Passion's Killing Floor

I was awoken the following morning to non-stop banging on my door. I sat up , my laptop sliding off my stomach onto the bed from last night. Ville and I fell asleep while talking last night and I woke up to his sleeping -snoring- form on my screen. I’d disconnected earlier, half asleep, obviously falling back asleep again.

I crawled out of bed and walked towards the still knocking people at my door. I opened to reveal my sister, her husband and Mindy. They walked in and set her bags down behind the couch. Mindy plopped herself down on my chair, holding a teddy bear.

“So, just take care of my baby girl. That’s all I have to say, sis. If you have any problems just call, okay? I’ll call every once in a while to check up.”

I nodded, still tired, and hugged my sister good-bye as they left. I closed the door and locked the door after them, turning to Mindy who was silently sitting on my chair.

“You hungry?” I asked her and she nodded. “Okay, wait here and I’ll go get dressed. We’ll go have breakfast with Danni, okay?” I told her, again she just nodded.

I sighed and headed towards my room and pulled out my drawers, taking out a pair of baggy light blue jeans, a black bra, a grey t-shirt and some mix-matched socks. I dressed and sat on my bed, pulling my socks on.

Now, find my shoes. One was in the bathroom and the other under my bed. I pulled the boots on and laced them up, grabbing my sweatshirt on the way out of my room. Mindy was still on the chair, playing with her bear.

“Come on,” I said, pulling my phone off the counter along with my car keys -which were hardly ever used- but I didn’t feel like having a whiny kid on my hands. Even still, I hadn’t driven my car in a while.

She brought her bear with us and we got into the lift. We had to go up two floors to get to the car lot beside the building. Mindy just stood, quiet as ever beside me the whole time.

* * *

“So, the famous Mindy finally came, eh?” Danni said, sitting down a plate of muffins and a cup of milk for Mindy, and coffee for us. Mindy nodded, taking a muffin and setting it in front of her. Danni shrugged and turned back to me.

“Three more days until yer boy comes,” she said, smiling widely.

“I know, I’m so nervous, but apparently so is he. We were video chatting last night and he told me.”

“Awh, that’s so adorable. I can’t wait to see you two together. Now, see you two shoul’ be kissin’ my feet because wihou’ me, you would ‘ave never met him.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Kiss my shoe, now.”

“The hell? No.”

“Do it or I’ll scream when he comes.”

I hopped out of my chair and got down to kiss her shoe. Anything to keep her from screaming. I sat back in my chair and Danni and Mindy were giggling.

“Laugh it up, but you’ll not scream when he comes, Danni. I mean it.”

“Chill, you kissed my shoe. I owe ya.”

“Mhmm,” I mumbled, taking a sip of my coffee and glaring at her.

* * *

“She made you kiss her shoe?” he laughed.

“It wasn’t funny. I have no clue where that shoe has been.”

“so you know where her other shoe’s been, then?”

“Yeah, up my ass. Will I ever get to hear your music?”

“you’re not letting up are you?”

“Never.”

He sighed loudly into the phone, “Get on the computer and I’ll play you a song. Will that satisfy your needs, because you don’t get to know names till I can sit and see what you do.”

“That will most definitely satisfy my needs, Mr. Rockstar.”

My computer dinged, “Wow, you’re fast.”

He laughed lightly, “Just open up the video,” he said hanging up.

I accepted his invitation to chat and his face appeared on my screen. He was sitting on his bed, leaning up against the wall with the lamp on, sitting on the floor beside him. But what shocked me most was, he was shirtless.

“Just before I play, please promise me you won’t search the lyrics to find anything. The internet says a lot of things about me and I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.

“I promise, besides I think I know you better than some of the shitheads on the internet.”

He smiled, showing off his teeth, “Thank you.” He reached over beside his bed and pulled a guitar back up onto his bed, setting it in his lap. He played a few notes before he started to strum.

“Um, most of the first part is piano so I’ll do my best,” he kept playing on.

“I hear you breathe so far from here
I feel your touch so close and real
And I know my church is not of silver and gold
It’s glory lies beyond judgement of souls
The commandments are of consolation and warmth

“You know our sacred dream won't fail
The sanctuary tender and so frail
The sacrament of love
The sacrament of warmth is true
The sacrament is you

“I hear you weep so far from me
I taste your tears like you're next to me
And I know
My weak prayers are not enough to heal
Oh the ancient wounds so deep and so dear
The revelation is of hatred and fear

“You know our sacred dream won't fail
The sanctuary tender and so frail
The sacrament of love
The sacrament of warmth is true
The sacrament is you”

He let the last note fade, then looked back up at me. My mouth was agape and tears pricked the sides of my eyes.

“Wow,” I breathed.

“So I’m not entirely horrible, eh?”

“Not horrible, that was… you’re amasing.” I let out a shaky nervous laugh and watched as he set his guitar to the side and leaned back with his hands behind his head; all of his chest exposed to me. He closed his eyes and sighed.

“It feels different to hear you say it, than it does when a fan says it. With you, I kind of feel like it means something.”

I found my mouth opening again, I couldn’t stop staring at him. My cheeks grew warm from it.

“Close your mouth or you’ll catch flies,” he said, his eyes now open watching my reaction. I shut my mouth a smiled apologetically. “Does my being shirtless affect your speech, darling.”

“Um, n-no. It’s fine. Y-your, um,” my cheeks grew even warmer and he laughed. He leaned forward resting his elbows on his crossed legs, and resting his chin on those hands.

“You know, you’re adorable when you blush… And when you sleep. That other night when we fell asleep talking… Yeah, I watched you for a bit,” he said, bowing his head near the end.

“I saw you sleeping, when I woke up later. You snore a little.”

“Just.. A little? My mates tell me I snore so loud, odd. But then again one of you could be over exaggerating,” he said, staring at me questioningly.

“Honest. It was just a little.”

“Those bastards,” he laughed. “I can’t wait to meet you. I feel like it’s forever until Monday.”

“Just another whole day between us.”

He rolled his eyes and smiled at me. “Yeah, just another day.”