Choking on Skipped Beats
By Andraaknas
The air filled with senior angst and
the want to escape, the room
lit dimly with blue and white with
christmas-esque lights strung about.
The gym had been turned into the generic
prom night dance room, no band, only someone
in the student government who seemed like they
didn’t want to be there.
Soft music played overhead, no longer the bombastic
dance music from earlier, now the beginning strings and
strains of an old cold war era love song.
And there she stood, her smile glowing like a lighthouse.
Beautiful flowing white dress, her mother’s old prom dress,
with no makeup except for blood red lipstick. Her black hair
was tied back in a bun, and the necklace I gave her hung beautifully
on her neck. She looked at me and smiled, beckoning me over.
I gulped and took small steps closer.
My black suit felt like it was choking me, the hair tie I wore
felt like someone had put a boulder at the end of my hair.
She wrapped her arms around the back of my neck and smiled.
You alright?
I smiled back and nodded, gulping again as I put my hands on her sides.
Of course I am.
The world around us seemed to shut off
as the music kicked up, the long dead singer
singing his heart out to some unknown woman.
Underneath an old light, we danced.
Not skipping a step, nor a beat, slowly,
hearts intertwined and breathes filled with
love and a forever after.
But my heart skipped with every snare of the drums,
every small strum of the guitars, every piano note.
Hopelessly devoted to the small woman in front of me,
her eyes closed, head resting against my chest as we waltzed
amongst the stars, as if nobody was around to see us.
Two people ready to leave this place,
to escape somewhere far away, beyond the mountains.
Almost seven years at this point.
Willing to go anywhere, my love, for you.
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