Earworm - short stories inspired by songs

But I Don't

Marcie laughed like the wind.

She laughed like nothing I'd ever heard before.

To some, that laugh was funny, ridiculous.

To me, it was beautiful.

To me, it was like air.

I didn't think I could live without her laugh.

But she didn't know.

She didn't know how I felt.

She didn't know when we were playing tag in kindergarten.

She didn't know when we passed notes in middle school.

She didn't know when we played spin the bottle in high school.

Maybe I should have told her.

Maybe I should have said something before we left for college and I didn't get to see her face for months.

Maybe it could have made a difference.

And maybe I would have lost my best friend.

So I told her we'd meet up.

So I told her we'd go for a trip.

So I told her we'd have the time of our lives.

Did she feel the same?

Did she miss me?

Did she change?

Did she find new friends?

Did she forget her best friend, Alex?

All I am is a man.

All I am is a boy who is in love with his best friend.

All I am is a coward for not telling her sooner.

All I want is for her to know.

All I want is to have her love me.

All I want is to hold her in my hands.

All I want is to hold the world in my hands.

She is the world to me.

For her, I'll forget that I hate the beach.

For her, I'll forget that we might not work out.

For her, I'll hope she feels the same.

For her, I'll go on an adventure.

So I took her to California,

And we laughed the entire car ride there.

I thought it would be warm.

But the weather betrayed me.

It was cold and foggy.

The motel was old and falling apart.

And nothing was perfect.

Maybe it was a sign.

Even in the most beautiful of places, ugly things could live.

Even in California, there were cold days.