M in the Abstract by Douglas Davey

Author:Douglas Davey
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781552443460
Publisher: Red Deer Press
Published: 2014-06-17T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

Thirteen

Saturdays are now walking days, exploration days, a solitary new ritual that she has come to enjoy. Mary strolls along aged sidewalks under the shadows of maples. Some are just beginning to turn yellow and orange, the first hints of autumn. Some days she shuffles through the downtown, occasionally looking around herself, but usually keeping her eyes on the ground. From the edge of her vision, she glimpses a familiar figure halfway up the block.

Van

She wishes she had crossed the street earlier; to do so now would be conspicuous.

Ahead of her, Van holds court over a group of guys, talking loudly, laughing. Once again she feels her attraction to him, despite her memories. She finds her conflicted feelings almost unbearable.

Mary approaches him, hands stuffed in her pockets and shoulders hunched. Van glances away from his friends and looks in her direction. His face lights up at the sight of her. “Hey! Oh, shit, I forgot your name. You’re that chick that wouldn’t swear!” She stops for a moment, gathering her strength.

Be invisible

She marches forward, determined to stomp right by him.

His eyes follow her as she approaches. As she draws alongside him, he says, “Hey, don’t walk away! C’mon, I’m sorry. Don’t be mad!” He begins walking backward beside her. “What’s your name again?”

He’s so close she can smell him.

What is it? Body spray? Something he puts in his hair?

Her mind boils.

Stop smelling so good stop looking so good stop being so mean just leave me alone

“Hey, talk to me. What’s the matter?”

Everything’s the matter

You’re the matter

Nothing’s the matter

“Nothing,” she replies, picking up her step. He continues his backward movement, increasing his pace in order to keep up. Finally pulling up in front of her, he blocks her path. She stops, raising her eyes to see him.

Stop having such a beautiful face, stop having such pretty eyes

He asks, “Hey, what’s going on?”

Don’t talk to him, don’t talk, don’t talk, don’t talk, be invisible, get away

She does not respond.

“C’mon, say something.”

Blood rushes to her face and, once more, she finds herself surprised by her own anger.

“I promise I’ll stop teasing you, or whatever,” Van says, flashing a smile. “You wanna get a coffee or something? I’m buying.” She looks away, sensing that she might start to cry, knowing that she has to keep it together.

A girl’s voice, loud and angry, asks, “Is this asshole bothering you?” Turning, Mary can see two skinny girls sitting in a doorway, each wearing tight jeans and hoodies. One of them has her hood pulled loose over her long hair, an earphone jammed in one ear, the other end dangling. The other one has her hood back, her hair buzzed short except for a dyed scarlet fringe across the front.

Van yells back, “Fuck off, Kristyn. We’re just talking!”

Standing up, Kristyn replies, “Well, she’s not doing any talking. She looks like she’s going to cry.” She approaches Mary, leans in, and repeats her question. “Is he bothering you?”

Who are you?

Why do you care?

Can you help me?

Steeling herself, Mary looks at Kristyn’s running shoes and answers, “Yes.

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