Angel
II
I grabbed his hand in mine, nervous and anxious. He smiled gently at me before freeing his hand and wrapping an arm securely around my waist, pulling me into his chest. I wrapped my own arms around his middle, matching my footsteps to his even ones. We would stick together, he said, no matter what, no matter where.
I would not break his promise.
The stares of the questioning eyes bore into me as I walked through the corridors, clutching onto his body heat and security while my eyes kept to the floor and empty stretches of white cement brick wall. He smiled at each face, lightening their eyes.
“Guys, I have something to tell you.” I stood beside him, digging my nails into my palm and teeth into my lip. His nimble fingers pried my own loose from their massacre on my hand as he continued on. The familiar and kind stares of the four other men we had both known for almost ten years each now calmed me, I let my teeth release my lip, and stepped subtly closer to his familiar scent.
The walls were cold while the eyes were warm, and the contrast sent shivers through me continuously for those twenty minutes we were in that room, waiting for instruction, waiting for announcements.
“Amelie and I are going to have to leave tour in about eight months. We’ll be back maybe after a month or two, but we do for sure have dates scheduled for the whole year through, so I’m telling you now so all the arrangements can be taken care of way in advance.” Four of the five pairs eyes lit up immediately and I was enveloped in strong and thin arms from all around, while one form still sat silent on a couch, staring at the huddle.
I broke through the arms and stared at the still form. They’re smile lit their face, but it never reached their eyes. Her eyes were sad and joyful, filled with regret and pride. I wrapped her in my arms while she cried into my chest, holding onto my sides.
Erin sat there with me while I rested my chin on her narrow shoulder. Her fragility had never let her succeed in performing the miracle he and I had, her barely there stomach could never support anything, but it was all nature. It was all fate.
Jake came over, pulling her away from my chest and into his, whispering into her ear apologies that meant nothing to anyone. We all gave our support through silence and sympathetic eyes. My hand fell into Andrew’s, squeezing tight and whispering to go.
But we could not go; there was a show to be played, a promise to be withheld. I stood in front of the crowd, beneath lights and behind fog, whispering to Erin’s sad form with my eyes as I stayed next to Andrew, singing along to the songs we had written before this. Before everything.
I would not break his promise.
The stares of the questioning eyes bore into me as I walked through the corridors, clutching onto his body heat and security while my eyes kept to the floor and empty stretches of white cement brick wall. He smiled at each face, lightening their eyes.
“Guys, I have something to tell you.” I stood beside him, digging my nails into my palm and teeth into my lip. His nimble fingers pried my own loose from their massacre on my hand as he continued on. The familiar and kind stares of the four other men we had both known for almost ten years each now calmed me, I let my teeth release my lip, and stepped subtly closer to his familiar scent.
The walls were cold while the eyes were warm, and the contrast sent shivers through me continuously for those twenty minutes we were in that room, waiting for instruction, waiting for announcements.
“Amelie and I are going to have to leave tour in about eight months. We’ll be back maybe after a month or two, but we do for sure have dates scheduled for the whole year through, so I’m telling you now so all the arrangements can be taken care of way in advance.” Four of the five pairs eyes lit up immediately and I was enveloped in strong and thin arms from all around, while one form still sat silent on a couch, staring at the huddle.
I broke through the arms and stared at the still form. They’re smile lit their face, but it never reached their eyes. Her eyes were sad and joyful, filled with regret and pride. I wrapped her in my arms while she cried into my chest, holding onto my sides.
Erin sat there with me while I rested my chin on her narrow shoulder. Her fragility had never let her succeed in performing the miracle he and I had, her barely there stomach could never support anything, but it was all nature. It was all fate.
Jake came over, pulling her away from my chest and into his, whispering into her ear apologies that meant nothing to anyone. We all gave our support through silence and sympathetic eyes. My hand fell into Andrew’s, squeezing tight and whispering to go.
But we could not go; there was a show to be played, a promise to be withheld. I stood in front of the crowd, beneath lights and behind fog, whispering to Erin’s sad form with my eyes as I stayed next to Andrew, singing along to the songs we had written before this. Before everything.