A Moment

“I....” my voice trails off, mind wanders off to another world where things made sense. 15 minutes before I leave. Before this place closes... forever.

″...I don’t know what I’ll do without this place.”

She stares. Her brown hair slightly covering her right eye as she leans forward to rest her head in her hands as she listens. Her eyes round with pity.

“Of course, but you enjoyed it here, that’s why it hurts so.” Her voice is calm, like a flowing river. It echoes. “Be glad this happened.”

......

“Be glad this happened. I’m sorry it has to end” We’re sitting on her bedroom floor as I sob. Her arms wrapped around me like a protective blanket. I long to stroke her face, to plead, to argue. But I have nothing.

......

10 minutes.

The tears are appearing as I stare at the clock. Soon. I sense a movement in the room as she shuts the door.

.......

“May I have this dance?” as the door shuts we laugh and slow dance among the empty desks.

......

She sits next to me on the couch. Close enough for me to notice, but far enough to prevent another memory from echoing through my thoughts. She stretches her hand across a rather awkward distance and rests it on my shoulders and squeezes gently.

4 minutes.

I shrug. I have to go. I force my mind into nothingness and turn my expression into a wall. I can hide this. I get up.

“Bye” I whisper, and start on my way out.

“Hey, wait a second”

......

“Hey, wait a second.” She pulls me into a hug and kisses my forehead. I laugh and kiss her before walking out.

.......

She stops my path and gives me a quick hug.

close enough to shatter my wall. Far enough where the comfort was lost.

As I cry.

She repeats under her breath

“It’s alright. It’s going to be alright.”

........

It's alright. It's going to be alright.

.........

and I know it is going to be alright.

But at this moment.

I am not.

“Please tell me you’re alright” I whisper.

“I am” She says. If she's alright, I must be too.

I take a step back to look at her one last time.

And walk out.