RWH: Longhand {-Fiction-}

I started to ignore her again when she told me she was taking the job. It wasn’t as easy as it was back at New Year’s when I took off for the week. This time, I still had to see her every day at work. It kind of sucked, to be honest. I kind of grew attached to having Beth around. She wasn’t like any of the other girls I’d been with who would open their legs to anyone. And she didn’t freak out when I ignored her. The others would go ballistic on me. Constantly trying to call and talk to me. I don’t know what they didn’t get. Sometimes I just want to be alone. Sometimes I just don’t want to smoke with anyone else. Why is that so difficult to understand? 

Beth’s last day in the center was pretty awkward as everyone was sad to see her go. At the end of the day, I watched her say good-bye to some of the residents and staff before I followed her out to the parking lot.

“Can I get a hug?” I called as she opened her car door.

She looked at me and tried smiling, her eyes bright and watery. She wrapped her arms around me and buried her head into my chest while I rested mine atop her head, breathing her in. This was going to be harder than I thought.   

“I really do care about you.” 

“You deserve so much more than me.” 

She didn’t say anything but I could feel her shake a bit and I could feel dampness seep through my shirt. 

“I do love you,” she said into my chest.

She broke free from our embrace, took my hand and put a note inside it and closed my hand into a fist to cover the paper. 

Beth turned away, got in her car and started it, and pulled out of the parking lot never looking back.

After I got home and finally smoked a bowl, I unfolded the letter:

Dear Dan,

Our time together was really special to me and I won’t ever forget it…or you… though you will probably forget about me. : (

I tried so hard to talk to you… We had some really good times but when you shut down… it’s hard. It’s one thing to need space or something, but you got to tell a person that’s how you feel …Unless… Maybe you were embarrassed by me or something. I haven’t a clue... I guess that’s my point here. What the hell, Dan? Why couldn’t you ever tell me what was going in that head of yours? Why did you just have to shut me down all the time? If you didn’t want to be with me, that’s fine…JUST SAY SO.

Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I really do care about you… more than I may let on. I will miss you a lot. I already do. Take care of yourself.

Love,

Beth

More from these *fictional* characters here and here.