Holiday

Oceans away, past the deterrents of responsibility and stress, he kicks back a cerveza mas fina with nothing but the tide to provide him company and the stars to keep him warm. The salty Mexican breeze cradles the three-days-old dark whiskers emerging from his chiseled-yet-cherub face with nonchalant abandon. His toes curl into the too-perfect white sand as he gazes to the moon's reflection across lazy Gulf waves. All the while, his mind drifts into casual oblivion, and he takes a deep breath, releasing the past from the inside out.

Tracing his route back to its origin, a girl is found attempting to grasp the concept of relaxation as she faces five days home alone. Is he thinking of her? If he could, would he call her? Is he at least having a good week? Is she supposed to miss him this much? Busying herself with literature, unnecessary sleep, old friends, ice cream and domestic alcohol proves inefficient as she realizes she's teetering on the crumbling edge of the canyon she figured she'd never visit. She takes hollow, frequent breaths to ward off nausea, ticking down the seconds until he can hold her again.