BACK		What a wonderful summertime

By Sofie Hagen

The sun had placed itself over Dublin, and burned directly on my back. I felt sweat run down my forehead, while I carried three bags full of stuff I'd bought for the evening. Ice cream, CD's with love songs, wet-cream, chocolate-souse, "Casablanca", tissues - Everything for a woman, who'd just been dumped. I'd really loved him. We'd gone out for six months, and then, one day, he just broke up with me. I'd never cried that much before, in my entire life. But of course, I hadn't shown him my sadness. I'd just said, "Fine", and walked away. I'd been eating ice cream every evening in the past week, just thinking about Nicky, Nicky and Nicky. I knew I still loved him. I still didn't know the reason for his split-up, and his friends wouldn't even talk to me any more. I sighed, and tried not to twist my ankle, in those tall pumps, I'd bought to cheer my self up.
"Watch it!!" some bastard said, when I bumped into him. I almost dropped all my bags, but managed to keep my head up. I wanted to give the dirtbag the finger, but I couldn't. I sighed again, and felt disgusting. Though I wore my short skirt and thin shirt, it was still the hottest day for me. I could still hear the song in my back head, I'd heard in the clothes-store "Keep your head up, cause a new day's gonna come...” I tried to remember the lyrics, when I suddenly bumped into another dirtbag. I twisted my ankle (As I'd feared), and fell with all my bags.
"Hey, watch where you put your feet, lady!!" the jerk said, and went past me. I tried to sit straight, and collect my stuff together. My ankle hurt like crazy, and I knew I couldn't stand.
"Want some help, ‘mam?" someone asked.
"Yes, please..." I answered, but staid silent, when I saw Nicky stand in front of me.
"Thanks, Nicky..." I mumbled, and tried to smile. Nicky bent down, and started to pick up my stuff.
"'Casablanca', ice-cream, chocolate... Having a jumper-party?" Nicky giggled. How could he giggle, when he'd hurt me so badly?
I didn't really look at him; I just kept holding my ankle,
"No, I'm alone tonight." I answered. 'And all other days.' I thought for myself.
"Eileen, are you mad at me?" Nicky answered, and put down the ice cream. He sat down beside me, and moved closer. I shook my head, and felt that annoying bulge in my throat.
"Yes, you are. I know you…” he said, with that sweet, hoarse, sensual voice I'd been longing for. The bulge turned into wet eyes. I shook my head again. I felt Nicky's hand on the side of my head, as he slowly laid my head on his shoulder. I finally showed him that I missed him. I let all my tears hit his shoulder. "There, there..." he comforted me, while petting my head, "Eileen, look at me!" he commanded. I looked at him with huge red and wet eyes, "What's wrong? Tell me..."
I dried my eyes, but tears were still falling.
"I loved you, Nicky..." I mumbled, almost without a sound, "I really loved you." I repeated, and laid my crying head back on his shoulders.
"I loved you too." Nicky said. Silence. "I still do." he said. I looked at him, not really understanding.
"But you broke up..." I cried.
"Sweetie, just because I broke up, it doesn't mean, I stopped loving you!" he said, with his hoarse voice. Those words warmed my heart as much as possible.
"But how could you have loved me, when you went out and slept with that dog?" Nicky asked. I shook my head, and almost forgot to cry,
"What?"
"That's right. Kian told me that you slept with some guy, Charlie..." Nicky explained, and looked at me with hurt eyes. I started to laugh. All that laughter I'd kept inside for weeks, finally exploded. I laughed so loud, that people started to stare at us, more than they had before.
"Oh, yeah, that's funny!" Nicky said, not really getting what I meant. Charlie was my very good friend, but she was a girl! I'd cancelled my date with Nicky, cause we were having a girl's night out, alone.
"Nicky..." I laughed, and all my tears disappeared. I felt bad for letting him sit like that, "Charlie is a female!! She's Wendy's little-sister!" I laughed. Nicky's face lightened up in a bright light,
"You're serious??" he asked, smiling like a sun. I nodded. He hit his arms around me, embracing me with laughter and love.
"How could I ever break up with you?" he laughed.
"I know... You must have been pretty stupid!" I laughed back.
There we were. Sitting in the middle of the street, surrounded by food, hugging each other, on a wonderful summer-day. Could life be better?