He was holding a manilla envelope in both of his hands – looking at its smooth surface with his brown eyes. His face was a little pale and he had amber freckles on his nose and cheeks and knuckles. His hair was auburn and curly and his nose was pointed and his lips were thin over a strong chin.
She was also holding a manilla envelope and was looking at its smooth surface. Her face was tan and freckled and she had big dark eyes and deep brown curls of thick hair. She had full lips and they parted slightly over her white teeth.
There was the sound of the clock – clocking and tocking up a storm but the only other sounds were the eye's eyelids of them.
He opened the envelope with both thumbs and the tearing rips sawed at the ears of her and he. He slid a smooth piece of paper from the envelope and eyed it. He swallowed and did not look at her.
She opened the envelope with small fingers and the ripping tears sawed at the ears of he and her. She eyed it and did look at him and swallowed and pushed her chair back abruptly. Her cheeks were red and the chair made a sigh against the linoleum. She stood up quietly wearing a thin dress to her calves. It was pale and spotted with colored flowers and buttons – twenty-eight of them – that ran from her shins to her chest. She did not push her chair in but turned and stepped barefooted into a room with a bed and a dresser and a desk.
He laid his envelope down and stood quietly. He did not push his chair in but walked barefooted in brown pants rolled under his knees and a burnt orange shirt to the room with the bed and the dresser and the desk. The only sound he made was the shutting of her door.
There was only the sound of the clock – clocking and tocking.
And there was laughter.
END
thanks matthew!
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