Page 10 of Strum Me

But all I can do is shake my head and let the tears fall. I feel him move around me, his arms, one sliding under me, one over, to pull me hard against his chest.

“Shhh, what’s wrong, what happened? Tell me so I can go chase it off with my manly form.”

And I make a sound that mirrors what a dying cat would if it were watching a comedy gala special.

“That’s my girl—nice to see all those hours at choir practice going to good use.”

“Shut upppp!” I wail and struggle in his arms, needing to feel the freedom of breaking free. “You’re supposed to be making me feel better.”

He holds me tighter against him, his bare chest warm against my cheek. “Um, judging by the sounds you’re making now, I did.”

Through my tears I can’t help but smile in gratitude, grateful for the comfort of just being with him.

“Aw, Butter.” He looks down at me, his face filled with concern. “What happened?”

“Silas and I broke up,” I force myself to say. To force myself to admit it.

“Good!” he answers without missing a beat

“Brad!” I look up at him in horror at his insensitivity.

He meets my look, unwavering. “What? It is good. Good fucking riddance.”

I’m shocked out of my tears. “You’re supposed to be comforting me, fuck-doodle! My boyfriend just dumped me!”

“I am. I’m telling you that you can officially thank the gods that you’ve finally lost that good-for-nothing scro-bag.” He emphasizes his point by squeezing me tighter around him.

I push him away and scramble over him and off the bed. “What the hell is wrong with you? Just how drunk are you?”

He sits up on the bed, and shrugs. “I’m not that drunk and nothing’s wrong with me.”

I search his face and it tells me nothing except that he truly believes what he’s saying. “Why are you saying this shit about Silas?”

“It’s not shit; it’s the truth and you know it. You’ve known it for ages. That’s why you broke up, is it not?”

“No, it’s because...”

“Because what..?”

“Because I wouldn’t go with him.”

“And why is that?”

“Because…”

“Because why? If you love him as much as you say you do, I’d have thought you couldn’t wait to run away with your rock God.”

“I have to live my own life, Brad.”

“Yes. You do. And you can start right now.”

And with that, he pushes himself off the bed, reaches for my hand, and pulls me against his bare chest. For just a split second, he stares at me, and for the first time I see how the golden specks in his eyes sparkle even in the dark.

And then his mouth is on mine.

Hard.

Wet.

Urgent.

And all I want is for it never to end.