Beyond Soap

Written for the Daily Flash Fiction Challenge with a word limit of 300.


The prompts: This story must contain the line, “You’re going to regret this.”

Beyond Soap

“I’m breaking up with you.”

That’s what Suzie had said.

Not, “I’m unhappy,” or “I am thinking about breaking up with you.”

Nope. This had had that sound of finality that left no room for negotiating the next step -kind of like dropping a large stone into some deep mud; no sense standing around waiting for it to bounce because it wasn’t going to happen.

David just turned and walked away. It didn’t even occur to him to look back. His mind had gone elsewhere. It was as if it were looking for a loophole that could undo that which couldn’t be undone. Maybe he was dreaming or in a parallel universe. If only he could turn back time.

“You’re going to regret this,” popped unfairly into his head. It was as if he felt a need to kick himself while he was down. Never mind that those were the very words he’d used to caution himself only two days earlier.

He slogged along, eventually making his way back to his apartment. At least he didn’t need to clean it up anymore. He tried a hot shower, but scrubbing with soap only made things worse, highlighting the hopelessness of his situation.

He just knew this was his fault, in a male hormonal rampage kind of way. That Suzie was a babe was beyond question. He said he loved her and she’d smiled in return; that had to mean something. So what if they’d only known each other for a few days.

He’d felt a need to prove his love, before she changed her mind.

Now, as he wiped the fog from the bathroom mirror, the words of warning came back, “You’re going to regret this.”

Staring back from the mirror was the full-chest tattoo that exclaimed, “David and Suzie Forever!”

Word count 300