Page 3 of Lyric Squared

“No,” I exhaled, recalling how my equilibrium was startled by Laike’s phone call just before the competition. Keanu was expressing his grievances for not being able to attend.

“You didn’t make it.”

“I came to apologize.”

“For?” I wanted to hear him say it. He needed to hear himself say it.

“For not attending your shit.”

“My shit?”

“Watch your mouth, Lyric.”

I rolled my eyes, folding my arms across my chest.

“Use another word, then.”

“You right. That’s my bad.”

“Start over.”

He sighed with a shake of his head. Keanu pulled up his pants and straightened his posture.

“I apologize, Lyric, for not attending your competition.”

“And–”

“That won’t happen again.”

A smile pierced the seriousness on my face. I couldn’t help myself.

As if mine was contagious, Keanu broke into a smile, too. My heart stopped. It plummeted from my chest. I struggled to catch it. But, I didn’t have to. Keanu picked up the weighty pool of emotions and placed it back in my chest when his arms stretched wide and he pulled my body into his.

I melted. Closing my eyes, I etched the memory in my mind. He smelled divine. He felt so good. In his arms was my favorite place to be. I wanted to be there forever. Nothing compared to them. Nothing compared to him.

I wish you were mine.

He pulled back, stealing parts of me again. Quietly, I twirled the keychain in my hand, unsure of what to say or what to do or where to go. Baffled, I inhaled, feeling my vulnerability peak. Just Keanu’s presence, during our time alone, was enough to have tears streaming down my face. He was a force in my world. I’d known it since I was just a little girl. As a teenager,the feelings only heightened. The fear of never being able to live out the life I dreamed for us did too.

“You like it?”

Words didn’t form. Only more feelings. The thought of forevers.

“Lyric.”

“Hm?”

“You like it? Your gift?”

“It’s an apology gift.”

“I know.”

“You shouldn’t do things you need to apologize about.”

He nodded. “I know.”

“But, I love it.”