Now I’m shaking.
Then the strings cut out.
The crowd explodes into chaos over it.
Mikey and Nico share a glance with a laugh,
then fall back from the guitar, the drums,
not knowing why they’re there anymore.
Andrew lifts his head,
chest heaving,
leans into the mic,
and breathes?—
“Now that I got your attention, and your pretty little heart poundin’…” He wets his lip. “I need you closer. You feel too fuckin’ far. And I hate it.”
The room falls quiet.
My heart slams hard.
His voice shakes a little?—
“Truth is—I’m not fuckin’ okay right now.”
His eyes squeeze shut and he tries to breathe.
After an exhale, he opens his eyes again,
a breathless laugh leaving him.
“Yeah, I’m kind of fallin’ apart up here.”
Then there goes my heart,freefalling.
My lungs,spacebound.
I hold still because one blink,
one swallow,
one step
and I’m splattered on the floor.
He waits,unmoving,
with a stare made of hands,
trying to hold me by the throat
and the heart at the same time.
The entire crowd blurs,
