Status: Completed
Come Back to Me
And all these days I've spend away
“Don’t go.”
His eyes settled on his feet. Washed up and worn out, tiny strands of white thread began tearing away from his shoelaces. He lifted his right foot to discover a tear above the sole, but he shrugged it off with a tired sigh. David kept reminding himself to repair his shoes, but he never had the time. He didn’t want to throw them away like he’d done with the others, not when they were a gift from her on his previous birthday.
Joan shifted uncomfortably, trying to bring her focus back to the magazine in her hands. David’s plea was only a soft mumble, but she heard it loud and clear. It sounded of pain and guilt, something she didn’t want to go through again.
“I don’t wanna talk about it.”
“I want you to stay.”
“I told you, David. I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Then when are we going to talk about it?”
David snapped, and immediately regretted it. Usually David would keep his feelings to himself; he’d never show his temper to anyone. But at that moment, a million things wandered around in his head and his frustrations got the better of him. His face fell when he saw Joan’s expression – eyes worried and taken aback – almost as if she was afraid of him. But it wasn’t what he had intended to say, it just slipped out.
Pulling his gaze back, he hesitated to apologize. He knew it was the right thing to do, but his anger held his tongue once his lips parted. Joan continued to stare at him, she wore an expression of concern on her face. She wanted to ask if David was okay, but the way he reacted seconds ago made her decide that it was better to keep her mouth shut. David tried his best to ignore her, shutting his eyes followed by a silent exhale, a sigh he didn't quite want her to hear.
David was exhausted, his body at the verge of shutting down. Ever since he won one of the biggest singing competitions in the country he had been touring non-stop. One day he’d be on stage singing to thousands of people and the next he was in a crowded building doing interviews. And now with his new album coming up it would be the same routine all over again; everyday would be a different place, with different people.
People he didn’t know. People he felt too self-conscious to talk to, to share his feelings with. He was so busy yet so lonely, and the only person he wanted was Joan.
Joan and David met at The Mustang – a bar David used to bartend at and occasionally perform at. Even with the bright lights shining on him when he sang with his guitar on the small stage, her chestnut hair and bright complexion managed to catch his eye. He caught up with her after his performance and they connected instantly.
She was his first love. She was his first kiss – passionate and honest. It happened when they were waiting for the rain to stop under the bus stop, he held her close and she leaned onto him. They were forced apart when a bus arrived and honked at them, making them go scarlet and run from all the people staring. Soon after that the three special words began to surface, and they were celebrating their first anniversary together. David couldn’t imagine his life without her, she meant everything to him.
Joan supported him in everything. She believed that he was an amazing singer and encouraged him to perform as much as he could. And when he decided to compete in American Idol, she couldn’t be happier. During his days in the Hollywood mansion she made sure she called to wish him all the best before his performances and even made all her friends vote for him. During his first performance in front of millions of people David was nervous as hell, but when he saw her in the audience smiling back at him, he didn’t want to stop.
The small smile on his face only lasted a second when he realized she was leaving in a few minutes; the sound of heavy trolleys dragged across the shiny marble floor brought him back to the present. With her clothes stuffed into a luggage case, a magazine for the long trip and her ticket buried in her purse; everything came back to him and it hit him hard. Right after Idol tour David thought it was one night where he could finally return to his peaceful home and have her in his arms again, but he wished he hadn't returned because they fought throughout the night.
It was their first fight and it ended with her crying herself to sleep and him staying over at his old bar. They hadn’t said a word to each other until moments ago.
‘Gate for Flight A-Eighty to New York is now open.’
David’s heart lurched from his chest. That was Joan’s flight.
Joan didn’t budge, the magazine in her hands remained at the same page it had been at half an hour ago. David knew she wasn't really paying attention, and he wondered if she was thinking about the same thing he was. Soon people started to gather at the platform beside them, one by one the numbers increased. David began to feel nervous; he watched them pass the counter and asked himself if he should apologize to Joan before it was too late.
“I’m not leaving you, David.”
Everything became silent, and he turned to look at her.
