It was a cold night.
The soft prattle of rain and the rolling crashes of the waves intensifying the otherwise deathly silence. The cold bit into Sarah like a thousand sharp daggers of pain which she welcomed heralding a feeling of life through pain. Such feelings stirred a whirlwind of conflicting emotions within her such as the yearning for nothingness, a release from the turmoil of life and a desperate fear of death and dying. Still that reminder of living was something she always took comfort in.
She sat alone resting on a park bench overlooking the beach under a tree that offered little to no protection from the merciless rain. Her clothes were soaked all the way through and she sat shivering, caught up in the serenity of the world around her. She was so lost that she didn’t notice the car pull up behind her. The only indication of his arrival was when he wordlessly sat down next to her on the park bench. Unlike her, he was suitable dressed for the weather. He wore a thick ankle length waterproof coat he wrapped around him as he sat down. His dark hair starting to dampen in the now light rainfall, hang over his soft grey eyes which placidly looked ahead into the vast darkness of the ocean. His pale skin glistened with raindrops running down and gathering in the stubble of his chin. He was biting the corner of his lower lip which was the only sign of his anxiety.
Luke had come to take her home as he’d done many times before and like those other times he was aware she’d only leave when she was ready. His presence did not steal away the feeling of loneliness that this place offered. He was a part of her so completely she felt alone even in his arms. Her thoughts began to linger on yearnings for the warmth of his flesh on hers when he finally spoke.
“Perth was… Different,” he said despondently.
She smiled, “How so?”
“Well, for one, someone kissed me,”
Abruptly her smile faded. “So, I take it you had a good day?” she said ominously.
“I guess so. I got the job. I start on the Monday,”
Her smile returned. She enjoyed these games. “That’s good. But, considering the man that interviewed you kissed you, I’d worry about what your new job really entails,”
He chuckled and finally that warm easy smile light up his face. “It wasn’t him that kissed me. Thank gawd! Though, I must admit, he was kind of cute,” he grinned at her cheekily. She didn’t reply so he continued. “I saw someone, she looked upset. So thought I might cheer her up s’all.”
“What by kissing her?” She mused. Instead of answering her, he got up and made for the car. She considered spiting him and staying there but grudgingly she admitted defeat and followed him.
As she opened the car door she found one of her jumpers on the passenger side seat. She pealed of her wet shirt exposing her naked skin to the night air and took her time to cover her nakedness with the jumper. By the way he was shifting in his seat she’d scored a hit and she took immense pleasure in her revenge. Throwing her wet shit shirt into the back seat she climbed into the passenger side seat closing the door behind her. As he turned on the car the music blurred on so loud and she jumped at shock. It was a typical thing for Luke’s car but the sudden loud noise made always made her jump. It wasn’t done on purpose he just liked his music loud. He turned down the volume and backed out of the parking lot.
“She kissed me. Not the other way,” he continued as if there was no interval. His eyes were on the road however she could almost feel him studying her through the corner of his eye. “It all happened suddenly. She was crying… I went to comfort her. She must have miss took it. She kissed me. Then she just ran away,”
Sarah’s eyes widened and she studied him thoughtfully. ‘What does he mean she just ran away, the hell?’ She thought to herself. She waited and when he didn’t continue she said “What a freak,”
“My thoughts exactly,” he said.
They drove the rest of the way in silence and after awhile Luke adjusted the volume to his music making it more auditable. Sarah mulled over the identity of this girl and the full circumstances of that chance meeting. She knew she could have just asked Luke but refused to give into his intrigue. ‘Is she prettier than me?’ She eyed him thoughtfully looking for any sign of him cracking. He seemed caught up in the song playing. Saosin was a new band he was trying out. A song called Voices that was growing on her. They had similar tastes in music which was to be expected considering the two of them grew up together.
They were lovers before either of them was legal. This game of intrigues was an ongoing contest without any real victories of losses. It was just another complicated part of their twisted relationship. At first glance it wouldn’t look any different from any other relationship. She smiled at that thought, ‘It’s been a long time since I gave up on normality. I wonder if anything would be different if she…’ Her thoughts were interrupted when the car suddenly pulled up in front of a café.
