Facing the Music

*Cory*

“Do you think it could ever be like that for us?” Cory leaned down to whisper into Kristineth’s ear. Together, they swayed, taking turns watching the elderly couple. They were dancing, obviously happy, obviously still in love.

It was all almost too scenic. Other than themselves and the couple, they were completely alone. The quiet restaurant just outside Detroit was nearly empty on the Tuesday night. Dancing underneath stars and twinkling lights, it was too perfect.

He felt her soft skin rub against his scruffy cheek. He fully expected her to come up with one of her famous cocky, breezy answers. “I think we can become anything we want to, Cory.” Kris’ response surprised him. Never before had she come so close to admitting there permanence. Her whisper was soft and quiet.

Cory knew better than to receive what he expect from her. She always kept him on his toes, always one step ahead of him. It’s something he loved about her. What he was going to tell her tonight would throw her for a loop, no doubt. A part of him feared that she would take to running, something he knew she was prone to do.

Being knowledgeable about her past, he could understand why she wouldn’t trust her feelings. They always seemed to lead her in the wrong direction, to the wrong people. The last time she’d accepted someone’s love, they’d left her at the first sign of difficulty. She’d been left broken and shattered. Cory had found her, he helped her pick up the pieces of her life and move on.

Another part of him wondered how she could expect him to keep his feelings from her. They’d been seeing each other so long, being together as easy as breathing. Every morning, when he awoke and saw her, his heart would swell. How he’s managed to keep it internal for so long was beyond him.

Her soft lips touched his shoulder through the fabric of his button up. “What are you thinking of so hard?” Cory looked down at her. She really was so beautiful. Her long hair was as dark as the night sky; her eyes were dark and bottomless. If he were a girl, he’d say they looked all the way into his soul.

The one thing Cory would never forget about her was her smile. It took the attention of everyone in the room. Her happiness was infections. What hit the hardest, in his opinion, was that she never seemed to know it. She was a beauty who saw herself as normal.

He lifted his hand to caress her cheek with his thumb. Right then would be the deciding moment in their relationship. Would she run away from their feels or would it be the beginning of the rest of their lives?

*Kristineth*

Kristineth would always wonder what a man like Cory Emmerton saw in her. He was so beautiful, so talented, and smart. At 6 foot, he towered over her 5 foot 4 frame. Cory made her feel safe. What drew her in the most about him were his eyes, the piercing blue expressed things that he would never vocalize, she couldn’t imagine him any other way.

He kissed her soft before resting his forehead against hers. Kris felt her heartbeat raise. She’d been waiting and dreading this moment for forever. Until the words left his mouth, she wouldn’t know how she would react.

“I love you.” The words echoed through her mind, ringing like a bell. She could see it in his eyes, he really did care about her. It scared her to death.

She ran to the bathroom, unable to help from the sickness she felt all the way from her stomach. As she reached the stall, Kris was already dry heaving. Faintly, she heard Cory’s heavy steps follow her. He was an amazing man to put up with this.

When she finished emptying the contents of her stomach, she sat against the divider. Cory sat with his elbows on his knees facing her. He gave her a small smile while stroking her hand. She knew better, his eyes were sad. This isn’t what he wanted; it wasn’t what she wanted either. For a moment, she had to look away; she had disappointed the one person in her life that had never let her down.

Kris remembered the last time she’d heard the words. It only needed to be said once to turn her life upside down. She thought of her ex’s big doe eyes and how he used them to lie to her. She thought about all the times he used the line to stay out of trouble, to get his way. It was making her sick again.

“Look at me.” He told her. When she didn’t comply, he grabbed her chin and turned her face towards him. “Kristineth, I said look at me.” Looking into his eyes, she saw a fierce determination, gone was the disappointment, but the love, the love never left.

“Can you say it back?” his question was timid. Her mind played memories again. Cory slightly shook her. “No, stop. Just think of you and I. Just us two.” The whisper was hoarse.

She wanted to words to come out so bad, she did, but they just wouldn’t come. They got stuck in her throat. Hot angry tears entered her eyes. “I’m so sorry.” Kris shook her head, shaking off his hand. Again, she couldn’t look at him, so she turned the other way.

It wasn’t long before she heard him sit up and walk away. With that, she wondered if she’d lost the one person she actually love, all because she couldn’t say the words. Her heart felt like it was ripped in a million pieces. She wondered if her hope had walked out of the door with him.

*Cory*

A month, a month he’d been sitting around sulking. Listening to sad songs and flipping through their pictures. He couldn’t even count the times he’d listen to ‘Iris’ or how many times he rubbed his thumb over the picture of them spooning in his wallet. Cory missed her so much it was ridiculous.

He’d wanted to hear the words from her so bad that he couldn’t even think straight. Every day, he wanted to walk out of his condo and go and see her and tell her it was alright that she couldn’t return the words. But, alas, he couldn’t. They meant so much to him, he had to hear them or it would be the end. It was the end.

“Why, why do I do this to myself?” He asked himself aloud.

“Because you’re too stubborn to know what’s actually good for you.” For a moment, Cory thought he was going crazy, he thought that he was imagining her voice. Then he realized, she was right behind him.

Kristineth looked like she hadn’t slept in weeks; it was obvious that she lost weight. She was different; her half smile wasn’t as vibrant as it had been. Despite it all, she was still so beautiful it made his heart ache.

“How did you get in?” He could hear his own voice shaking, he prayed that she didn’t. He hoped that she was there to tell him that she could say it. More likely than not, she would probably choke on her words and return his things.

“I have a key remember?” She chuckled before looking serious. “I’m sorry, Cory. That day, I wanted to say the words so bad, they were right here.” She held her throat. “I just couldn’t, I wanted to, I swear.”

It was starting to hurt. What had started to fade slightly felt like it had been torn open. He wanted her to say it, he didn’t need an explanation. He wanted her; she had to know that she was all he wanted and that he would never hurt her, despite how much all this was hurting him. She was his.

*Kristineth*

She was going to say it; the words were pushing a way out her throat. But he just stood there, looking beautiful as ever. Dark bags were under his eyes, it killed her that she obviously caused that. Kris hoped that through it all, he could forgive her and take her back.

Leaving Cory’s place broken and devastated had been giving her nightmares for a week. It had taken just as long to get up and face the music. Today was the day, it was make or break. She was going to say it and he was going to listen.

“I love you, Cory. I have for a really long time and I’m so sorry I couldn’t say it when you did.” Her words came out so quickly she was afraid she’d have to repeat it.

The room was completely silent; the only sound was her heart beat. In the next second, she was in his arms again. It felt like home. Tears spilled from her eyes onto his white t-shirt. Kris gripped onto him, still scared from the prospect of having to deal with losing him forever.

“I love you so much.” She whispered again. He held her tighter. “I didn’t want anyone to see me, for the longest time, no one understood. But you did, I was supposed to be broken but all I wanted was you.”

Against her cheek, she felt his tear. “I love you.” The words that had once frightened her made her heart swell beyond belief.