Unforgettable

Nat King Cole's Unforgettable, put Quill in a good mood. Eyes closed, he was sitting on a playground bench, the ear buds providing a nice, insulted quiet. He began falling into the earth, traveling weightlessly towards the center. King's voice stripped him of everything in this world. All disappeared as he fell quietly into a comfortable, dark place.

This happened often with Quill. There are certain songs that give him the sensation that he is being dropped. It’s not the genre that matters, nor the singer. He can’t point out what these songs have in common.

His stomach twists, and butterflies attack. His breathing deepens as he becomes aware. The air is crisp, the sun is warm, and he smiles. But, it’s short lived as it turns into a frown. The air was suddenly heavy, and he gets the sensation that something nearby is burning. He’s still falling, but grey clouds were starting to envelope him. The clouds came in waves, getting stronger with each push. Quill coughs, struggling to maintain his freefall. He opened his eyes.

The girl was crouching, arm on her knee. Her face was leaning in towards Quill. She inched closer and pulled the cigarette away from her red lips. She exhaled and tears formed in his eyes.

“What are you listening to? You look so peaceful.” She said, almost in a whisper. The white fluff intensified and the wind carried more depth. Some of the parents were staring at them.

“Unforgettable, by Nat King Cole. You know it?” She ignored the question, sat next to him, took one of his headphones and closed her eyes, listening quietly. It took one glance for him to know she was beautiful. Short black hair and a clean classic look: qualities Quill appreciated. But her abstract clothing and aggressive demeanor threw him off.

The song came to an end. She wrote on a piece of paper, handed it to him, and left the playground.