“With your new job you can buy a cappuccino maker,” she taunted. She enjoyed poking fun his going to cafés all the time.
“Indeed..,” Luke muttered, “Oh and I suggest you keep your clothes on. The other patrons might be upset,”
“I don’t know, we might get free drinks,”
He grunted leaving the vehicle and she poked her tongue out to his back.
Joining Luke inside she placed herself against him at the counter slipping her arm inside his coat and around his back to hug him closer. He placed his arm around her and kissed her brow affectionately his coat encompassing the both of them. Peering up at him he was wearing that smile of his again and her eyes drawn to his lips she wanted to kiss him but instead started thinking about this girl who’d tasted those lips earlier that day.
“The usual?” the lady at the counter asked.
“Please,” Luke accented.
This was their typical location they frequented and over time ordering the same thing they’d become regulars which suited their purposes as they could acquire what they wanted with minimal conversation. The staff had attempted to become familiar but after a few failed attempts they no longer bothered to try to remember each other’s names. They sat down in an empty chair overlooking the inlet. The night was still spectacular to look upon. This café situated on Mandurah’s foreshore was well populated even at this hour.
Sarah sat down in the chair Luke had pulled out for her in mock finery. He then removed his coat and sat in the chair opposite her with an amused grin on his face.
“If I may say good lady, all wet as you are, you look most ravishing my love,” he said.
Straightening her hair and adjusting her cloths she smiled at him ruefully. Although sheltered they were still outside so she wasn’t over concerned about water dripping onto the floor as he seemed to be.
“I don’t mind commuting to Perth to study, but since your working there now as well. Perhaps it’s time we moved,” she suggested.
His smile faded and he looked at her thoughtfully before widening his gaze to the world around him. She followed his example knowing full well he was considering having to say goodbye to this place.
The distance lights of the boardwalk were mirrored on the calm waters of the inlet. She wasn’t aware it had stopped raining but the stars were still blanketed by a thick layer of dark clouds. Her gaze shifted across to the opposite shore where a Ferris wheel towered over the small carnival that had been a part of Mandurah as long as any recalled. The lights were a recent addition in an attempt to lull people into their gates. Finally, her eyes rested on the bridge. Mandurah’s Old Bridge has been a landmark for this town before either of them was born. It was a simply structure only 2 lanes across a few 15 or so feet above the water it wasn’t really impressive on a worldly basis but somewhere along the way it had become the symbol for home.
She turned to watch Luke, his eyes still on the bridge mirroring her own thoughts no doubt. Although with Luke, it is difficult to follow his mind but that was part of the reason she loved him. ‘Do I love him?’ Sarah thought. The waitress placed their drink and with words of thanks left them alone again. She eyed the hot chocolate in front of her with the extra mash mellows, her mouth already watering in anticipation.
“Any girl who says she dislikes hot chocolate and marsh mellows is a liar,” she exclaimed before chucking a marsh mellow in her mouth and taking a large gulp of hot chocolate.
Luke coughed loudly to suppress a laugh and giggled to himself. She eyes him suspiciously wondering what it could be that he finds so funny. ‘Men,’ she thought, ‘doesn’t matter how long you spend together you’ll never understand them,’
“Before we make plans for moving I’ll need to settle down into this job. There’s a three month probation period excreta.” Luke said, “Perhaps leave it for awhile before making any permanent plans,” Luke said.
“And just think, if we move to Perth you’ll be closer to this mysterious beautiful woman that you’re making out with,” she taunted.
“I wasn’t making out with her,” he muttered.
‘He didn’t deny she’s beautiful, I knew it!’ “If you say so my love,” she said neutrally.
They finished their drinks in silence and by the time they returned home she’d pushed thoughts of this girl to the back of her mind as was determined to drive them from his mind as well.
When she peeled of her cloths this time he didn’t look away. She snuggled against him pulling at him tightly, desperately. He felt warm. He felt alive. She was tired and she had to get up early but she wanted to lose herself in his embrace. Her hands began to trace his body…