elusive.
“So what’s going on?” Cara said.
She looked at his profile, not the stars. Matt squinted his eyes with reluctance and breathed out slowly.
“Sheryl and I broke up tonight.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Sheryl was here earlier—and some stuff happened.”
“What happened?” It’s okay to say she’s friggin nuts—it’s okay, you can say she’s friggin nuts. She’s much more nuts than me.
Matt sighed and shook his head. “Oh, I just want to forget about it.”
“Sorry.”
“You know, I think—we’re both kinda normal. Normal people attract unbalanced people. Do you attract a lot of unstable people?”
“Yes, I do,” Cara laughed.
“And the timing is always so messed up. By the time I get over this, if I were to ask someone like you out, you’ll be the one suffering with relationship problems.”
“You think? So what you’re saying is that soul mates are really star-crossed lovers?”
“I hope I’m wrong. God would be a sadist if that were true.”
“Yeah, you can’t think like that.”
“How are your mom and dad?”
“Dad is heading back to Afghanistan soon, and Mom is in the hospital—my stepfather, Luciano, beat her up.”
“Oh—I’m sorry to hear that.”
“So you’re right about how normal people attract unstable people.”
“Is your mom gonna be okay?”
“Yeah, the doctor says she’ll get better.”
They both stared at the blinking red and blue lights in the sky, Cara swatting what felt like a mosquito crawling on her arm, Matt’s presence, a distracting camphor.
“My Dad felt bad about what happened to your family. He would’ve let you guys stay with us, if you had only said something.”
“That was a long time ago.”
“It wasn’t the same after your family left. The new neighbors butchered the yard and cut down all the trees. And you and your brother were so cute. And look at you now—a beautiful woman. You’re actually making me very nervous.”
“Stop it,” Cara laughed.
Matt turned his head towards Cara. Their faces were close together—their lips only a few inches apart. Matt seemed somehow transfigured, the night having a strange effect on him. Cara studied the bluish shapes in his irises, amazed at how much color she could see in the dark. Her mouth felt warm, which made her want to push her lips against his. The door was open for only a moment longer and then it closed. Matt stood up, patting dry grass off his clothes and reaching down to Cara.
“Let me help you up.” Matt gently pulled Cara up to her feet and hugged her. “Thanks so much for talking to me.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Yeah.”
“Keep in touch Matt, I’ll be checking up on you online.”
“Okay—now I better get on with the rest of my life—going home—I’m so tired. Besides—no one wants to see a man cry. Good night Cara.”
“Good night Matt.”
As Matt walked across the street to find his car, he couldn’t see Cara, behind him, keeling over.
...
A short
“So what’s going on?” Cara said.
She looked at his profile, not the stars. Matt squinted his eyes with reluctance and breathed out slowly.
“Sheryl and I broke up tonight.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Sheryl was here earlier—and some stuff happened.”
“What happened?” It’s okay to say she’s friggin nuts—it’s okay, you can say she’s friggin nuts. She’s much more nuts than me.
Matt sighed and shook his head. “Oh, I just want to forget about it.”
“Sorry.”
“You know, I think—we’re both kinda normal. Normal people attract unbalanced people. Do you attract a lot of unstable people?”
“Yes, I do,” Cara laughed.
“And the timing is always so messed up. By the time I get over this, if I were to ask someone like you out, you’ll be the one suffering with relationship problems.”
“You think? So what you’re saying is that soul mates are really star-crossed lovers?”
“I hope I’m wrong. God would be a sadist if that were true.”
“Yeah, you can’t think like that.”
“How are your mom and dad?”
“Dad is heading back to Afghanistan soon, and Mom is in the hospital—my stepfather, Luciano, beat her up.”
“Oh—I’m sorry to hear that.”
“So you’re right about how normal people attract unstable people.”
“Is your mom gonna be okay?”
“Yeah, the doctor says she’ll get better.”
They both stared at the blinking red and blue lights in the sky, Cara swatting what felt like a mosquito crawling on her arm, Matt’s presence, a distracting camphor.
“My Dad felt bad about what happened to your family. He would’ve let you guys stay with us, if you had only said something.”
“That was a long time ago.”
“It wasn’t the same after your family left. The new neighbors butchered the yard and cut down all the trees. And you and your brother were so cute. And look at you now—a beautiful woman. You’re actually making me very nervous.”
“Stop it,” Cara laughed.
Matt turned his head towards Cara. Their faces were close together—their lips only a few inches apart. Matt seemed somehow transfigured, the night having a strange effect on him. Cara studied the bluish shapes in his irises, amazed at how much color she could see in the dark. Her mouth felt warm, which made her want to push her lips against his. The door was open for only a moment longer and then it closed. Matt stood up, patting dry grass off his clothes and reaching down to Cara.
“Let me help you up.” Matt gently pulled Cara up to her feet and hugged her. “Thanks so much for talking to me.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Yeah.”
“Keep in touch Matt, I’ll be checking up on you online.”
“Okay—now I better get on with the rest of my life—going home—I’m so tired. Besides—no one wants to see a man cry. Good night Cara.”
“Good night Matt.”
As Matt walked across the street to find his car, he couldn’t see Cara, behind him, keeling over.
...
A short
Similar Books
