American River Review 2019 - Flipbook - Page 26
Storm Clouds and Sirens
Marcie Mallory
I fidget with the hem of my blouse. I wish I had
not said I’d wear the yellow one. I hadn’t expected
everybody in the coffee shop to be wearing shades of
black, with rain clouds over each head and brooding
looks on everyone’s faces.
I felt just as bleak about this impulsive life choice as
they looked.
Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do? Wear
something bright, something that stands out? The
coffee shop is busy, crawling with young people,
clinking coffee cups, whistling steam, a little too loud
to be a good place to talk. I check my watch and slowly
rise out of my seat, trying to decide whether I would
abandon ship, when I see a flash of strawberry blonde.
I sink back down before I realize it’s not her. I think
she has dark hair now anyway, that’s how he’d always
liked it. I can’t help but remember another time when
against all my doubts, she convinced me to stay.
“It’ll be quick,” she said.
“Is that supposed to make me want to?”
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American River Review
“Of course! You don’t even have to stress about it,
it’s really no big deal.”
I wanted to scoff at her. I wanted to hurl, if I’m being
more honest, but I kept quiet, not sure how to respond
to her nonchalance.
“Then what are you worried about?” she always
could read me better than anyone.
“You! Us. Ugh, I don’t know, I just need you to be
okay.”
“We’ll always be okay, you know that. We’ve been
best friends forever!” Her eyes were sparkling, pure
and clear, as she said that. They always looked like
honey in the golden hour light, like amber when she
was angry. She was making me put down my defenses
the way only she was able to.
“Exactly. Won’t this complicate that?”
“I would never let that happen, not with you.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“But I can, because I know I’ll always love you.”
At the time, I believed her, I believed her the way