maybe

"I should know better than to touch the fire twice."

If she hadn't known who he was, it would have been like a fairytale. A modern, urban fairytale set in a night club with a mini-skirted, smokey-eyed princess and a brandy-sipping prince with a goatee. But it was Harley's little fairytale. Her in the club with all her girls. Having a great time, looking fantastic. A great song playing in the background. And then catching eyes with a guy across the room. Not just any guy, THAT guy. The one with swagger reverberating across the room, the one with style and sophistication, the one that made Harley blush a little just by looking at him.

The moment came. Three of her favorite friends by her side. Sporting her new Bebe dress which complimented every curve and sleek line the past six weeks at the gym had given her. One of her favorite old school Jay-Z songs blasting. And in her casual glance around the room while sipping her martini, she caught his eye. Except that it wasn't THAT guy. It was her guy, her old guy. Lewis.

Harley and Lewis were a legend in their circles. They'd been falling in and out of each other's lives since high school, never really dating but always a little more than just friends. That is until the last time. The last time they took the leap. They had a passionate, some would say epic, relationship that lasted nearly two years. Then somehow they'd fallen out of love with each other. Harley remembered the feeling well. That one day she had woken up beside him, looked at him, and knew that the passion was gone. She had imagined it was the same for him.

Of course, Harley knew more than her friends on the outside did. That the end wasn't quite as sudden as she liked to believe. There had been arguments and silence and distrust and anger. There had been hurt feelings and vindictive actions on both of their parts. And when it had finally officially ended, they both decided it was for the best. That their passion was too strong and could lead to nothing but this bitter conclusion.

Honestly, Harley hadn't really thought much about it. Sure, there had been the usual moping time period, then the rebound time period, then the moving on period. She was done with all that and had not thought much about Lewis in the past year. So it surprised her how quickly that original passion stirred in her when she saw him from across the room. How her body seemed to react to him, urging her to move towards him. The memories came back, but somehow only the good. She remembered the way he smelled, the feel of his hand in hers, the taste of him even.

Harley stood, she smiled and Lewis smiled back. She finished off her martini swiftly, took a deep breath, and began to make her way toward him.

breathe

"Its the kind of ending you really don't want to see."

Rebecca remembered closing her eyes. It was painful enough to listen to this argument, let alone watch it unfold. Ben and Yvonne had been going at it for what seemed hours. And there she was stuck in the middle. Again.

The two had had such a fairy tale romance. Ben wooed Yvonne with flowers and romantic dates and love poems. Yvonne had been the perfect poised damsel, awaiting a Prince Charming rescue. So maybe they got swept up in the story. Maybe we all did.

Three years later, there were nothing but fights. Over how the groomer should cut the dogs hair. Over where the TV should be in the bedroom. Over how long it should take for them to eat dinner. Senseless arguments that elevated until the two were screaming.

Rebecca was always in the middle. Yvonne's best friend. Ben's little sister. They called her and she helplessly watched their relationship unravel.

She was so tired of the fighting. Resolutely she opened her eyes. Rebecca stepped in this time. She confronted them in the heat of their argument, and suggested this fight be the last fight. And they listened and followed her instruction.

But Rebecca hated to see the fairy tale end, as much for her own sake as theirs. She had found hope in Ben and Yvonne, a fulfillment of every little girl's dream that she didn't want to let go.