those haunting memories

The frosty wind caught the hem of her dress and bit at her rosy cheeks.
She quickened her pace and turned up her music - beating through her eardrums and into her brain, drowning out the memories. Looking up, she caught a glimpse of the dimpled smile she knew all too well and locked eyes with him for a split second. She had to turn away, hot tears stinging her frozen face, as his showed no recognition and when she looked up, he was gone… Just the hint of his happy laughter, being carried away by the wind. How could he not be hurting as much as she was? Surely, the months they spent together meant something to him too? Blocking these razor sharp thoughts from her mind she hurried home, to the haven of her room, where she could sit and try not to think about how it would be - if he only felt the same as before.

--

The wind was bloody freezing and it seemed to make its way up his trouser legs and underneath his tightly zipped coat. Shivering, he pulled his arms around himself, glancing around as he did so. He was so used to looking out for her; so he could look into her eyes again, just for a second, and pretend everything was how it used to be. Catching the tail end of some stupid joke his best friend was telling, he smiled as he remembered how her face lit up so perfectly when she was sharing a funny story. He suddenly caught sight of the shine of her mahogany hair and, with an almost painful jolt in his stomach that he was sure made the expression escape from his face; he locked eyes with her - just for a split second. He felt a sharp blow to his shoulder and turned around to find a bus starting to drive away - his friends pursuing it desperately. Laughing, he turned to trudge home - his haven - where he could listen to music and drown out the memories, trying not to think about what he'd lost.