The Perfect Silence

Hayley looked in the mirror and didn't recognise herself anymore. All the pretty makeup and styled hair with the skin-tight dress. She got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach but she had to do this. She promised. It's been a month since she touched a drink and everyone said she would feel better by now. So why doesn't she? As she gets lost in an emotional ocean of thoughts, her phone rings and she snaps out of it. She's late! With one last look at herself in the mirror, she puts on a smile and rushes out the door.

Patrick hadn't been on a date since he lost his girlfriend in a car crash five years ago. Martin had set him up with his cousin, Hayley. He's never met her before, he doesn't even know what she looks like but still can't help but smile when he thinks about her. 'This is strange' he thinks to himself. The last time he got butterflies in his stomach was when he met Sarah in college but she's gone now. As he drives down a long and winding round barely lit by the the street lights he starts to well up. He doesn't know where tonight will bring him and he's feeling fear like he never has before. He stops outside Hayley's' building but doesn't see her anywhere. 'Shit.' He doesn't have her number, Martin set the whole thing up. With a terrified, trembling hand he texts Martin to say he is outside.

Hayley steps out into the cold, unforgiving air to be met by Patrick. 'He's Gorgeous' she thinks to herself. She can't help from wondering why Martin thought they would be good together. She really couldn't understand it. For so long she relied on alcohol to even get her out of bed in the morning and now she is going on a date with a tall, dark-skinned, handsome hunk. 'I can't let him find out' before she gets a chance to finish that thought she finds herself standing right in front him. She didn't even realise that her legs had carried her towards him.

Patrick stepped outside the car to try and shake off the nerves before she came outside. The door to his car slams and he turns around to see Hayley. It's too late. She is already levitating towards him. "Wow" he mutters under his breath. He was told she was beautiful but nothing could of prepared him for the vision that was in front of him. The jet black, long flowing hair perfectly complimenting her warm, bronze skin. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. With one swift, deep breath he greets her with a tender embrace.

Once she was in the car she felt a sensation of salvation. All the nerves she felt ten minutes ago are gone and she is talking with Patrick like she has known him her whole life. In a blink of an eye, they were outside the restaurant. Patrick steps outside and walks around to the door on her side. He opens the door and offers out his hand. As she puts her dainty palm in his she noticed tears in his eyes but he didn't seem sad. No, his eyes were glistening with a child-like joy.

An hour had gone by and Patrick had gotten a bit too carried away with his favourite red wine. A merlot with sweet and fruity notes to it. He used to drink this all the time with Sarah and although he missed her, he didn't seem to think about her much when he was with Hayley and it was refreshing. As he felt the warmth of the alcohol take over his body he looked over at Hayley and noticed she hadn't even touched her glass of wine. "Do you not like wine?" He questions. She gives him a serious, miserable look. "It's my favourite" she mumbles. He knows he shouldn't push any more but all of his inhibitions have gone out the window and the wine had hold of him. Hayley felt the pit in her stomach come back. She doesn't want to lie to him even if the truth scares him away. Her eyes started to feel with tears and she couldn't hold it back anymore. "I'm a recovering alcoholic." She got the words out but the shame had overcome her. Her hand were shaking so much that she struggled to get the sobriety coin out of her purse. Patrick reached over and put his strong but gentle hands on hers. He couldn't believe how brave she was. An ear-piercing silence filled the restaurant. Why did he have to push her so much? He offered to walk her home because he felt he had ruined the mood and he was too drunk to drive. She looked at him with a confused smile.

On the way home, Patrick apologised for the wine. He felt like such an asshole and was preparing for the inevitability of her never wanting to see him again. Hayley stayed silent and Patrick took this as confirmation of the worst. Outside her front door, Patrick expressed his regret once more to her and he turned to leave. He felt a tug on his jacket and a small but confident voice whisper "come in." A wave of relief washed over him and they went inside together. Hayley felt safe with him and even though it confused her she didn't want him to leave. It was the first time since she stopped drinking the pain had finally gone away. They both lay there all night in each other's arms, not a single word uttered but it felt perfect.