Monday, December 21, 2009

Again



Here you are down on your knees again
Trying to find air to breath again
Only surrender will help you now
I love you, please see and believe again
They don't have to understand you
Be still
Wait and know I understand you
Be still
Be still
      --Flyleaf, Again


She climbed the stairs to the second floor hallway.

He was waiting in the open apartment door. He had buzzed her in downstairs.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey."

"I hope you don't mind me coming over."

He leaned against the frame. "Me? Mind? I don't mind."

"I mean, not calling or anything."

"You don't have to call."

She tucked her hair behind her ear and tried to read him.

Not easy.

It never had been easy.

"I've been thinking about you," she said. "A lot actually."

She watched his eyes. A glimmer there?

Maybe.

"Were you up to anything tonight?" she said.

He shook his head. "No. Not really."

He stared back. She always struggled with all the things that might be going on behind those eyes. But right now, she reminded herself, they were only looking at her.

"Can I ask you a question?" she said.

"Sure."

"Would you have a drink with me?" she said.

Just a drink.

A drink and whatever came into their minds.

He smiled. A pure, disarmed smile. She let out a breath and fought the tears of relief that might have formed.

"Come on," he said. "I've been saving something. I know just the thing."

He stepped aside to let her in.

And she went.

15 comments:

Shadow said...

those lyrics.... stunning!

Atrisa said...

I like how you leave it hanging and let us run ourselves wild in the indeterminism :)

JR's Thumbprints said...

When I read the line "He stared back," I immediately thought he had another woman in his apartment ... then he let her in. Whew!!! I could feel the tension in their dialogue.

Bernita said...

The ache of things unsaid!

Karen said...

Nice, Jason. I was holding my breath for her.

catvibe said...

There's always those moments of not knowing whether someone likes you or not that are so disconcerting and full of tension. Nice release here of that. A relief for her I'm sure.

Loren Eaton said...

Love Flyleaf.

Meghana Naidu said...

oh perfect.
just the perfect thing for today.

Nevine Sultan said...

An interesting moment of slight tension seems to carry this entire piece. Once the tension is released, we smile...

SzélsőFa said...

the situation seems fragile. (not the writing, not at all, I mean the tension between the two and about the outcome of the evening. great vignette.

Anonymous said...

Shadow, I was blown away when I first heard this song. I'm not surprised that the lyrics speak to you.

Atrisa, lots of room for you to impose your own world.

JR, I hadn't thought of that, but good point! I love how many interpretions these vignettes engender.

Bernita, yes, there is an enormity of things unsaid. But finally, everything unsaid has reached a kind of understanding, and the ice has broken.

Karen, she knew she was going to succeed. Mostly. ;)

Catvibe, there's a history here. Mountains have lifted. Then receded.

Loren, I was certainly familiar with All Around Me, but I'm hooked on this one.

Meghana, I'm glad it gave you something to hold onto.

Nevine, that tension is much greater than could be captured in this moment. It spills over the sides like a waterfall. In the end, the defenses fall.

Szelsofa, I like that. Fragility. That's how we are. Much more than we like to admit. But, like here, we can learn to strengthen.

the walking man said...

There is joy in this. The disarming, the relief, the acceptance of things as they are, no push no pull just allowing the moment to unfold as it will.

I was calmly enthralled.

Vesper said...

"Come on," he said. "I've been saving something. I know just the thing." I think this "saving" is extremely important for their relationship, and the fact that he's willing to share with her this wine (I guess) that he's been saving...

I really loved this piece, Jason.

Anonymous said...

Walking Man, you completely captured the spirit. What has so deeply changed. Thanks for that.

Vesper, so true. So very true. Something has been saved. Something hoping for this moment.

Aniket Thakkar said...

I loved how her thoughts were put across in this piece. The tension, her being unsure of his stand yet sure of her doing this.

Its one of those pieces that makes me wish I had written. :)