Disclaimer: I do not own Skins, nor the song "Braille" By Regina Spektor. I simply borrowed them for the purposes of this one-shot. Read+Review.
She was lying on the floor and counting stretch marks
She hadn't been a virgin and he hadn't been a god.
It had been five months since Alo had left, since he decided that the responsibility of a child was too much to bear. They had been in love, or so she thought. Countless "I love you"'s had been exchanged. He was a teenage boy, she thought he was different. He wasn't.
"I'm not sure Alo, what if something happens?"
"It'll be fine love"
"You sure?"
"Yes, I love you"
so she named the baby Elvis
to make up for the royalty he lacked
She had nothing but the clothes on her back and the hope she held in her heart. She hoped that he would come back, be her knight in shining armour and save her from herself. She knew deep down he would never come back. He was a coward, he had left her when she needed him most.
"I'm Pregnant Alo"
"What?"
"I-I'm Preg-"
"You're lying"
"No Alo! I'm not"
"Enough of this shit, I'm outta here"
And from then on it was turpentine and patches
From then on it was cold Campbell's from the can
She got by on what money she was given. She currently sat in a bristol cafe, the smell of stale cigarettes hung strongly in the air. The dampness of the room making breathing hard, making her feel uncomfortable. She couldn't help but think "what if he were here now?"
They were just two jerks playing with matches
'Cause that's all they knew how to play
She couldn't completely blame him, it takes two to tango. They were young and reckless. Even though this was merely six months ago, she had to mature quickly, for herself, and her child.
And it was raining cats and dogs outside of her window
And she knew they'd be destined to become
sacred roadkill on the way
People ran into the cafe to shelter from the rain, it was pouring by now. She could hear it thundering onto the roof. She couldn't help but imagine if the roof caved in, the water flooding everywhere. She wanted to feel it on her skin.
And she was listening to the sound of heaven shaking
thinking about puddles, puddles and mistakes
She walked out, abandoning her coat on the pavement, pulling off her shoes and socks quickly. Running barefoot into the cold puddles. She felt free, she felt that nothing could worry her now. The rain drenching her, her hair clinging to her wet skin. The rain disguising the tears that fell freely from her sorrowful eyes as she recalled the love she had once felt.
'Cause it's been turpentine and patches
It's been cold, cold Campbell's from the can
She had to leave college without a qualification, she couldn't stand the stares she received. She'd get asked often about the father. Alo left the day after she told him, nobody has heard from him since.
And they were just two jerks playing with matches
'Cause that's all they knew how to play
What they knew how to play
She did't regret what had happened between them, she was happy it had happened. Because at the time she felt like nothing could ruin it, as though time stopped still in the perfect moment. She was his, and he was hers. She will always love him, he was her first love. Forever and always.
Elvis never could carry a tune
and she thought about this irony as she stared back at the moon
She was tracing her years with her fingers on her skin saying,
He had been living in his van for the past months. He had no idea how to react to the news that she was pregnant. He could barely look after himself, let alone a child. So he left, he didn't think about the consequences. And he regretted it deeply.
Well, why don't I begin again
with turpentine and patches
with cold, cold Campbell's from the can
He set off to find her, the rythm of the rain and the wind-screen wipers beating in-sync with his heart. He knew where she would be. The cafe where they first met.
After all I'm still a jerk playing with matches
It's just that he's not around to play along
She saw the familiar blue van driving towards her, she thought she was seeing things. He couldn't be back, but, he was. He got out, into the pouring rain. His red hair lying flat, dripping onto his face. He was cold, but she was here, so here he must be.
yeah, I'm still an asshole playing with candles
Blowing out wishes, blowing out dreams
Their eyes connected, a familiar recognition of eachother passing between them. A familiar feeling of serenity and love. A feeling they both missed, and ever so craved. He ran to her, his van door still open, in the middle of the dark, cold street in the pouring rain. He embraced her tightly, as though she was fragile porcelain, and that letting her go would cause her to break into pieces.
Just sitting here and trying to decipher what's written in Braille upon my skin
this skin...
She was lying on the floor and counting stretch...
She was lying on the floor and counting stretch...
She was lying on the floor lying, lying...
counting stretch...