My contest submission for tnme22's Flash Fiction Contest. Any serious comments would be awsome.
The same stupid song plays whenever he texts me. And every time I hear it, I quickly press ‘ignore’ and hope he'll get the hint. He never will, will he?
I roll over on my side and close my eyes. “I won’t make the same mistake again.”
***
The next day, you show up at my door holding a little brown teddy bear in one hand and some dying roses. “Will you ever forgive me?”
‘Don’t do it.’
‘Do it.’
‘No!’
“Yes,” I whisper, taking the bear and hugging it in the crock of my arm.
***
The bruises are still fresh, slowly turning purple as I stare at myself, tracing the growing splotches along my stomach and chest. How many times has this happened? Standing in the mirror, examining the damage. “I hate him.”
‘You love him.’
“I loved him. Past tense. I’m done with this.”
‘No you’re not. Look at yourself.’
I couldn’t bear to stare at the bruises, whose prints were so bright I could feel them burning through my eyelids. I dropped my shirt. That same stupid song was playing again.
***
In my room, I’m staring at my phone.
Im so sorry baby. Itll never happen again
Solemnly I reply.
Its okay
Hesitation. I press send.
‘Stupid girl.’
***
An arms length away, I hold the bear in both hands. He’s smiling at me, two black glassy eyes shining in his overstuffed head. Between his paws there’s a little red read heart that says ‘Love,’ embroidered with white thread.
“I think that I’m falling again.”
The bear looks back at me, unchanging.
‘Yep.’
