Love Me Like You Did Before

So, here I sit, in the corner of the stairs, being cradled in Kennedy's arms while regretful tears literally spilled out of my eyes. I slipped off my contacts and threw them to the floor below us. This game and my time is up, and I am not surprised at all that I'm all out of plays.

Kennedy stroked my hair softly with his caring hand then kissed my forehead softly. He sighed into my hair, letting the warmth of his breath float onto the surface of my skin, "You need to talk to him, Deee. This can't go on. You can't hide forever."

I shook my head, "If you said this to me yesterday, I would've told you that the hell I can't."

"And now?" He looked at me with his dark olive green - brown eyes.

I sniffled, "And now I just wanted to jump off the roof of my apartment building."

"Come on, Deee. Look at me." He put his hands on either of my cheeks, tilting my head up towards him. "Look at me," he whispered again.

I flickered my eyes towards his, weary of the the crowd behind, "I can't handle this, Kenny. I have nothing left to say--"

"To me." He interrupted. "You have nothing left to say to any of us except John. You need to talk to him."

"I can't," I whispered. My voice was trembling as rapidly as the rest of my body.

"You have to. You need to end this, Deee. Don't you see the pain that you're going through? How it affects everyone?" He paused. "Don't you see what John is going through?"

"Don't make me cry again, Kenny. I've shed enough tears in one hour to last me two lifetimes." I stood up and brushed away any of the dust that clung to my cardigan. It wasn't until then that I realized the time. The Maine will be on stage soon. John will be on stage soon. I started to head down the stairs.

Kennedy stood up after me and grabbed my hand, "Where are you going?"

I sighed and smeared the rest of the tears off my face, "Back to reality. Back to work."

He released his grip as I pulled away. I walked into the line of speakers, receiving an earful of sound and vibrations mixed into one. I payed no mind to it and sat at the bar.

Anthony looked at me with worried eyes, "You alright?"

I ran my fingers through my hair, "Far from it."

The sound died down. The lights dimmed. I knew what this meant all too well.

It was like two different love songs started to ring in my ears. On one side, La Vie En Rose, as cliche as it may be. Just like the song described, my eyes focused on him and him alone. The haze round him wasn't tears this time but a rosy shade of red. And on the other side, Dark Blue. Everyone disappeared around me, leaving just his image blinding me with thoughts that made me want to run into his arms yet run out the door. In the very center of that stage was John.

John cleared his throat with a rough cough. His eyes never looked past the edge of the or onto the audience. He adjusted his hands around the microphone and its stand, "This is a new song." His voice cracked. "It's called I Must Be Dreaming.

The last bit of breath escaped from my lips as Kennedy and Jared started to strum their guitars. The tune was unfamiliar to me.

John lifted his head up. His lips touched the microphone. His eyes focused not on the crowd but the light above them. He took a deep breath, "She thinks I'm crazy, judging by the faces that she's making."

I turned around just to see no Anthony there to run to, "Tony?"

I glanced back to John.

"And I think she's pretty, but pretty's just part of the things she does that amaze me." The temp of the song began to pick up. "She calls me sweetheart. I love it when she wakes me when it's still dark. And she watches the sun, but she's the only one I have my eyes on."

Oh, God.

"Tell me that you love me, and it'll be alright. Are you thinking of me? Just come with me tonight. You know I need you just like you need me. Can't stop, Won't stop. I must be dreaming. Can't stop, Won't stop. I must be dreaming."

John, you ass. Don't use my own words to make me cry again!!!

Before I knew it, I was walking towards the stage, my hands fidgeting in front of me.

"She moves in closer, whispering to me "I thought I told ya." And oh she's playing games now. And I figured it out now that we're, now that we're closer."

OH, MY GOD! TEARS DON'T FALL!

"Two kids, one love. Who cares it we making it up? Her voice is sweet sound. Our clothes lay on the ground. She moves in closer, whispers "I though I told ya""

As the chorus repeated, I slowly moved closer to the stage. And yet, and yet to the unexpected visitors, that wasn't fast enough.

"ALEX!" I screamed at the top of my lungs while Alex and Jack started to pick me up and carry me on stage. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!? PUT ME DOWN!"

"Not gonna happen, Deee!" They both yelled.

"Remember the day when we started this, and she made the shape of my heart with her hands. We try to make some sense of it. But she called me on the phone and said..."

I could only stare as my feet touched the stage. John looked at me with his big eyes, pleading something, anything. Kennedy disappeared behind the curtain and came back with his acoustic guitar.

He took my hand in his, "Tell me that you love me, and it'll be alright. Are you thinking of me? Just come with me tonight. You know I need you. Just like you need me."

He stroked my cheek softly. I couldn't speak. I couldn't move.

"Can't stop, Won't stop. I must be dreaming. Go one and tell em that you love me, and it'll be alright."

Kennedy sang into the mic. I felt the tears streaming.

"Are you thinking of me? Just come with me tonight. She moves in closer. Can't stop, Won't stop. I must be dreaming."

Our eyes locked. And then... I ran.