Poetry for Losers: A Love Story

Here is an excerpt from the short novel I'm currently working on. If you enjoy this, check out my books here.

She flew into the dark, trying to outrun the looks and whispers that were by now spreading across the entire island. She was flustered, embarrassed and hurt. These were feelings she thought she’d been impervious to, emotions she had risen above and conquered. She believed they held no power over her, and yet here she was, breaking down into tears on the lawn.

She finally stopped and sat on a bench by one of the many flower gardens. She held her head in her hands, feeling the surprise wetness of tears on her face. She’d ruined it. She knew she would. Of course she would. This wasn’t supposed to be about her, but she’d just stolen the night and now anyone would remember about Janessa and Kevin’s rehearsal dinner was the crazy sister who caused a scene.

“What’s the matter with you?” Ben asked, walking up to the bench.

She didn’t answer. She kept her face hidden in her hands. He was the last person she wanted to see right now, especially since she probably had mascara running down her cheeks.

He sat next to her and let out a big sigh.

“I don’t know what you heard, but I made it very clear that we did not sleep together last night. The first mention of ‘wild rumpus sex’ was out of your mouth, loudly, in front of everyone,” he explained in a clear, definitive tone.

It snapped her back.

She picked up her head, straightened her back and squared her shoulders. There was no condolence in his voice. No attempt at being sorry or making her feel better about the situation. No apology for an action that may have led to her weakness.

He wasn’t afraid of her. And he clearly didn’t feel sorry for her.

She wiped her cheeks and sniffled. She lifted her face and shook her hair back into place. She took a deep breath as she smoothed the hem of her dress with her perfectly manicured hands.

She looked over at him, her eyes dark, bold, piercing.

“You are absolutely right. Thank you for making that clear to everyone, including me,” she said in a flat tone. She paused and stared at him, waiting for a witty and striking response to leave her lips. All she could think of was how he had the perfect amount of stubble, how his cheekbones cast the perfect shadow in the moonlight, and how his blue eyes were staring back at her, waiting excitedly for her attack.

She looked away and stood to leave.

“Please tell my sister that I am sorry for causing a scene. Hopefully, she’ll understand and forgive me. I will see you tomorrow,” she said in the same flat tone before turning to walk away.

“We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us,” he called after her.

She turned quickly to see him standing, smugly, with his hands in his pockets.

“And what the hell is that supposed to mean?” she asked, walking back towards him.

“It means that you put so much effort into having control and keeping your guard maintained that you’re missing the best things in life,” he replied effortlessly, unaffected by her approach.

“Excuse me? You don’t know me. One shared hotdog on a street corner does not constitute a relationship.”

“Of course not. That would elicit the possibility that you are capable of having a relationship, which you clearly are not. Except, possibly, with yourself. How is that going by the way?” he teased, leaning in slightly.

“It’s going great, actually. God, you’re such a typical chauvinist, standing here telling me that no woman can succeed without a man. Did you see what I did yesterday? That’s who I am.”

“I didn’t specify a relationship with a man. I simply said relationship, with anyone, really. Isn’t your sister getting married tomorrow? Isn’t it the rehearsal dinner tonight? And where are you? In a park somewhere defending yourself and your life. Couldn’t even take one night away from your ego,” he smirked.

Her breath caught in her throat.

“That was low,” she grumbled.

“It’s the truth,” he stated.

The world started to spin. Her chest tightened. She felt her knees begin to give.

What had he done? How was this happening? How did he find her weakness and how could he exploit it like this?

He wrapped his arms around her before she crumbled. He held her up, close to his chest and looked down at her. She looked up into his solemn face, inches away from hers.

“You are a powerful woman. You are capable of so many things but you constantly hold yourself back. Imagine what you could do if you let yourself live and breathe and enjoy the world,” he whispered.

The moonlight, his arms around her, her body already weak. She closed her eyes and waited.

And then it came, the feeling she’d been waiting for since that first night. She wasn’t resisting anymore. There it was, the soft, tender heat of his lips.

On her forehead.

She opened her eyes and looked up at him, searching for the acknowledgement of his error.

“You missed,” she said.

He smiled and lifted her up as if straightening out a rag doll. He let go of her and backed away.

“I’ll tell your sister that you are sorry for causing a scene. I’m sure she will forgive you. She is very sweet like that,” he replied. He turned and walked back to the party.