The Sidewalk

We walked quietly side by side on the sidewalk, shards of lightning illuminating the parts of our journey that were not outlined by oncoming or passing headlights. Nevertheless, the night was dark, dimmed partially by our irrational thoughts and by the fairly unsettling events which had marked our earlier evening.
As the sidewalk continued she edged ahead of me, careful to avoid a deep puddle left behind by gloomy rainshowers. I had closed my umbrella some time ago and the long pointed end skimmed the puddles' surface restlessly. From up ahead she glanced nervously back at me- unable to push forward without affirming that I was leading from behind. I smiled back at her, somewhat wickedly, my own insecurities dissuaded by her strange inability to act without me. I pulled the umbrella from the puddle satisfied with the ripples now emanating from center to far end. It was then that I nodded back at her, the lightning striking rather fortuitously in the background. As we proceeded, my umbrella raised above head; I could not shake the feeling of a cavalry charging toward battle, heads high, the thirst for victory divulged at every point. The night was closing in around us and I lowered the umbrella and shirked any other fantastical imagery from the corners of my mind.
With thunder booming I took the lead, stepping assertively in puddles as I strode my way down the sidewalk. It pleased me to know that she needed me, that she thought me capable and necessary. I had been trying to wean myself off of this insatiable addiction I had cultivated over the past months. This addiction to her insecurities. Regardless, as I stepped pointedly in the depth of water before me I allowed myself to take pleasure in her darting eyes which settled on me every few seconds. My own stride steeled with the embrace of her confidence in me.