Lucy (Prt 3)

 Later that night he sat on their bus, unable to sleep. He hadn’t bothered trying to sober up. Every memory he had of her kept playing over and over, especially one in particular. The last time she had crawled through his window. There had been no denying the marks on her wrists, shaped like lumpy, drunken hands, and the crust of blood on her nostril. She had told him everything then. She had come undone completely, like a great dam had broken and Lucy came pouring through. She had sobbed for hours. He remembered how red her eyes were when she finally stopped. He had remembered the taste of her lips when she kissed had kissed him. He remembered being a young man with a young man’s passions. She had shown him the ropey white scars and how it had never been made by a dog. She stopped crying when he kissed it.To make it feel better.He kissed every scar she revealed that night. And again in the morning when he woke in the gleaming cloud of her hair.
        
 That had been the hardest day. They had spent every minute up until departure together. The sun had started to cast its long shadows and Lucy had become quiet. He knew he had to get on the plane, and when he did, she would go home. He promised he would come back.

 I always meant to come back for you. 

 She had spoken only two words. Two words, she wouldn’t beg. She would never beg. Those two words, now filled him with rage and hot shame. He stood at the gate. She tried her best to hide her shaking hands from him. He held her and said his goodbyes. 
            “You have the most gorgeous amber eyes I have ever seen.” She said, smiling. “I hope they see amazing things.”

            He knew that she wouldn’t go with him. Not then. He hugged her again. This is how it had to be. He would go become rich and famous and come back for her so they could live the life they always wanted. She had whispered two words to him as they called to board.
“I can’t.”
  He had said. He had to go chase his dream. She nodded in resignation. He gave her one last kiss. He made his way up the ramp with her whispered plea in his ears.
            

            That was the last he had seen Lucy. His Lucy. They had tried to stay in touch but he got busy and fame got in the way and they finally just lost each other. 
            The bus’s tries hummed along the highway. The sun was starting to turn the sky a soft pink around the edges. Her words, her soft, tear-choked words repeated in his head like a record skipping.

            Don’t go…
            Don’t go…
            Don’t go…