Monday Fables #9: Breathless

Breathless - Corrine Bailey Rae

Seems like everyone else has a love just for them,
I don't mind, we have such a good time,
My best friend, but sometimes, well,
I wish we could be more than friends,
Tell me do you know?
Tell me do you know?
Oh..

I get so breathless, when you call my name,
I've often wondered, do you feel the same?
There's a chemistry, energy, a synchronicity
When we're all alone,
So don't tell me
You can't see
What I'm thinking of.

I can understand that you don't want to cross the line,
And you know i can't promise you things,
Will turn out fine,
But i have to be honest, I want you to be mine
Tell me do you know?
Tell me do you know?
Oh...

I get so breathless, when you call my name,
I've often wondered, do you feel the same?
There's a chemistry, energy, a synchronicity
When we're all alone,
So don't tell me
You can't see
Oh!

'Cause I've tried to do this right in your own time
I've been telling with my eyes, my heart's on fire,
Why don't you realise?
Tell me do you know?
Tell me do you know?
I get so breathless...

“What the hell?” He pulls her back by her shoulders so they are arms-length apart. Sitting beside each other on the couch, the surrounding party is almost deafening but they can’t raise their voices.

“Sorry I wasn’t thinking.”

“Yes I got that but what the hell?”

“I guess I got a little carried away with the Christmas Spirit.”

“You kiss boyfriends not best friends; you’re not that drunk you should be able to figure that part out.”

“I’m not drunk. See” She breathes lighting in his face and he recoils animatedly.

“Yup I can definitely still smell the garlic from lunch.” She giggles, subconsciously reaching for his hair and brushing the fringe out of his eyes.

“What are you doing?”

She immediately recoils “sorry.”

“I didn’t say I didn’t like it” he grabs her hand and places it on his neck, holding it there with his own warm hand “I just want to know where this is coming from.”

“I told you I got caught up in the Christmas Spirit.”

“I think it’s more than that.” She’s silent, staring down at the burgundy couch, unable to speak what’s on her mind. Finally he takes a deep breath “I like you.”

She looks up and smiles sarcastically “I’m glad.”

“No, I mean I really like you.” He squeezes the hand on his neck. “I-I’ve been meaning to ask you out for a while but I’m…”

“Scared?”

“No! Well…maybe. I just don’t want to”

“Mess up our friendship because we’re feeling something other than friendship?”

“Exactly! I mean I would love to see what happens if we dated because I think about you all the time and lately it hasn’t been in that platonic way I used to think of you when we were little. But what happens if we do try to date and then one of us screws it up – probably me – and things get awkward between us until eventually we can’t be friends anymore and then I pass you on the street and I can’t even look you in the eye because I can’t stop thinking about what might have been and” she kisses him. It’s fast but hard and deliberate and very effective in shutting him up.

“That’s exactly why I kissed you. I went over all the ‘what if’s in my head and I finally realized that you are my best friend and yes we may crash and burn but we might also be…spectacular.” She bites her lip “I want to try but only if that’s what you want.”

When he kisses her it’s slow and tender, waves of uncertainty and shivers of excitement fill the air and she falls into him immediately, toppling them against the arm of the couch. They break apart with a laugh. “Yup I can definitely smell the garlic from lunch.” She slaps his chest but sooths it away before kissing him once again, now completely addicted, leaving him breathless.