Single Red Rose

[Aardvark]

The tritone musical ring from her phone woke her from an uneasy slumber. Hard day at work combined from an uneasy silence from her other half had taken it's toll on the girl, now what little sleep she was able to snatch was being robbed at... eight fifty in the morning? Caller ID was unable to tell her who was disturbing her slumber, but she knew who it was before she answered it.

 

"Hello..."

 

"Come outside." The gruff, but still sweet voice of her boyfriend of six months, faltering from exaustion. She knew he'd had a hard week, but she was still annoyed at being scorned three days earlier.

 

"I'm not wearing any panties, you come inside."

 

"Then get dressed."

 

"Urrgh!" She'd never been able to win with him. "Alright."

 

She ended the call, claiming a small moral victory over him in her own mind. Searching her room, she found a tracksuit crumpled in the corner. Donning that, she went to the door. She looked like a mess. Like she'd just been woken from an uneasy sleep by a mobile phone next to her head, infact. Opening the door slightly, she stuck her head out. There he was, sitting on the bonnet of his car, looking down the street. He turned his head in her direction. Ever hopeful, she beckoned him. He merely mimiced her movement, then returned his gaze to whatever fixated him down the street. She sighed, fixed herself up as best she could and went to him, tredding carefully over her broken front yard.

 

He watched her approach, her uneasy steps across the broken branches and driveway of her front yard almost amusing him. When she got to the road, he reached behind him, retrieved a single long stemmed rose and presented it to her. She took one look and laughed. He'd remembered. He was the worst person in the world for remembering dates, events, people, but he'd remembered today. She hugged him.

 

"Kat..." He began, ignoring the arms around him, "It's over"

 

As she heard this, the past month replayed in her mind, the few times they'd been together, the number of times he'd brushed her off, the long periods she couldn't reach him. She'd seen this coming. But why did he wait until today?

 

"Yeah, I kinda expected it sooner."

 

He smiled at this, his visage still weary from lack of sleep. His posture improved as an emotional weight fell from his shoulders. He gave a slight laugh.

 

"I tried to do this sooner, but with work and all... this was the only time I could. But, because of the day, I had to get you the flower."

 

She sniffed it. She could tell he hadn't gone to any great expense, but as a final gesture, she couldn't fault it.

 

"Although I'll tell you," He continued, "Getting that label off the thing was an absolute bastard. And when I finally succeed, what do I see? The price section of it was perforated for ease of removal. God, I feel so..."

 

She laughed slightly at this. His humour in all occasions, even when innappropriate was one of the things that had drawn her to him in the first place. She knew she'd miss him, but she felt no sadness.

 

"Anyway, I've gotta go. Open and all." She understood his haste. She worked for the same company, she knew their expectations were high, she couldn't fault him for putting his job before his ex. She'd do the same and she knew it.

 

They shared one final embrace before he left. She returned to her house, rose in hand. The final moment of indecision presented itself. She'd found a vase. Conveniently positioned above a bin. She shook her head. Life could be a real bastard, sometimes.

[Regel]

Sad story. Sad yet an interesting snippet of how some relationships conclude. I enjoyed the read but am left with many questions. Perhaps that was the intention.

[Peredhil]

You know, I find myself using a new story from you as a reward. "If I get my work done, I get to go read Aardvark's latest."

 

You have a knack for capturing dialogue that sounds realistic.

[Aardvark]

That event happening at 8:50 on Valentines day really helped.

 

You could say I'm a method writer. You'd be wrong, though