Happy Endings

The clatter of forks and the hushed murmur of conversation faded into a distant hum. All I could hear was the pounding of my own heart. You sit there with your hands covering your face. And all I see is the ghost of the boy I loved. The lines of your face etched with a grief that mirrored my own. This isn't how it was supposed to be. How could you let it slip away like that? All those years of stolen kisses under the summer sky reduced to ashes in the blink of an eye. I couldn't stop the tears from streaming down my face. I cried until I couldn't breathe, until my throat burned, until my vision blurred.

Every curious glance felt like a spotlight on us. I don't know how long we sat there. Finally, I couldn't bear it anymore. I pushed back my chair and fled the restaurant. 

I left you there, sitting alone, surrounded by strangers. You didn't chase me. You didn't even try. But I can sense the weight of your gaze on my back as I walk through the rain. I didn't turn back. The cool night air did little to soothe the fire raging within me. It's crumbling. And the whole world witnesses it. All that remained was the bitter taste of what we'd lost. 

Fairytales have happy endings. Ours is a tragedy.