Heatwave…..
Heat rose off the pavement in waves. It was hot. It was
hotter than hot. The unseasonable heatwave boiled the small town of
Michael watched her through the windows of the Crashdown.
He stood outside for a while, tempting himself, daring himself to make a move.
Go in there. See her. He could see the moisture beading on her exposed chest,
along the curve of her collarbone. She was exquisite. Michael finally found his
feet. Slowly walking towards the light of the Crashdown like a beacon, he
stopped just shy of the street.
She didn’t want this. She didn’t want him. That had
been made very clear. He wasn’t something she could afford. Her background,
her family life with her father leaving, he was a risk she shouldn’t take. He
was going leave. First opportunity he got,
No. He was alone. That was how it had to be. He turned away
and melded into the dark.
~~~
Maria felt it. The slow trickle of sweat down her throat
and between her breasts. Moving a hand over her skin to wipe away the moisture,
she frowned. Looking up, she stared into the darkness. For a moment, she
felt…It felt like…
Laughing to herself, Maria shook her head and went back to
work. The place was a hotbox, and dehydration was going to her brain. He
wouldn’t come. She wasn’t what he wanted or needed. He had made that
perfectly clear.
He would be too costly not only in time and emotions, but
in fear. She would always be waiting for him to leave, always unsure as to
whether he really wanted to be with her, or was he just following a disturbing
trend started by Max. She would always be afraid that she would love more. Some
things were best not opened, and Michael Guerin was her Pandora’s box.
Maria put the broom away. Looking one last time across the
Crashdown diner, she looked into the night and flipped the switch. Time to go
home.
~~~
“The Rave scene isn’t usually your haunt, Liz. What’s
going on?” Maria shook her head at a blouse Liz showed her. Too virginal.
“I…I can go to a Rave.”
Maria tossed her something to wear. “Here, try this, and
let’s curl your hair. You want to look nice for Max.”
“I didn’t say Max was going to be there.”
Maria snorted. “You didn’t have to. You’ve been
obsessing over this heatwave all day.” Maria looked at Liz in the mirror as
she curled her hair. “You sure you know what you’re doing?”
Liz met Maria’s eyes. “He probably won’t even show
up. He said maybe.”
“Maybe.” Maria blew out the air from her lungs. “Liz,
you worry me.”
“Maria.”
“Look, just don’t try to take it so fast, okay?”
Maria cleared her throat. “I know you’ve got this connection since he let
you look into his soul, or whatever, but there is one thing I know…”
“Maria.”
“No, listen.” Maria stared at her friend. “Sometimes
a thing can feel so important, and even if that ‘thing’ is a feeling, you
have to be careful. Brilliant fires burn hotter quickly, but tend to burn out
fast, almost like it was too perfect to hold forever in that pristine state.”
Maria didn’t know how to stress the point. “Don’t grab so fast, because
then you have to hold on too tight, sooner or later, your grip will tire.”
“I don’t…”
Maria knew that. “I’m saying that a fire tended over
time, fed slowly, finds a way to burn hot, building to a hotter state, until the
coal bed is able to instantaneously combust all new fuel.” Maria fanned the
imaginary flames. “Now that is a fire that burns forever.”
~~~
Maria saw him across the way, and she almost walked out
anyway. He was alone. Typical. The observer watching the little humans, a touch
of disdain, but also…
Oh damn. Rolling her eyes, it was that also, that staid her
feet.
Desire. He wanted to be that free, that young, but he
couldn’t. Damn him.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
Michael looked her over, frowning. He should’ve known.
Liz was there. You couldn’t spit on one without the other being close enough
to get sprayed.
“Nothing.”
“Hmm. You do it so well.”
Michael made a face deciding to ignore her, but she was
dressed interestingly, and her lipgloss drew the eye. Actually, her lips were
hard to miss.
“Thought you didn’t engage in teenage mating
rituals.”
“I don’t…usually. Occasionally, I find a good enough
reason to break my basic rules. Some Raves come with live music, and that’s
always worth the break.” Maria looked around this crowd, rolling her eyes at
the box jocks. “Unfortunately, this one is a waste. They’re playing tunes
from a box.” Maria looked at her watch. “Time for me to scram.”
Michael stopped her. “Where are you going?”
“Bar on
“What about Liz? Aren’t you afraid she’ll have to go
to the bathroom, check her makeup? Thought you girlfriend types migrated in
pairs.”
“Not while on a date, Spaceboy. That’s an exception to
the migration rules, subsection 3C. Unless…the boyfriend is disagreeable, or
say…someone like you. A mercy date.”
Maria stalked off. Teach her to stop and play nice. That
wouldn’t be happening again.
Michael stopped her. “Who’s playing at this bar?”
“Trash band. They roam. Pretty decent. I’ve heard them
a few times. I was hoping to convince Alex into ditching this scene for that. I
prefer a male companion. It keeps the greasy old geezers’ hands off my ass.”
Maria bit the inside of her lip. She didn’t even know if Alex would come. He
saw her supporting Liz in their argument. Maria had hoped this would help clear
away some of the hard feelings.
Michael looked over across the floor, seeing Max and Liz
talking, and Liz do this little dip thing. Rolling his eyes, he pinched the area
between his eyes as he watched them walk outside. Fuck it. He could find better
things to do than babysit Max on a date.
“Lead the way.”
Maria lifted a brow. “Did I invite you?”
Michael pointed over to Alex and Isabel talking. “Think
you can talk him away from her?”
Maria followed his gesture, groaning. No frickin’ way!
Was everyone she knew falling into the fatal alien suck zone?
“Great!” Maria huffed looking at him again. “This is
not a date.”
Michael made a snorting noise. “You should be so lucky.
I’m going for the music.”
“Ditto.” Maria turned on her heels moving quickly
through the crowd. He wanted to come; he’d have to keep up.
“I’ll drive!” Michael said close behind her.
“Get a spaceship, the Jetta is mine.”
