The Line (SHORT STORY)

The Line

This was it. My first lead, my first big performance with months of practice. I was nailing it, I knew all my lines, all my cues, and the audience was reacting perfectly. The show was drawing to a close, I was sitting on that familiar floral couch, gazing out at the crowd, waiting for my “Captain Hammerschmidt” to find me. I heard the footsteps of my cast-mate walking on stage, I waited for my cue. I could feel my heart steady in my chest, assured about my performance. Everything was going perfectly.

“Isabella?” He said, I stood and turned, I saw his face and how he smiled. And I stopped. The words melted to honey in my throat, dripping away from my mind as I stared up at him. 

“Hi-”  I forgot my line. 

“You forgot your line?” He asked, with a smile that was 4 years more mature now. We sat in front of the church, looking up at the stars on Valentine’s Day. So much had happened since that day. There was a lingering feeling of loss between us, silent but hiding just beyond our reach. It was warm for mid-February, hinting at the new life coming in spring.  The orange light of a street lamp cast a faint glow over us, but not enough to block out the stars above us. 

“You know I liked you.” I joked, not making eye contact with him. And at that time I still did. But so much had happened. The words grazed my tongue lightly, not daring to slip out for fear of ruining this moment. 

“Will you dance with me?” He asked, I could hear Tightrope playing on the tv in his living room. I stood hesitantly. We started dancing, it was more stumbling and laughing at each other than dancing. And then we stopped, I had to go home. I wanted to stay there for the rest of my life, and yet I left without voicing how I felt. The car ride was silent, thoughts bounced around in both our heads, drowning out the 80s rock playing in the front seat, we both yearned to try this. But so much has happened since then. 

You’ll find someone funny and amazing that you love one day. I texted him, after getting home, I can’t remember how we got on the topic. I sunk into my bed pulling a warm blue blanket to my chest before setting my phone on my desk, expecting the simple ‘So will you’ response. It was warm for April, spring had come in beautifully, filling the once-frozen ground with new green life. 

Well I’ve already done that! He responded. My heart sank in my chest. I set my phone down, and paced to the other side of my room, watching the screen from a distance. I felt my heart tugging me back towards it, but I hesitated, there were no words I could say to him to properly explain how I felt about him. I snatched the phone off the desk and typed. 

Then go be with them! Make yourself happy! I wanted to see him be happy more than anything, he was my best friend. I was satisfied with myself, no more dwelling on the past, on what could be. I blocked out the memories that threatened to pour over the edge of the barricade in my head.

I meant you, you idjit! I froze. I read it again frantically and paused. Okay, maybe a little more dwelling.

Maybe you don’t want to hear this, but I was thinking of asking you to marry me in 12 years or so- Okay, a lot more dwelling. I couldn’t believe he loved me. So much had happened and changed us, we were different people compared to those two kids on that stage. I felt lightning cracking in my heart, bursting my seams and filling my soul with light, and I couldn’t stop smiling. 

“So you really like me?” I asked, clutching my frozen yogurt to my chest, in Gojis on the Eastside. And I saw how he smiled. And I felt how I smiled. My heart played a drum line and I was excited for whatever this would be. I had floated through my life so easily until this moment, this was something to fight for, something to cherish and hang onto. Oh, so much good would happen. 

“I love you. Happy Birthday” He smiled, Tightrope played on the tv in the background. I hugged him tightly. He handed me a rose, one of my favourite flowers (color me a hopeless romantic but I always found them beautiful.) I felt the blue rose in my hand, and it was beautiful. 

I lifted the blue rose petal from a box, inside was memories of a whole year together. Keychains from our travels, pins, receipts, movie tickets, our Disney pass cards, and a memory stick with pictures and videos of our life in the past year. 

One year became a year and a half, and now almost two. Everything had changed. So much good came from this. That became an adventure worth living with new shows to watch, new movies to see, new dates to have, and a person who gave cheesy love songs meaning. 

I looked out the window, thinking about a future I never thought possible. Tightrope played on my phone as I walked up the driveway. And I could feel myself smiling. He opened the door to an inviting world where I felt safe and loved on a day just like any other.

“Hi!” He said excitedly. And I saw how he smiled.

“Hi-” And I forgot my line.

And oh so much more will happen.