Disclaimer: All Bust-A-Groove elements belong to Enix. I own nothing.
El Ritmo Frio
(Cold Beat)
Chapter 3: I've Got to Feel the Warmth of You
by ArchFaith (formerly known as the ArchPrincess of Saturn)
I was in his arms. He was holding me tightly, yelling, screaming, crying...."Don't die, no, don't die...don't leave me, Shorty!"
Was I dead?
I could feel tears falling from off his cheek onto mine. I wanted to tell him not to weep for me, not to be forlorn. When he was sad, I was also sad.
The bed where I lay, wires surrounding me, my cold body clothed in a thin gown. The only warmth I could feel, the only warmth in the world, the only warmth that was good enough for me...was him.
Was this my premonition? My dream? "Shorty...I don't want you to leave me, but sooner or later you'll have to." But he didn't want me to leave! I knew he wanted me to stay with him. What had started out as a crush on my part and suddenly developed into deep love for him. And I wanted that to remain.
Yet I felt myself slipping...My consciousness was fading away. My head hurt so badly...yes, a nice long rest would be good for me. Long, long, nice, rest...
My ears could hear the sounds of the monitor next to my bed. The heart-rate monitor. It was slowing down...my heartbeats were getting slower.
I am weary. Weary of this world. Of no love. But...my parents and Columbo had been in my room earlier. I could detect them crying. Columbo gave me a kiss on the forehead, and my parents held my hands, crying. They told me that when (when, not IF) I awoke, they would be the best parents a child could ever have. They would love me. But was it another empty lie? Like all the others?
No, not this time.
I wasn't going to let myself die.
The warmth...
My mind flashes back to the night, almost two weeks ago, when I appeared at his door, soaked and wet. How he had undressed me, tucked me in. Fed me breakfast, talked to Columbo. Lied to the woman, gotten on the plane. Touring, leaving me alone for the convention. He never did tell me what it was about...
The moonlight dance on top of the Eiffel Tower...our kiss...Je t'aime...
The water seeping into my system, trying to cast me into the darkness. It had succeeded.
The monitor slowly began to stop. Its beeping became slower until it faded away.
Was I dead?
Yes.
No! I'm not going to die now! I'm going to live and be with my parents and Columbo and everyone in BAG. And most of all, him...
Ahead of me, I saw a light. No, not yet. I don't want to go there yet. Let me stay.....! Please, let me stay...!
I manage to pull away from the light's tug. I kick my legs and scream. I'm gonna live! Whether it kills me, I'll live!
I can feel my consciousness settling back into my body. My mind is back and positioned.
I am whole again. I've been given another chance.
My eyes open.
I am still in his arms. That is the way I want it to be.
He looks at me, surprised. He opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. He is speechless.
In that very moment, I suddenly realize the meaning of my song, Happy Heart in the Sunshine. I've got to feel the warmth of you...I've got to feel your warmth. And he's got to feel my warmth too.
We need it to live.
I give him a weary smile. "Hey."
Note: Stay tuned for the Epilogue. You will finally find out who he is.
Special Note: If you are not open-minded, I suggest you do not read the next chapter. It will probably be up by...tonight, in fact.
Maybe you've noticed...I think that my writing was a bit more detailed when I began writing La Rima Tibia, but has become a little more simple as I finish El Ritmo Frio. This is because I feel a lot of detail is not needed for the rest of the story.