Dying to Tell

I smirked at the determined look on Joe's face. He was outlined a design on my window with leftover paint. We were inside my room relaxing. We'd just finished painting the ladder to my balcony and we were pretty wiped out. I turned on my iHome and laid down on my cleaner floor. Joe was being a little ADD so he started looking for things to do. 20 minutes later, we were sitting on my window seat talking.

He would pause to say a few words and then he'd go back to painting. He never really looked at me when he stopped, like he wasn't really there with me. I guess he was just focused on his work. It wasn't anything in particular but it all looked so intricate and put together. Eventually, I just watched him. I started looking at him, really looking at him, and I started to notice things.

The way he wiggled his toes when he put down the paint brush or how his hair would tickle his neck, making his nose scrunch up. His blue eyes were glued to the movements of the brush. Soft curls slid across his face as he moved his head around on his knee. Every once in a while, he would sigh and he would faintly smile. Sometimes, I would swear he was glancing at me and I'd smile too. But his ocean eyes never lifted from their stares.

Totally out of the blue, he stepped out onto the newly built balcony and set the small paint cans next to me. He put the paint brushes next to them and sat Indian-style in front of me. "You're awfully quiet. Not that I ever expected you to be very talkative, but I know you're not mute."

I peered at him before realizing he spoke. "I didn't want to disrupt you. You looked really focused."

"We were talking before, it was fine." He tilted his head a little and gave me a half smile.

"That wasn't really a conversation as much as it was small talk. On my part, in any case."

He nodded thoughtfully and replied, "Well, I appreciate you letting me be but I am fine with just talking." He came closer and leaned on the window. "Let's talk now, before I get inspired again."

I laughed. "But you're pimping my window." He laughed with me before he heaved a sigh. "Why the long face?"

He shook his head and pulled his legs up to his chest. "Distracted," he paused before adding, "With life."

Silence fell over us as the song ended before another came on. In that moment, we looked deeply into each others' eyes, mutedly asking questions. My eyes lulled and I breathed in sweetly, if that makes any sense. Suddenly, my mind was blanketed with warmth, becoming sweet and sound. The world was slowing down. All, but a rough beating noise that was getting louder, as if it were coming toward me. My head was slowly being lured to the right and my neck twisted. I felt a wet sensation envelop my cheek, sending me into bliss.

It was all gone. I felt shadowed and cut off. I heard a pitchy ringing noise and then Joe said my name. I woke up and looked in the direction my friend was pointing in. My mother put her hands on her hips and asked, "Is Joe staying?"

I looked at Joe and he shrugged. "If you're okay with it, Mrs. Stump, I'm sure my mom won't mind." She nodded and left, going to get the phone. I was still looking at Joe when his eyes met mine again. "I think I just fell asleep."

"Me too." We stared a bit longer before we looked away and talked about music.