Welcome to my writing corner. Here you'll find stand alone stories and tales that stretch much longer. You'll find tales ranging from medieval adventure to modern stories about real people with a sci-fi twist. If you like/hate what you read, drop me a line and let me know.

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Thursday, June 17, 2010

What If? - Chapter 8

The steering wheel shook in my hand as my parent’s minivan idled. I was 17; skinny, lanky, gangly even. She sat in the bucket seat beside me, her moist, wide, brown eyes locked on to me. I just stared at the burgundy steering wheel.

“But why?” her young voice trembled.

It was a valid question, I didn’t really know the answer then and I’m not sure I know it now. Was it getting too serious? Was I bored? Did I know it just wouldn’t last and now was as good a time as any?

“It’s not you.” Generic answers work best in these situations. “I’ve just, I’ve got a lot going on, I’m just not ready for all of this.”

“I can’t believe this, I… we…” her cold fingers grabbed my chin softly, our eyes met. I could see down into her soul, the hurt, despair and rejection. I felt like such an ass.

“We’ll still be friends”, no we wouldn’t, “we’ll talk”, we’d ignore each other for the next two years, “we’ll always be close”, she’d loathe me.

“I love you.” Her red lips quivered. She was wearing lipstick; she always looked funny wearing lipstick.

“I know.”

“We... we… were…” firsts, that’s what destroyed her. Trembling fingers, foggy car windows, nervous breathing, young pale skin. She thought we were forever, fairytale, happily ever after storybook bullshit. I knew better. We were too different; two different families with two different lives and it would never end happily.

The tears welled up in her eyes. She opened the door, wordless she turned her head away from me and her worn sneakers hit the driveway. The door slammed closed behind her and I was alone.

A deep breath filled my lungs and I pulled the shifter into drive.

Six months after we broke up she was pregnant with her new boyfriend. I always felt guilty, responsible. Having a baby that young, it must have changed her life forever, now I’ll see what my life would be like if I hadn’t left her.

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