Half-based on a true story. I wish the ending was part of that half, but life doesn't always work out like the storybooks, do they? Nonetheless, enjoy :)

Sheets of Glass
by Daryl Bong

I saw her from the corner of my eye, as I was walking past the restaurant at the mall. There she was, engrossed in a conversation with someone I didn't recognise, and there we were, separated by a sheet of glass.

The first emotion I felt was surprise. The kind of surprise you get when you're half-expecting a phonecall, and a moment later, the phone rings. Surprise, because just mere minutes ago I had been thinking of her, wondering if we'd meet. Come to think of it, I shouldn't have been all that surprised at all; she lived five minutes from where we were.

I thought to wave, or tap the glass. Something to get her to notice I was there. A sudden throng of people appeared out of nowhere, blocking her from view. I craned my head, hoping to make eye contact. Perhaps she'd see me, perhaps she'd smile and I'd smile back. Then I'd wave goodbye, and be off; a moment later my phone would ring, and she'd tell me it was good to see me again.

I came this close to waving with both hands like some maniac, but then I stopped. Slowly, as if it were some dawning revelation, I recalled we weren't on speaking terms. Or, in the very least, I believed that to be the current status of our relationship. My right hand froze just an inch above my waist. Someone gave a weird look; I must have appeared pretty awkward, standing there.

She was still speaking to her friend, so animatedly she hardly even looked up. I wondered what she would do if she saw me. I feared she would stare blankly for a moment, then look away, pretending not to recognise me. Maybe she had already discovered my presence, and was simply ignoring it. The idea of her shunning me made my hand--the one that was still at my navel--drop.

I walked away from that sheet of glass, unsure of what to feel. There was anger, a tinge of it, which I dismissed as illogical. She had not ignored me. I'd only imagined her ignoring me. There was sadness, as well. Mixed with some bad memories, it made for a decent emotional cocktail with a side of guilt. But above that brew, there was regret.

My hand reached instinctively for my phone as I walked, my legs on autopilot. It was something I would do, after seeing a friend in passing. Drop them a text, let them know I'd seen them, throw in a stalker joke. It was all very habitual and instinctive. I even had the text in mind before my fingers were on the keypad.

'Hey, spotted you at the mall earlier. Like your pink shirt ;)'

Someone bumped into me, said something rude. I apologised, muttered something unintelligible, before realising I'd dropped my phone. It was at my feet. I picked it up (nothing seemed damaged) and the text I had typed without looking was gone.

"So much for that..." I said.

The bus ride home was sullen, and seemed longer than usual. Halfway through the journey, it started to rain. Ghost images of her danced across the empty seats. One of those images set beside me, and I felt a twang of pain and longing. It was simply insufficient to say that I missed her.

I got home soaking wet and feeling like crap. Took a shower and spent the rest of the afternoon sprawled out on the couch. There was nothing good on TV, so I read a book. I couldn't focus long enough to get past the first chapter, so I set the book aside and just laid there, eyes closed. Not long later, I was months away, remembering and perhaps making up memories--everything that led up to the point of our falling out. Her face swam in my mind's eye, and her smile tasted like summer berries.

I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew I was woken by a beeping noise. I rolled off the couch, rather ungracefully, and searched for my phone. It took me five full minutes to finally find it, under the couch.

The first emotion I felt was surprise. The kind of surprise you get when you're half-expecting a phonecall, and a moment later, the phone rings.

'Really? Must have missed you. Thanks. We should really meet up soon :)'

I smiled. The rain had stopped.