Tragedy Kiss

But the night is young and full of disaster.

Millie yawns as she flicks the grimy towel into the basket, too exhausted to actually go and wash it. She weaves around the tables towards the back of the store while unpinning her hair, her light brown locks tumbling over her shoulders. After untying her apron, she hangs it on the hook at the back door before taking her coat in replacement and the paper bag on the bench. Switching off the lights, her eyes struggle to adjust to the darkness flooding in from outside. The moonlight barely makes it’s way through to the street, everyone relying on the lamps to lead their journeys home.

Her shoes splash in the puddles on the footpath as she walks with her arms wrapped around her stomach. The cool breeze blisters with pricks of icy rain drops; the fall only light but just as freezing. She tightly pulls her jacket around her again and huddles up against the backs of the building where the only shelter is.

Turning up through the covered alleyway, she wipes her face and flattens out her hair before taking the paper bag from under her jacket. She cringes at the half-squashed bag, not even attempting to make the disaster better.

Sighing, she walks into the warmly lit store on the corner, rectangular windows lining the walls with a glass door at the front corner.

“Millie! How are you dear?” The old man at the counter says with a smile, glancing up from the register.

“I’m good Terry, how’s business been today?” She asks, approaching the counter and placing the bag on it. “Sorry about your muffin, I was trying to keep it dry.”

“That’s alright, thank you for bringing it. And this weather is troublesome, isn’t it? Kept the customers away today.”

Millie nods her head as she wonders towards the first bookshelf, scanning over each spine with her finger. “Same with the café.”

“Well, anything in particular today?” He asks, raising his voice slightly over the thundering roof.

“Hmm, I don’t think so, but I’m sure I’ll find something else by tomorrow and come back looking for it.” She replies, looking outside at the violent downpour.

“I hope you’re not walking home in that.”

“I’ll probably just catch the bus.” She says, not looking up from the books she skims over.

Terry sighs. “Try not to get too wet.”

Millie nods her head and looks back out at the street, the other side of the road dark but the headlights lighting it up just enough to see. Her face falls along with her hand that was just on the shelf. She gasps and seems to hold her breath as she watches.

“Is everything okay?”

She takes a deep breath and turns around to face him. “I’ll be fine, enjoy your night.”

Millie leaves with a meaningless smile on her face, Terry not thinking much of it as he locks the door behind her.

She can barely hear herself thinking as the rain hits fiercely against the ground. In saying that, there isn’t much on her mind right now. Entering the rain, she freezes on the edge of the road as they kiss.

Squinting through the rain to either side of the road, she steps out and rushes across, only just missing an oncoming car. The rain aggressively hits her face as she removes her hand from it previously shielding her eyes. The sharp icicles of water smash against her, her clothes drenched the moment she steps into it but her mind is too lost and distracted to be worrying about the weather.

Quickly approaching the other side of the road, she makes eye contact with the man and his face falls. She watches him push the other girl away which wasn’t convincing her of anything but his betrayal.

“Millie.” He trails off.

Storming up to him, she shoves his chest, her hands making faint prints on his shirt. “How could you?” She shouts, her voice raised over the rain.

“It’s not what it looks like,” He rushes, kicking himself immediately after. “That’s not what I meant – let me explain.”

“Don’t lie to me Lucas.”

He sighs and wipes his hand over his face. “She’s a friend from work and she kissed me; I swear it.”

“Gee, thanks.” The other girl complains, giving him a dirty look as she crosses her arms.

“Leave, Adri, right now before you do anything worse.” He says sternly, her nose scrunching up.

“Please, allow me.” Millie interrupts, walking away before they had the chance to look over at her.

Lucas steps in the direction she’s left in but Adriana tugs him back. “She won’t want you anymore.”

His heart tugs at her words so he leaves without saying anything, Adriana just shaking it off and strolling in the opposite direction.

“Millie!” He calls out, weaving through the few people on the path and ducking underneath their umbrellas to catch her. “Millie please!”

She hurries across the nearest crossing and into the faintly lit park opposite. Lucas loses her in the trees as he waits for the cars to let him cross the road. Eventually they do and he sprints across, spotting her walking through the lamp light.

The rain buckets down onto them, both shivering and constantly wiping the water from their eyes.

Millie clutches her aching stomach as she begins to slow down, Lucas taking the opportunity to catch her. Her throat tightens and it hurts to swallow, tears now pricking in her eyes. She stops and collapses against the next lamp, bursting into tears and her feet sinking into the concrete. She hunches over herself and leans her head in her hand, her body flinching as the icy water runs down the back of her neck.

Lucas’ footsteps splash and squelch in the puddles as he approaches her, huffing and puffing. He reaches out for her arm and gently pulls her up, her body heavy as her legs try to give way again. As she stands upright, he steps closer only to get pushed away again.

“Don’t.” She warns, holding her hand out to keep him away. He sighs and runs his hand through his soaking wet hair.

“Millie, can you just listen to me, please.”

“There’s nothing you can say that will make this any better.” She weeps, dropping her hand to her side.

“I didn’t kiss Adriana, I swear it! She kissed me and I pushed her away.”

“I can’t trust you anymore, Lucas!”

“The past three years aren’t enough for you?”

“They weren’t enough for you!”

Lucas groans. “I swear to god I did not kiss her! I love you!”

Millie squeezes her eyes shut and takes a deep breath; her tears camouflaged in with the rain streaming down her face.

“That doesn’t mean anything to me anymore! You ruined – everything,” She cries, hurt and pain clearly shown in both their faces. “You can say it a million times over, Lucas. But it doesn’t mean – anything.” Lucas sobs once before stepping closer to her and reaching his hand out but she just steps back.

“Tell me what I can do.” He says, his voice cracking as he puts his hand to his heart. Millie shies away and wraps her arms around her waist. “I want you back.”

“You can’t do anything! I told you, you’ve already ruined everything.”

“I told you I didn’t kiss her!” He shouts, throwing his hands up in the air. He steps closer again and this time she doesn’t move back but just stares at him. Tears run down both their faces and he takes a shaky breath before talking. “Millie, I don’t care if this means nothing to you, but I love you more than anything else in this world. You are my love, my home, my everything. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect girl to spend my life with and that’s why I love you unconditionally. I will continue to remind you how gorgeous you are. Continue to show you how much you mean to me. And I will promise to be by your side forever, even if you push me away now,” They both sob as he steps closer again, now barely a movement apart. “I hate that I’ve hurt you. But I swear to you, the only person I willingly kiss – is you.”

Lucas takes her hands in his own as she cries, lowering her head and trying to pull herself together.

“I can go on.” He says with a mixture of laughing and crying.

Millie smiles and shakes her head as she looks up at him with glassy eyes. “I do – truly love you too.”

Lucas smiles and reaches his hand up to her cheek before leaning down and pressing his lips onto hers. Snaking his hand around her waist, he pulls her closer, her hand drifting up to cup his neck and play with his dripping wet hair. The kiss is tinted with their salty tears and the fresh, cool flavour of the rain still pouring onto them.

They eventually pull away to catch a breath, gazing into each others’ eyes without moving too far apart and completely ignoring the downpour.

Lucas tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear and smiles softly. “I missed you.”