Misty stood at the shore, the cold water of the ocean barely touching her feet. She carried in her hands her high heel sandals, her phone and her hat. As the wind blew very hard, she brushed now and then the hair off her face.
Her gaze was fixed on the sunset. It was beautiful. It made her smile.
"Hey."
Misty turned around. She smiled again. Ash joined her side. His hands were inside his shorts' pockets.
"The sunset- it's beautiful."
"Yeah."
The two stood there in awkward silence. Ash turned toward Misty. She was completely lost in thoughts.
"Misty?"
Ash took his hands out of his pockets when Misty suddenly threw everything she was holding to the sand, jumped at him and pulled him in a hug. She was softly crying.
"Don't cry, Misty. Don't cry."
"He broke me, Ash, he broke me..."
If it was Ash who had walked Misty down that aisle in her wedding, he'd have felt horribly bad now.
Ash didn't really know much details about what happened between Misty and Rudy for the past year and a half they were married; all he knew that when Misty asked for a divorce, Rudy made her regret it, and she got out of the marriage with absolutely nothing.
He forced her into signing a waiver if she wanted him to let go of her.
It wasn't surprising. Ash knew Rudy always wanted his money for himself. He wasn't the type who'd share. If Misty wanted his money, she'd have to stay with him. When she was his wife, he liked to show off with how beautiful and gorgeous Misty is; he spent money on her so she'd look presentable in front of his work partners and friends.
Rudy wanted a wife to show off with. It was clear for Ash from the very beginning, but who was he to tell Misty that back then?
"You never needed his money, Misty. You were always beautiful, with the jewelry or without."
Misty pulled away and slightly smiled. Ash smiled too. He loved the sight of her fiery red hair flowing against the wind.
"Don't cry. It's over. You're free now."
"I always thought about what you told me that day..."
Ash flinched. He pulled his hand away from Misty. "I never forgot it, Ash."
"And... you never gave me the chance to answer back. You weren't even there for the wedding. I thought you'd show up. You're the person that means to me the most and you weren't there for me."
"I had my reasons and you know them." Ash stroked Misty's cheek with his hand.
"I know... I thought... I was never really sure about my decision when I agreed on marrying Rudy. You never said anything, so I thought my feelings weren't returned and so... I tried hard to move on."
"You were dating him."
"I know- I know, but I thought it'd make you make a move or something- I don't know. I was empty. I needed someone by my side. I felt empty, Ash, and I was tired of waiting. I said yes to the first guy, who happened to be Rudy."
"Then you told me you love me, and... I couldn't stop thinking about it. I didn't know what to do- I was getting married in few days and- it didn't feel right with Rudy anymore. The spark was gone. I was..."
Misty leaned forward. She was slightly shivering. "... thinking about you every single minute."
"M-"
"I even thought about you when I kissed him, Ash. I thought about you." Misty pulled away. She chuckled a bit and turned her attention to the ocean.
"I was basically cheating on him all this time, you know?"
Ash wasn't sure if he had to feel guilty or not.
"When he touched me, I imagined it was you, not him." Misty turned toward Ash, smiling. "It's cheating."
"I'm sorry. I spoke about that and you were getting married... it was a bad timing."
"No, it's a good thing you did. It'd have been unfair for Rudy to keep lying to him all the time. He deserves someone who loves him truly."
Misty walked toward Ash again. She placed her arms around his neck. "Just like how you deserve someone who loves you truly, just like how I do." this time, when Misty kissed Ash on the lips, she thought about him, and only him.
Ash didn't walk Misty down the aisle and never will.
THE END.
if you know what I mean *wink*