False Pretense

She wanted the arms of a stranger, but she only wanted her.

I rubbed my arms, chilled as the wet night air brought goose bumps to my skin. I was watching her, the way she flipped her hair and threw hear head back in laughter, or pushed her overly painted lips together in mock thought. Her voice was loud and made me cringe, words slurred.

                She came staggering over, strappy heels almost giving way beneath her. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said, throwing her arms around my shoulders. I could smell cheap perfume and vodka, mixing with the smell of exhaust and stale rain. What a cocktail.

                “Alyssa,” I said, putting my arm around her waist to keep her from toppling over, “don’t you think you should just come home?” Come home, come home. I wanted to yell it at her. I didn’t want her going off with some guy she’d met maybe five minutes ago in the club. I wanted her home with me, not out with another faceless man.

                “No,” she said, trying to jerk away excitedly. She only managed to fall to the ground, flat on her bottom. Laughing loud she threw her arms out, a few passers by looking at her with disdain. Blushing, I reached down for her hands and pulled her up.

                Her current man’s voice called out to her, and as Alyssa turned I kept a hold of her thin wrist. She looked back at me, those auburn curls swirling around her head. “Please,” I said, “stay with me tonight.” I didn’t elaborate, I couldn’t. It pained me to think of her waking up alone in the morning with no real memory of what had happened. And to know I would hear it all as her shoulder to cry on made me ache.

                “You’re no fun,” she said, stumbling a little. “Lemme go, I’ll see you later.” She jerked her arm free, but I tried to grab her again. She managed to get away, walking towards the guy and shooting me glares over her shoulder. “You’re jealous!” she yelled, pointing at me as she turned and somehow managed to walk backwards. “You’re just jealous! You’re mad cuz you ain’t getting anything tonight!” She turned and grinned, falling into her new man’s toned arms and giving him a dazzling smile.

                “What was that about?” he asked as he ushered her towards his sleek, black car. Smiling, she flipped her hair one last time.

                “No one,” she said, taking a hold of his firm hand, “just some stranger I met in the club.”

                Frowning, I watched her drive away. Another night alone thinking of the girl I loved f*****g up her life with a stranger who would never love her nearly as much as I did.