David Bustamante

He smiled down at her. She was so silly sometimes. She was picking up important things from the floor. Her date was in 20 minutes. He moved slightly to the side to see her face. Still beautiful as ever. He sighed. I got rather lonely when no one was able to see you.
She smiled slightly at the man in front of her. Her eyes glowed lightly, emptily. She was starting to date again. She sat in the café with him as the man chattered away. Her red hair glistened slightly with the lighting. Hector sighed. It hurt him slightly to see her with another man, but then again, it would hurt anyone who loved her the way he did. He wanted her happy though, and he promised that no matter what, he’d watch after her. But she wasn’t happy, she was suffering and in need. So he stayed seated next to her, admiring the way her rosy lips moved as she smoothly spoke.
He wanted to burst out crying. She was there standing in front of the grave. His eyes were already rolling down. He’d give up his soul just to hold her once; he might have never stood up for his country’s freedom if he could still be with her. But he couldn’t, and he stood there in silent agony as the courageous woman he gave his heart to started crying silently at the name imprinted upon that tomb. A hole stretched into his being, and once again he wanted to hold her and tell her everything would be all right. But no matter how close he was to her, he wouldn’t be able to touch her. They both cried because of that flaw.
She immersed herself in her work. She was trying to forget all the agonizing feelings developing in her chest. Gloria sighed unhappily. She moved her hands upon the tiny ration booklet. At her touch the pages turned vigorously, the sudden force landing the booklet on the floor. She cursed, and walked around her desk cursing the figure that had left the window open. The fair-haired man came in as soon as she placed the booklet once more on the table. He had a taunting smile on his face as he walked towards where she was sitting. Hector silently sat on the chair across the desk, watching the scene unravel. “ How about you and I go dancing tonight? You seem to need it.” The older man’s lined face contorted maliciously. She stared at him for a moment. Contemplating. She shook her head at him. “I can’t, James.” I won’t. She sighed heavily. “ I have too much work here.” His green eyes stared at her for a moment. “ Are you sure? Maybe afterwards you and I can go to my place…” Hector coughed violently and stared with raging eyes at the deadly bull in front of him. He knew she had to move on but… he hadn’t really thought about that possibility. “No thank you, James.” She turned around towards her desk again, writing once more. James sighed and briskly walked out. Hector stared at her. “ I love you so much.” Her eyes remained on the desk. She could not hear him.
It was nights like these that he wished he could march up to her and give her a good old-fashioned slap. Of course he couldn’t, and was now forced to watch her down her tenth glass of whiskey. He hovered over the bartender and lightly touched him. His eyes immediately went down to the young woman downing his drink. He called the cab. Somehow he knew it was for that misshaped stranger. Why he called, he wasn’t sure.
She was driving in the in the middle of the night. One in the morning to be exact. She did this when she was too frustrated to sleep. She was exhausted and tired. Her eyes were drooping closed but her being wouldn’t let her sleep. She lost control of the steering wheel. Didn’t see the incoming truck headed her way, and her car flipped various times and skidded down a small hill, she could have sworn she heard a panicked shriek next to her.
Hector panicked as he tried to help her, but once more, he couldn’t touch her. She crawled out slowly from the car’s window. The vehicle was upside down. She willed herself to get away for a good ten feet. She laid herself on top of grass and weakly stared at the night sky as the blood rapidly left her body. Her eyes caught glowing stars as Hector cried next to her. “You always loved the stars, didn’t you?” she coughed slightly, and he sobbed some. “ Damn, I miss you so much.” He mildly touched her bloodied cheek. Her eyes closed at the foreign sensation entering her body. “ I really wish you were here with me in this cruel world. Next to me, where you belong.” Hector chuckled through his tears and leaned down towards her ear. “ I always am, sweetie.” She chuckled, before she spit some blood out. “ Call me crazy, but I think I can still hear your voice.” His eyes widened slightly. “ Gloria, hold on sweetie, just hold on. Help is on the way.” She opened her eyes and weakly stared at his figure. “ Hector?” His figure faded once more. “Yes, it’s me.” He smiled lightly at her while kissing her forehead. “ Just hold on.” She sighed, and smiled. “ I love you, Baby.” She closed her eyes. He laughed. “ I do too, you know that.” A moment of silence passed and she opened her eyes again. She heard the sirens quickly approaching. Her eyes landed on his figure. “Hector”. She breathed lightly. He smiled at her. His eyes running out of tears, leaving small glimmers on them. He offered his hand to her. She accepted it. She pulled him into her, allowing him to smell the lilac he had missed for five whole years. The paramedics rushed towards them, but rather than go to her, she was surprised when they went to the body behind her and her beloved. Her eyes widened slightly when she realized it was her body they were inspecting. They called the time of death as they started moving her figure away. She stood next to Hector. Hand in hand, just staring at each other. “ You are some piece of work you know that?” he spoke, a strict but playful voice in his words. She chuckled as he spun her around. “Only for you.” He held her against him. The hole that etched him slowly started sealing itself when she was with him and he smiled at that. “ Next time,” She looked at him, questioningly. “Try not to be so flirty.”