Sometimes, Annie looked back and thought that she should have made more of a Thing about leaving.

As it happened, she'd started off for school one morning. A letter a week later told them all she wouldn't be returning. That was that.

She often dreamed of storming out in an explosion of screaming, pelting off into the pouring rain, before she remembered there had been nothing to scream about. There was nothing and that was why she left.

Sitting on the park bench often gave Annie hours to think up dramatic exits from all situations. Once she had thought about a permenant dramatic exit, but the best were so messy she decided against it.

The girls she sat with couldn't decide if she worked less because she was quiet or was quiet because she worked less. They had long since given up trying to pry personal information out of her, Annie was so unhelpful on the matter that most of them left her to her dreamings.

Most nights she sat with the girls, smoking and listening and feeling her toes grow damp from the dew settling on the grass. When it rained she put on her coat, wore extra high heels and a red hat. During the summer she threaded daisies through her hair.

It was a night pregnant with thunder and spitting lightning that she met him.

He had dark hair and blue blue eyes and though he must have been at least 16 he gaped at her like he'd never seen a girl before.

Not letting her thoughts get in the way she was right in front of him.

"What's your name?" she had asked, but he hadn't answered, just smiled and kissed her once the rain started falling. He stole all her breath in that kiss, but she got to hear him laugh as he pressed his lips to hers and that was all that mattered to her.

Annie named him Sam, though he never told her his name, nor did she ask him again. And every time there was thunder there was Sam.

Summer slipped into Autumn when Sam took Annie by the hand and led her out of the park and away from her bench and the girls. He took her to the outskirts, where the buildings rotted. Sam brought her home.

They claimed an old house, one of the ones that still had plumbing that worked- for one tap at least- and most of its floors. Annie christened it Paradise out of irony. Sam laughed when she told him and kissed her in the weed covered garden.

By Winter Annie had put away her red hat and extra high heels, starting serving coffee and smiling at people for a new sofa. Sam could never tell if she missed the park or the girls or even her life before them. Whenever he asked she just told him to hush and kissed him anywhere except his mouth.

Sometimes, they both forgot they had a new house to paint or a garden to weed or even jobs and just sat down, noses pressed, lips almost touching and smiled at each others eyes.

I'm in two minds about continuing this story. I think it makes a good one-shot but other opinions are always welcome. Hope you enjoyed.