“I just need a break from this relationship.”
His eyes settled on his feet. Washed up and worn out, tiny strands of white thread began tearing away from his shoelaces. He lifted his right foot to discover a tear above the sole, but he shrugged it off with a tired sigh. David kept reminding himself to repair his shoes, but he never had the time. He didn’t want to throw them away like he’d done with the others, not when they were a gift from her on his previous birthday.
Joan shifted uncomfortably, trying to bring her focus back to the magazine in her hands. David’s plea was only a soft mumble, but she heard it loud and clear. It sounded of pain and guilt, something she didn’t want to go through again.
“I don’t wanna talk about it.”
“I want you to stay.”
“I told you, David. I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Then when are we going to talk about it?”
David snapped, and immediately regretted it. Usually David would keep his feelings to himself; he’d never show his temper to anyone. But at that moment, a million things wandered around in his head and his frustrations got the better of him. His face fell when he saw Joan’s expression – eyes worried and taken aback – almost as if she was afraid of him. But it wasn’t what he had intended to say, it just slipped out.
Pulling his gaze back, he hesitated to apologize. He knew it was the right thing to do, but his anger held his tongue once his lips parted. Joan continued to stare at him, she wore an expression of concern on her face. She wanted to ask if David was okay, but the way he reacted seconds ago made her decide that it was better to keep her mouth shut. David tried his best to ignore her, shutting his eyes followed by a silent exhale, a sigh he didn't quite want her to hear.
David was exhausted, his body at the verge of shutting down. Ever since he won one of the biggest singing competitions in the country he had been touring non-stop. One day he’d be on stage singing to thousands of people and the next he was in a crowded building doing interviews. And now with his new album coming up it would be the same routine all over again; everyday would be a different place, with different people.
People he didn’t know. People he felt too self-conscious to talk to, to share his feelings with. He was so busy yet so lonely, and the only person he wanted was Joan.
Joan and David met at The Mustang – a bar David used to bartend at and occasionally perform at. Even with the bright lights shining on him when he sang with his guitar on the small stage, her chestnut hair and bright complexion managed to catch his eye. He caught up with her after his performance and they connected instantly.
She was his first love. She was his first kiss – passionate and honest. It happened when they were waiting for the rain to stop under the bus stop, he held her close and she leaned onto him. They were forced apart when a bus arrived and honked at them, making them go scarlet and run from all the people staring. Soon after that the three special words began to surface, and they were celebrating their first anniversary together. David couldn’t imagine his life without her, she meant everything to him.
Joan supported him in everything. She believed that he was an amazing singer and encouraged him to perform as much as he could. And when he decided to compete in American Idol, she couldn’t be happier. During his days in the Hollywood mansion she made sure she called to wish him all the best before his performances and even made all her friends vote for him. During his first performance in front of millions of people David was nervous as hell, but when he saw her in the audience smiling back at him, he didn’t want to stop.
The small smile on his face only lasted a second when he realized she was leaving in a few minutes; the sound of heavy trolleys dragged across the shiny marble floor brought him back to the present. With her clothes stuffed into a luggage case, a magazine for the long trip and her ticket buried in her purse; everything came back to him and it hit him hard. Right after Idol tour David thought it was one night where he could finally return to his peaceful home and have her in his arms again, but he wished he hadn't returned because they fought throughout the night.
It was their first fight and it ended with her crying herself to sleep and him staying over at his old bar. They hadn’t said a word to each other until moments ago.
‘Gate for Flight A-Eighty to New York is now open.’
David’s heart lurched from his chest. That was Joan’s flight.
Joan didn’t budge, the magazine in her hands remained at the same page it had been at half an hour ago. David knew she wasn't really paying attention, and he wondered if she was thinking about the same thing he was. Soon people started to gather at the platform beside them, one by one the numbers increased. David began to feel nervous; he watched them pass the counter and asked himself if he should apologize to Joan before it was too late.
“I’m not leaving you, David.”
Everything became silent, and he turned to look at her.
“I just need a break from this relationship.”