I Got You Babe

We haven’t talked in hours. It was a long bus ride home. He didn’t even sit next to me, he sat in front of me. He infuriates me sometimes, but I do love him. I don’t know how to make it better, he won’t tell me what’s wrong. Do I leave him be, and let the silence consume us? Or do I make an effort? The worst he could do is get up and sit at the other end of the bus.

I poked his shoulder, “Hey mister, can we talk?” I ask him, with slight hesitance.

“Yeah, we should.” He turns his head, finally looking at me. “Listen, I’m sorry. I’ve just been in a mood. Today is 2 years since my dad died.” He looked down at the ground.

“Alex, it’s okay. You can talk to me. That’s what I’m here for. I know it’s hard for you, you don’t open up about it much, but I think you need to. Keeping it bottled up isn’t good.” I assured him that he could trust me.

“It’s just hard, Cassie. No one gets how I feel.” He turned back around and looked out the window. Silence. It was deafening. I didn’t know how to help him other than being there for him. I can’t force him to talk about it.

He itched the back of his head, so I grabbed his hand and held on. “Listen, whenever you need me and you’re ready to talk, I’m here. I got you, babe. I love you.” He didn’t say anything the rest of the ride, or on the walk to my house, but when we got to my door he asked, “Can I come in and talk?”