It was dark. The night spring air felt cool against your skin as you walked along the dirt pathway leading home. You weren't much of a drinker, but you enjoyed your evening visits to the saloon, and tonight had been no different. You loved picking out your favorite songs on the jukebox and socializing with the townsfolk after a hard day's work.
Tonight though, one of the saloon's usual patrons was noticeably missing. You couldn't help but glance over to the corner of the bar from time to time, expecting Shane to be in the corner with a beer in his hand. He never showed up that evening. Why did it bother you so much?
Something about Shane drew you in. His cold glare and icy words always sent a shiver down your spine, and you avoided him most nights. On other days, he would smile and chuckle at your thoughtful gifts, and would be friendly at the local festivals. You couldn't help but think about him and be a little worried.
As you passed through the forest, something shiny caught your eye. You saw beer cans sitting on the dock of the lake, the moonlight reflecting off their aluminum exterior. A figure sat on the edge of the dock, hunched over next to the cans.
It was him. Why was he out here?
Shane turned his head slightly at the sound of your approaching footsteps. When he saw it was you, he turned back slowly to face the lake.
"Up late, huh?"
You didn't say anything. Instead, you sat down next to him and stared out at the lake. His tone was soft and didn't have any of its usual coarseness.
"Here, have a cold one." Shane picked up one of the unopened cans and handed it to you. You weren't much of a drinker, but you didn't want to refuse Shane's offer. You nodded in thanks and cracked it open. You wanted to ask him why he wasn't at the saloon, but you held your tongue. You sensed there was more to this than you knew.
Some time passed. The silence between the two of you wasn't as uncomfortable as you imagined it would be. For awhile, you listed to the movement of the water and the chirping of the crickets. It was peaceful.
"Buh… Life."
You looked at Shane, waiting for him to continue.
"You ever feel like… no matter what, you're gonna fail? Like… you're stuck in some miserable abyss, and you're so deep you can't even see the light of day?"
The sudden burst of emotion startled you, but you tried not to let your face show it. Was this how he felt? Was this something he was hiding?
"I think I do," you began. You wanted to choose your words carefully. You looked down at the beer in your hands as you spoke. "Before I came here, I worked at Joja Corporation's head office. I didn't have anything to look forward to except my own bed at the end of the day... and, well," you paused. "I guess you could say it was an abyss of sorts. I felt trapped in my own mind."
You hesitated, not knowing if you were talking too much. You swung your legs back and forth over the dock as you continued. "Finally, I was able to escape my abyss, as you put it. I didn't do it on my own though, I had help from people who cared about me. I used to be afraid of the future, wondering if there was more that life could offer, but in the end," you gestured at the woods around you, "I suppose there was."
Shane paused, then nodded. "Well, that makes sense. I'm glad you were able to find what you were looking for." He took a swig of his beer. "For me…I just feel like no matter how hard I try, I'm not strong enough to climb out of that hole."
You nodded. Words were failing you; you couldn't think of any words to help ease Shane's pain. If you were being honest with yourself, you weren't sure if there were any. You said everything that came to your mind, so you brought the beer to your lips and drank deeply.
Shane raised his eyebrows when he saw you chugging your drink. The small smile you always hoped for appeared on his lips.
"Heh… fast drinker, huh? A woman after my own heart."
Shane's words made you choke on your drink a little bit. Was he trying to imply something, or was it the alcohol talking? You could feel your cheeks begin to turn red as you tried to play off your choking with a small cough. Shane turned to face you and a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. You had to say something.
"What? No…" you laughed a little too hard and tucked your hair behind your ear. Why was it so hot all of a sudden? A woman after his own heart?
"Sure. I mean, not many people around here get me. It seems like you… understand, you know? You don't think I'm a freak for saying what was on my mind. Plus, not many women drink a beer like that. Or at least, try to."
Shane suddenly seemed very close. You could smell the alcohol on his breath as it tickled your cheeks. Did he always have such nice eyes?
"Just don't make it a habit… you got a future ahead of you still."
You nodded out of instinct but wanted to ask him so many more questions. Did he not think he had a future? Why was it so damn hot all of a sudden? Your skin begged for the cool spring breeze from earlier.
Suddenly, your lips were touching. His kiss took your breath away, and the now-empty beer can fell from your hands. His lips were soft, and his stubble scratched at your chin. The taste of the beer on his tongue filled your mouth. You found yourself kissing him back, unable to do much of anything else and giving in to your infatuation. Your thoughts were racing, yet your body was frozen. You could feel his chest start to press against yours as he leaned into you, unspoken feelings bubbling into action. His hand brushed your cheek, and as he leaned into you more, a low groan escaped his lips. You could feel his pants bulging, and -
It ended as suddenly as it began. You gasped for air when the kiss broke, and the two of you stared at each other for a while, not knowing what to say. You could feel sweat beginning to bead on your forehead, and his cheeks were slightly flushed. Shane leaned back. Finally, he cleared his throat and looked away.
"Welp… my liver's beggin' me to stop. Better call it a night."
Shane stood up and stooped down to collect the empty cans by his side. He straightened up and met your eyes one more time. He couldn't help but give you a small smile.
"See you around."
