When We Were Together
It was dark and it was dreary.
Down the road, Marlene heard the music so loud she couldn't seem to make out the words. She was only a little tipsy, which made climbing up the tree outside her bathroom window hard but not impossible.
She was always the fun one. The happy one. Without looking in a mirror, she stumbled down the hallway to her bedroom. She pulled her hair down from its messy bun and was overwhelmed by the smell of sugar and hairspray.
Uriah always said she smelled like that- sugar and hairspray.
Uriah.
Frustrated, Marlene threw herself on the slate colored bedspread and rolled on her back. Her chocolate covered hair was sprawled around her head like a halo, her makeup only slightly smudged at the mulberry colored lips.
She stared at her ceiling, the ugly white fan blowing air towards her flushed face.
Uriah.
If only he could see her now, how beautiful she was in small moments like this one. His collection of memories of her consisted of many things starting with the little girl in the black dress walking into his kindergarten classroom.
She had one of those backpacks all the other kids envied not because it was special or anything; of course, it wasn't the backpack itself. Hanging from the zipper were dozens of clips and key chains that made a very distinct sound when she walked with the pitter-patter of her black flats in rhythm.
He remembered this as he sat in the bathroom of the house down the road. The door was locked and the lighting seemed oddly red as it bounced off the forest green walls. The thumping of the subwoofer shaking him.
Marlene was lying on her bed thinking about how he used to spike his hair with gel to make it stick up and how they used to play kickball together at recess. Whenever she wore a dress, he offered to kick for her and she could just run the bases. She always, always declined.
Their memories formed into puddles made from her tears that dripped from the trees after a rain shower.
Marlene rolled on her side and thought about the first time Uriah came over to her house.
"Mama," She said sitting at the kitchen table coloring, "Can I invite a friend over?"
"Of course." Her mother said sliding out a spoon to mix the batter of the chocolate cake she was making. Marlene's mother made the best chocolate cake. "What's her name?"
Marlene put down her crayon. "His name is Uriah."
"See if he can come over after school Friday." Her mother said smiling.
The first time Uriah came over to her house they were eight and played catch the entire time. And the last time he was there they were nestled in Marlene's bed with his legs wrapped around hers and her lips pressed to his shoulder.
It hurt Uriah's stomach to think about it.
Marlene shifted sides of her bed to hear the rain better. Her closet was wide open and she could see the blue dress.
"Did you just his me in the head with a Frisbee?" Marlene asked.
"Yes." Uriah said with wide eyes. Even in the eighth grade he was strong looking, tall with semi defined muscles from years of sports. "Now flip it over."
Marlene glared, her eyebrows frowning. She did as she was told, a group of other classmates surrounding them. FORMAL? Was written in sharpie on the back. She looked up smiling and nodded. "Yes."
A week or so later Uriah was at Marlene's door. He expected her to walk out in black but boy did she surprise him.
Marlene's dress was short. And strapless. And sparkly. But not black.
It was aqua with yellow glitter and she wore heels. Uriah escorted her to his bike and she rode on the handlebars.
Marlene covered her head with a pillow.
He kissed her that night.
Uriah's mind wondered to the night over Christmas break when they were both sixteen. Her parents where out, his parents were out and oddly enough the couples were at the same party.
Marlene and Uriah took advantage of this opportunity where no one was home. Uriah climbed up that same tree into the bathroom window.
They sat facing each other. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Uriah asked holding her hands and looking into her eyes.
"I'm sure." She said confidently. "Are you?"
He nodded. "Yes." There was nervousness in his stomach. He didn't want to hurt her, didn't want to make him unhappy. She took off his shirt and her took off hers. Then they laughed as they kissed each other on her bed, smiling at each other loving the idea of sex more then the act.
"Did it hurt?" Uriah asked worriedly when they were done.
Marlene chuckled and softly touched his flushed face. "Yeah but not terribly."
"Good." Uriah said. "Not good that it hurt but good that it wasn't that ba-"
"Uriah." She said smiling. "I'm fine." He smiled back at her.
She rolled on top of him so he could wrap his arms around her waist. "Besides," She said. "The pain is supposed to lessen each time."
Uriah smirked. "Each time."
He banged his head on the wall in the bathroom. Stupid. He thought.
She stifled a sob under her covers. I wonder if he's thinking about me. She thought.
Uriah wanted to feel the curve of her face in his hand. The softness of her lips on his. He wanted to inhale the sugar and hairspray smell that was her hair.
"Why'd we do it?" She asked out loud to the wall.
Uriah wiped a tear off his cheek in the bathroom. "Why the Hell did we break up?"
Thank y'all for reading! Reviews make my day. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate.
AJ xo