But as it turns out I’m not gonna need music to remember the mistake I made two years ago.
Because the reason that I made those mistakes… is here.
The reason why I did what I did and why I ended up at St. Mary’s is righthere.
Heis here.
And I see him as soon as I enter the bar.
Actually, he’sallI see. He’s theonly thingI see and the sight of him forces me to halt.
The sight of Reed Roman Jackson.
After two years.
After two long,longyears, it forces me to stop. It forces the earth to stop too.
At least for me.
For me, the earth has stopped spinning and all the people on it have stopped existing. For me, the music is no more and the stars have gone out.
Because he’s here.
Somehow.
How is he here?
Standing in the middle of the bar, he’s taller than everyone.
He’s broader than everyone too. And he has a spotlight on him.
Or maybe that’s just his marble-like, vampire skin. That glows.
Thatstillglows.
That still absorbs all the light in the space, leaving nothing for the rest of us.
Not even the choice of looking somewhere else.
He is like gravity, see.
If he’s in the room, you can’t help but stare at him. You can’t help but revolve around him.
Even now, people are doing that.
People are revolving around him, giving him all their attention.
He’s surrounded by a bunch of guys, and a couple of girls who are hanging onto his arms, and God, it feels like two years ago.
It feels like I’m standing in the corridor of my old school, Bardstown High, and I’m watching him work his dark magic on a girl.
I’m watching him appear both aloof and interested.
As he drives her crazy with desire. So much so that she raises her hand to brush her fingers along the ends of his hair.
I’m watching him and watching him and my lips part as I exhale a breath.
What is he doing here? Where did he come from?
