring fire.  The older woman had invited her to spend the afternoon with her.  She was rather fond of her, ever since she was a child.  She had watched Marlo play with her grandson, William and had watched her blossom into a lovely young lady.

There was a pregnant pause, interrupted only by the chiming of the clock and then, Marlo admitted, “Yes, I’m in love with William.  I have been in love with him since I was a teenager but how–?”

“How did I guess?  My dear girl, I may be old and feeble but my mind is as agile as ever.  I have watched you and seen the way you act around him.  These eyes don’t miss anything.  So, what are you going to do about it?”

Marlo stared at her in surprise.  “What can I do?” she asked.  “He still thinks of me as that little girl he used to climb trees and gallivant about the countryside with.”

“You are mistaken, my Dear.  The way I have seen him look at you, he’s not thinking about that little girl at all.”

Marlo’s heart began to race.  “What do you mean?”

“It’s quite clear that William is in love with you.”

“But, what about Louisa Parks?”  She had seen him with the pretty brunette on more than one occasion and it had aroused a fierce jealousy in her.  She couldn’t help but recall the afternoon when she had returned from a walk to find them together in the garden.   They were sitting on the bench, talking and laughing and she stood there watching them for a while before they even noticed her.  Louisa was wearing a pretty sundress and hat.  She glanced self-consciously down at her tee shirt and jeans.  Her gaze shifted to William and their eyes met.  He looked handsome in the white shirt and tan colored slacks, his dark hair slightly tousled from the cool breeze.

He got to his feet now and walked over to her.  “Where did you go off to?” he asked.

“I went for a walk,” she said.

“You went alone?”

“Yes.  You weren’t around so I decided to go by myself.”

“Where did you go?”

“I went to the drugstore—”

“Did you see Tom?”

“Of course.  He works there.”

“You know he likes you, don’t you?”

She glanced over at Louisa who was watching them curiously, looking a bit put out.  “Why don’t you go back to your guest?” she asked and was about to walk away when he caught her by the arm.  Her eyes flew up to his face and she swallowed when she saw his expression.

“Do you like Tom?”

“Why does that concern you?”

“It does,” he retorted.  “Do you like him?”

She tugged her hand away from him.  “No, I don’t like him.  Can you say the same thing about her?”  She demanded before she turned and stalked away.

She ran to her car and jumped into it.  All the way home, she fumed. What right did he have to question her about Tom when he was seeing Louisa?  He acted like he was jealous but in order for him to be jealous, he would have to have feelings for her.  No, he couldn’t have been jealous.  He was just being overprotective like he used to be whenever a boy showed any interest in her.

The sound of Mrs. Walker clearing her throat brought her back to the present.  “I’m sorry,” she said, embarrassed.  “I was remembering something that happened between William and me.”

“You mentioned Louisa Parks.”

“Yes, I saw them together in the garden a week ago.”

“They are just friends.”

“It seemed to me that Louisa wants to more than friends.”

“Well, I’m afraid it won’t do her any good.  William is in love with you.”

“But, how do you know that?” She wanted to believe it so badly.

“He told me.”

Marlo gaped at her.  “He did?  But, why would he tell you that?”

“Since he was a boy, William has always confided in me and some time ago, he stopped by, looking very agitated.  When I asked him what the matter was, he mentioned that Tom, the Pharmacist, was asking after you.  He said that Tom was interested in you.  And the way he carried on about it, it was clear to me that he was besotted with you.  I asked him plainly how he felt about you and he admitted that he was in love with you but he wasn’t sure how you felt about him.”

Marlo shook her head in a daze.  “I never would have guessed?”

Mrs. Walker’s eyes twinkled.  “Is that so?” she remarked.  “Now that you know, what are you going to do about it?”

“What do you think I should do?”

“Well, I suggest that you take a walk across the Moors.”

“The Moors?”

“That’s why you’ll find him.”

Marlo glanced through the windows behind her.  Dark clouds hovered ominously in the sky.  “It looks like it’s going to rain.”

“Then, you’d better hurry before it does.  And even if you’re caught in it, I’m sure there’s some place where you can find shelter until it passes.”

Marlo stood up and went over to her.  She reached down and hugged her.  “Thank you, Mrs. Walker,” she said before leaving the room.

She ran across the Moors, her heart racing.  Overhead more dark clouds gathered but she didn’t care.  As soon as she spotted him, she called out to him.  He turned.  When she reached him, he asked, “What are you doing out here?”

“Your grandmother told me that I would find you here.”

“It’s going to rain, you know.”

“I know and it doesn’t matter.”

“You’ll get drenched.”

“We’ll both get drenched.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time.”

She smiled. “You’re right.  We got caught out here in the rain one summer.  Your mother was furious when we ran back to the house and got the floor all wet.”

“I seem to recall that it was your bright idea to go back to the house instead of finding shelter in those rocks over there.”

“It would have been a very tight squeeze and I don’t like being in small spaces.  I’m claustrophobic, remember?”

“Yes, I remember.”  His expression grew serious now.  “I remember a lot of things.  I remember the way you looked when you came towards me as I stood right here.  The sun caught your hair and it looked like it was on fire.  Your cheeks were flushed from running like they are now.  You’re still the most beautiful girl I know, Marlo.”

Marlo moved closer to him.  Her green eyes met his hazel ones.  She reached up and brushed the dark brown curls from his forehead.  “I remember a lot of things too,” she said.  “I remember how handsome you looked standing here, with your curls blowing in the breeze and the way you smiled at me.  Your grandmother told me how you feel about me, William.”

“Is that why you’re here now?”

“Yes.”

“Well, she guessed and I merely confirmed.”

“She told me about Louisa.”

“You don’t have to worry about her.  I never wanted more than friendship with her.”

“And you don’t have to worry about Tom.  I was never interested in him.”

He smiled.  “I was so jealous of him.”

“And I was so jealous of Louisa.”

“We were two jealous fools.”

She laughed.  “Yes, we were.”

He took her in his arms.  “I love you, Marlo.  I always have.”

She put her arms around his neck.  “I love you too, William.  I always have.”

He lowered his head and kissed her just as the rain began to fall.

Sometimes your childhood playmate can become your mate for life.

This was written in response to the Thursday Photo Prompt at Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo.  For more details click here.

Not a Jolly Christmas

Photo by Akshata Ram

It was Christmas but she wasn’t feeling jolly.  Her relationship with Bo was over.  They’d been dating for a year and just when she thought that things were getting serious between them, he broke up with her.  She’d sat there on the park bench, stunned.  She hadn’t seen it coming.  She was speechless.

“Why?” she finally managed to ask.  “What did I do wrong?”

“There’s no easy way to say this, Chloe.  “I like you but I’m not in love with you.  If we stay together, you will be happy at first but then miserable later on.  You deserve to be with a guy who will love you as much as you love me.”

She flinched as if he’d struck her.  “I can’t believe it.”

“I’m sorry…I never meant to hurt you.”

It was the worst moment of her life.  She collapsed on the bed.  I can’t be Santa’s helper today.  I can’t face those kids.  Bo’s going to be there.  I can’t face him…

She wrote Bo a letter of resignation.

 

172 Words

 

This was written for Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers hosted by Priceless Joy and Joe. For more information visit Here.  To read other stories based on this week’s prompt, visit Here.

Sources:  Love Bondings; Cosmopolitan;