The Argument

by Sandy S.

He was gone. The wheels of the car crunched across grains of sand strewn about the empty parking lot. In a violent motion, she jerked the steering wheel to the left, and the speeding car flew into a parking space. Just before she dove into the sand dunes, the girl slammed on the brakes.

When that action did not phase her, she reached with a shaking hand and fumbled for the door handle. Upon finding it, she pulled hard, and the door jumped open. In a single action, she turned off the car, climbed out, and whammed the car door shut. The whole car rocked.

She did not notice.

Instead, she ran toward the sea. She was not crying…yet.

The ivory sand was packed together against her feet. The briny sea air billowed back her long, dark hair and stung her eyes and nostrils. She was virtually blinding by overwhelming emotion as well as the tears that threatened to course down her cheeks as she ran. The only guidance she had was the pale white light of the full moon above her.

With a tiny cry of shock, she felt pain tear through her foot as it grazed the sharp shard of an unseen object. Tumbling to the ground, the girl let the unbidden tears release themselves from her lashes and splash onto her arms. A red pearl of blood dribbled from the puncture wound, darkening the fleshy part of her arch. She touched her fingertip to it, and the droplet spread, running down her finger to her palm.

Sniffling, she skimmed the ground. A jagged shell was firmly planted upright in the muddy sands near her leg. The tip was stained pink with her blood. She uprooted the tiny weapon and hurled it into the sea. In answer, a stray wave of water tickled her calf, and she almost laughed out loud. Then, she became aware of the cold dampness of her cheeks and remembered him.

Her hair flowed across her shoulders, and she shook her head to dry her burning skin and hide from the world. With an aching heart, she looked up at the bright moon for comfort. Tears shone anew in her eyes and smeared the sympathetic rays of the heavenly body's borrowed light.

He had hurt her in a way never to be forgiven. He had been stubborn and willful in his opinion, too. He told her he never wanted to see her again. Why? What had she done to be treated this way? It wasn't fair.

Suddenly, she realized she was angry with him. Glaring at the moon, she brought her knees up and hid her face in them. The sea breeze teased her hair, and she tossed her head in frustration. In her mind's eye, she imagined the round moon lashing the marine waters higher and higher until they swept her away. She felt foolish and shoved the thought away.

He had said she brought his words on herself. Maybe it was true. Maybe she had. Her stomach turned, and she regretted some of her word choices. They were both to blame.

She wondered what he was doing. Was he somewhere thinking about her, as she was he? It had only been a few hours, but she already missed him terribly. Hot tears scalded her face and knees before she could catch them. God, she loved him. Had he forgotten her so soon? What if she never saw him again? She looked up. What if he was searching for her, and he couldn't find her? What if he thought she had left him for good? Oh, no…

A hand gently touched her shoulder. Her heart leapt as she turned to meet his eyes, soft with unshed tears. He had found her! Without a word, she slipped into his arms, which encircled her tightly, and she buried her face in the familiar chest. It was save and warm there…free from the world.

"How did you…," she began, gazing up.

"Know where to find you?" he finished for her, his voice deepened with emotion. "I knew."

"I'm sorry."

"Me, too. I shouldn't have said those things…not that they weren't true."

She laughed, then, sobered. "I love you."

"Yes, I love you, too," he replied in a hesitant, low tone.

All was forgotten. The stars above them twinkled as they stood together and walked across the beach toward the road. The argument…their first argument was over.

(August 2, 1991)

THE END