"21"

Set Fire To The Rain

Still nothing.  Hanna checked the phone again and again.  Still no text.  No missed phone calls.  No answer to her calls. 

Hanna threw the phone as hard as she could into the sofa -- then cringed as it bounced off the soft cushions and landed with a thud onto the floor. 

Cradling the phone as she sat on the floor, she resisted the urge to wipe the tears from her cheeks.  “Fool.  You let yourself get used again.”  It took a moment for her to realize the phone was ringing.  This time, she quickly swiped her hand across her upper lip, sniffled away the last of her unhappy, “Hey, this is Hanna.”

Even she could tell her brightness sounded fake and artificial.

“Hi, it’s me.  Spill it.”

“Hi, Lori.  He hasn’t called and won’t answer when I call.  Can you hear me okay?”

“A little fuzzy.  Did you have a hissy fit again?”

“Shut up.  And yes, I threw my phone and I think I’m lucky it still works.”

“What happened?”

Hanna took a moment to contemplate the edge where the ceiling met the wall. “Oh, Lori, the same old, same old.  Girl meets boy.  Girl and boy have big fun for a while.  Girl likes boy more than he likes her.  Boy won’t call anymore.  You know?  Like that.  Don’t you think I deserve an explanation of what went so wrong so fast?”

“You want me to call him and get his side?  Maybe it will help to know what works and what doesn’t for the next candidate.”

Hanna contemplated the ceiling again.  “I don’t want it to sound like a vetting call.”

She could almost hear the wheels in Lori’s mind spinning.  “I will think of something.  Bye.”

Hanna loved Lori.  She was the best friend you loved to hate.  She was witty, pretty and flirty.  Guys seemed to be attracted to her without effort.  She had no idea what it was like to have to work for the few boyfriends that Hanna could claim.  Hanna caught her previous boyfriend cheating, and hooked with Ryan on the rebound.  He seemed so perfect, so attentive, so fun.  She could sure pick winners.

Hanna jumped a little when the phone rang again.  This time, when Lori told her the idea to get Ryan to talk, Hanna was wiping laughter tears off her face.

That was three days ago.  Now Hanna was sitting on mute listening to Ryan confessing the date fiasco to Lori, who was pretending to interview him for a radio show.  Hanna did not want to take herself off mute and speak with Ryan.  He was lying about everything.  But Lori was losing her cover.

Deep slow inhale, hold, quick exhale.  Just as she trained the students in the birthing classes she taught.  “Ryan, it’s Hanna.  I’ve been listening in.  None of that is true.  I have no interest in being with a liar. That’s a side of you I never knew. I just want to know what it is about me that you quit calling and quit pursuing me.”

“I have a girlfriend already.”

The words stung.  Hanna scratched the soft cleft of her upper lip as she gathered her thoughts.  “Ryan, you don’t deserve to be happy.  Lori, I’m going to hang up now.”

With that, she decided to take a long walk and work off her angry.  She yanked her door shut muttering to herself, “You can sure pick ‘em.  You could start a business with the logo: save yourself some heartache, anyone I pick for you, run like hell.”

Hanna startled, “Mrs. McCurdy, I didn’t see you.  How much did you hear?”

“All of it, my dear.  You know back in my day, we waited longer.  You young kids can’t hold a relationship when you run from one to another so fast.”

“Mrs. McCurdy…”

“I’m not saying we waited until we were married.  Lord knows the big War changed all that.  How do you think the phrase, ‘The first one can come anytime, after that, it takes nine months’ came about?  My generation, Sweetie. My generation.  You aren’t doing anything we didn’t do first.”

Hanna hugged Mrs. McCurdy.  “Ma’am, I am letting you pick my next one.  Find someone nice for me.  I promise to trust you.”

“I have my eye on someone for you already.”

Hanna was still laughing and shaking her head as she stepped in the elevator.  She raised her hand to give a quick wave to Mrs. McCurdy as the elevator doors closed.

[word count: 758]
I let it fall, my heart,
And as it fell you rose to claim it
It was dark and I was over
Until you kissed my lips and you saved me
My hands, they're strong
But my knees were far too weak
To stand in your arms
Without falling to your feet
But there's a side to you that I never knew, never knew
All the things you'd say, they were never true, never true
And the games you'd play, you would always win, always win
But I set fire to the rain
Watched it pour as I touched your face
Let it burn while I cry
'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name
When laying with you
I could stay there, close my eyes
Feel you here, forever
You and me together, nothing gets better
Cause there's a side to you that I never knew, never knew
All the things you'd say, they were never true, never true
And the games you'd play, you would always win, always win
But I set fire to the rain
Watched it pour as I touched your face
Let it burn while I cried
'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name
I set fire to the rain
And I threw us into the flames
Where I felt something die, 'cause I knew that
That was the last time, the last time
Sometimes I wake up by the door
As if that heart you caught is still waiting for you
Even now when it's already over
I can't help myself from looking for you
I set fire to the rain
Watched it pour as I touched your face
Let it burn while I cried
'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name
I set fire to the rain
And I threw us into the flames
Where I felt something die
'Cause I knew that that was the last time, the last time, oh
Oh, oh
Let it burn, oh
Let it burn
Let it burn

Read more: Adele - Set Fire To The Rain Lyrics | MetroLyrics