A stream of smoke filtered out of her lips. She watched the shadow of Jenny pass by the front windows of their house. Their house…is it theirs anymore? Shane flicked the cigarette into the street and watched the glowing ember bounce off of the concrete. She had been sitting across the street from the house that she shared with Jenny and Max for hours. Debating on whether she should go inside or not. What would Jenny say, would she say anything at all? Hoping that Jenny would go to bed and that she would be able to sneak in without having to hear “Get out. You don’t live here anymore.” Shane knew she deserved to be kicked out, she would expect it.

Those words echoed through her mind over and over.

“Fuck..” Shane whispered through gritted teeth and ran her hands through her tangled hair. Why did I do that? What was I thinking?

I was thinking that I should do what was expected of me. No! That was just a weak cop out. I messed up the one thing I cherished more than anything. I hurt the one person I never wanted to hurt. She lit up another cigarette and blinked as a car pulled in front of their house. It was Tom’s car. She watched as Max leaned over and kissed Tom and then got out of his car. Max smiled as Tom drove away. He caught something shift from the corner of his eye and he turned to look across the street. He saw Shane sitting in the grass with her lean legs pulled up to her chest. His eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, he looked down the street once more after Tom’s car and then he walked over to her.

“Hey, Shane.” Max called out.

“Hey..” Shane said quietly.

“What are you doing over here?” Max asked standing in front of the thin woman.

“Waiting.” She pulled a drag from the cigarette and wrinkled her nose at the bitter taste.

“Waiting? For what?” Max looked behind him and saw that the lights were on in the house still.

“I don’t know.” Shane exhaled the smoke, then hesitated before saying. “I fucked up.”