"You make it hard to breathe.", he murmured, one hand caressing my cheek with a featherlight touch. "I love you that much."
I just stared, trying to ignore the words. I couldn't say them back, but I'm sure he knew. It made it so real. Too real. Love meant you had a beginning, and having a beginning meant it would end. I'd rather have gone on in my bubble, wondering but not knowing. It was a nice bubble.
A chaste kiss was placed upon my lips, and sweet tunes sounded from a guitar in the other room. Axel's brother played, unknowingly, the most fitting songs for the worst scenarios. Why would he do that? Who gifted him with that perfectly terrible timing? A tear rolled down my cheek.
"Don't cry."
"But you're leaving.", my voice was choked up, high and squeaky.
"Not forever."
I shrugged angrily, and the tear was brushed away by the same hand that caressed me earlier.
"I'll be back sooner than you know."
I nodded, heaving out a desperate sob. Arms encircled me, holding me tightly against a broad, warm chest. Axel's features had always been the most handsome in my hometown. Olive-toned skin and high cheekbones, broad shouldered and tall, jade green eyes that twinkled with mischief more often than parents and teachers could handle.
He was leaving now, moving all the way across the country. I knew our relationship wouldn't survive, it was as definite as when the sun set at the end of the day. He would find someone else, a pretty boy or girl who warmed his bed during the night better than me. He would move on and he would forget. Despite what he said, he would never come back. There was nothing here for him anymore. Graduation had passed, his friends had moved and his parents were trying to get an apartment in Spain. Spain! Going back to where they had their roots, I guess.
"You can fly out and see me.", he said, kissing the top of my head. He knew that would be impossible, it was just empty words. I had no money, and there were no way he would be able to pay for me. I heaved and sobbed, just barely catching on to the tear that wasn't mine that fell onto my arm.
For several minutes he sat with me, letting me cry myself out. When I fell silent, the air was broken by another tune coming from the old guitar in the other room. This one even more fitting for the situation, and Axel hummed along.
"I was the one you always dreamed of, you were the one I tried to draw...", his sweet voice filled the room, and I could hear the deep rumble from within his chest where my ear was pressed against it. "My dear, we're slow dancing in a burning room..."
Authors note: Thank you for reading! This was inspired by John Mayer's "Slow Dancing In a Burning Room", and the lyrics in the end are from that song. Feel free to give an opinion on my writing, as long as you're nice :) English is not my first language, so grammar/spelling correction is more than welcome since I want to learn more and get better!