Would It Be OK If I Took Your Breath Away?
Would it be Ok if I Took Your Breath Away?
Andy Sixx was a friend, Persephone Yale would say. Just slightly better than an acquaintance. It had been quite a few months since she had last seen him, so she took her boyfriend and went to a show his band, Black Veil Brides, was playing at a local venue.
Persephone didn’t see him until his set went on, and in their third song or so they locked eyes. He smiled as he sang. Andy always had this boyish smile to him, and Persephone knew there was nowhere else he’d rather be than playing that guitar in front of adoring fans.
For the last song, he asked some fans to join him on stage. Naturally, Persephone told her boyfriend she would be right back, and jumped up there, singing the song she knew everyone there loved best.
In the words of Shakespeare, she strutted and fretted her hour upon the stage. Losing her hat along the way, Persephone sang and danced like no one [except her lovely boyfriend] was watching. When Andy struck the last chord, he spun around and faced her, surprising her greatly. He threw his arms around her, pulling the weight of his slender frame and his dark blue Fender telecaster on her, nearly tackling Persephone to the ground. He told her he missed her, and she returned the phrase. He needed to tear down the set, so Persephone told Andy she’d meet him over by merch later.
They only talked briefly more that night. Another set of “I’ve missed you’s” and “I promise we won’t wait as long next time’s” and a short introduction to her boyfriend. It was sweet, and Persephone thought nothing more of it until later.
She laid in her bed the next morning reflecting on that previous night’s adventures. She decided to leave a friendly Facebook comment, following up on how good it was to see him. Later in the day, he replied with a private message. And here’s what it said:
"I’m so happy you came to the show. When I saw your face in the crowd it lit everything up for me. It reminds me why I do this…
But I can’t lie to you, when I saw you were there with another guy it placed this strain on my heart I wasn’t expecting.
I couldn’t have expected it, because I never realized how strong your influence was on me. I’m sorry if this scares you, because it scares me too. We hardly know each other. I couldn’t like you more than physically at this point, right?
Somehow, and as often as I would agree with that point, I can’t seem to think it’s correct. Because I feel like it’s so much more than that. And I trust my feelings.
You’re everything that’s perfect about a girl. You let the music in without letting it take you over to a point of insanity. While some people believe that you need to experience some sort of musical orgasm, an overdose on sound, to really love the music, I can tell you aren’t like that. You understand that music is like a warm fire. You let it flow through your veins and warm your whole body. You don’t let it burn you, and you still experience its euphoric effect. I can see it in the way you mouth my words and watch me perform with such sweet scrutiny and contentedness. Even through the lights I see it. The happiness that it brings you. And that smile... I’ve never seen a smile that can light the room like yours.
And now I realize how all these things I write, about no one in particular, apply to you. I write for the dream. The perfect girl that I never believe existed. Until I realized the whole time in my subconscious I knew she did. And I knew it was you."
Persephone stared at this with jaw hanging. She didn’t know what to say, because while part of her dreamed of a moment like this in her life, and while her heart ate it up hungrily, she was in love with another man. Her heart realized this quickly, and suddenly felt ashamed for being such a glutton.
This is what she, eventually, replied:
"My friend,
There is no such thing as perfection, except in your eloquent writing.
If I am your inspiration, then who am I to ask you to change that? But I need to tell you, I can’t accept this generosity right now. I can’t let someone new into my life when that space in my heart is filled.
I don’t want to hurt you, especially after you made me feel so amazingly special, but I fear it is inevitable.
You are always going to be with me in song, and I hope to remain with you in spirit.
Our stars cannot cross today, but there’s always hope in the sky. There’s always hope in a song."
After sending it, Persephone sat fidgety, nervously, waiting for another long reply- but all she got was a single, playful, hopeful statement that she couldn’t help but allow to fill her stomach with butterflies.
"Would it be ok if I took your breath away?"
Persephone didn’t see him until his set went on, and in their third song or so they locked eyes. He smiled as he sang. Andy always had this boyish smile to him, and Persephone knew there was nowhere else he’d rather be than playing that guitar in front of adoring fans.
For the last song, he asked some fans to join him on stage. Naturally, Persephone told her boyfriend she would be right back, and jumped up there, singing the song she knew everyone there loved best.
In the words of Shakespeare, she strutted and fretted her hour upon the stage. Losing her hat along the way, Persephone sang and danced like no one [except her lovely boyfriend] was watching. When Andy struck the last chord, he spun around and faced her, surprising her greatly. He threw his arms around her, pulling the weight of his slender frame and his dark blue Fender telecaster on her, nearly tackling Persephone to the ground. He told her he missed her, and she returned the phrase. He needed to tear down the set, so Persephone told Andy she’d meet him over by merch later.
They only talked briefly more that night. Another set of “I’ve missed you’s” and “I promise we won’t wait as long next time’s” and a short introduction to her boyfriend. It was sweet, and Persephone thought nothing more of it until later.
She laid in her bed the next morning reflecting on that previous night’s adventures. She decided to leave a friendly Facebook comment, following up on how good it was to see him. Later in the day, he replied with a private message. And here’s what it said:
"I’m so happy you came to the show. When I saw your face in the crowd it lit everything up for me. It reminds me why I do this…
But I can’t lie to you, when I saw you were there with another guy it placed this strain on my heart I wasn’t expecting.
I couldn’t have expected it, because I never realized how strong your influence was on me. I’m sorry if this scares you, because it scares me too. We hardly know each other. I couldn’t like you more than physically at this point, right?
Somehow, and as often as I would agree with that point, I can’t seem to think it’s correct. Because I feel like it’s so much more than that. And I trust my feelings.
You’re everything that’s perfect about a girl. You let the music in without letting it take you over to a point of insanity. While some people believe that you need to experience some sort of musical orgasm, an overdose on sound, to really love the music, I can tell you aren’t like that. You understand that music is like a warm fire. You let it flow through your veins and warm your whole body. You don’t let it burn you, and you still experience its euphoric effect. I can see it in the way you mouth my words and watch me perform with such sweet scrutiny and contentedness. Even through the lights I see it. The happiness that it brings you. And that smile... I’ve never seen a smile that can light the room like yours.
And now I realize how all these things I write, about no one in particular, apply to you. I write for the dream. The perfect girl that I never believe existed. Until I realized the whole time in my subconscious I knew she did. And I knew it was you."
Persephone stared at this with jaw hanging. She didn’t know what to say, because while part of her dreamed of a moment like this in her life, and while her heart ate it up hungrily, she was in love with another man. Her heart realized this quickly, and suddenly felt ashamed for being such a glutton.
This is what she, eventually, replied:
"My friend,
There is no such thing as perfection, except in your eloquent writing.
If I am your inspiration, then who am I to ask you to change that? But I need to tell you, I can’t accept this generosity right now. I can’t let someone new into my life when that space in my heart is filled.
I don’t want to hurt you, especially after you made me feel so amazingly special, but I fear it is inevitable.
You are always going to be with me in song, and I hope to remain with you in spirit.
Our stars cannot cross today, but there’s always hope in the sky. There’s always hope in a song."
After sending it, Persephone sat fidgety, nervously, waiting for another long reply- but all she got was a single, playful, hopeful statement that she couldn’t help but allow to fill her stomach with butterflies.
"Would it be ok if I took your breath away?"