Simon | yungblud

Concert

(Minute 17.00, btw)

"WHAT'S YOUR NAME?"

"SIMON!"

His voice echoed through the microphone, rough and dry from screaming song lyrics all night. It sounded like he'd just woken up.

An imaginary fist punched into my stomach as I looked up at my best friend on stage, drowning in the red light.

Dan tugged on my sleeve, hard, but I barely gave her attention. Sweaty bodies moved all around me. The air was stuffy and too hot. The crowd grew louder as Simon hit the first accord on the white guitar Yungblud just passed him.

A big smile spread across his face, showing off his dimples, and I smiled back, unintentionally.

The music started playing, and just then, I realized how I had missed the whole conversation happening on stage.

I didn't know the song they were playing, but I knew Simon's voice singing the lyrics. I heard the sound of his smile, and I let it sink into me, patter on me like rain, tuning out the whole audience.

Cheeks red from the heat, eyes sparkling and hair falling into his face - I could look at him for the rest of my life.

I had never seen my best friend this happy before as he ran across the stage, guitar in hand.

His fingers skillfully danced across the cords, his rings reflecting the light of the spotlight. The same rings I watched earlier today, tapping on the steering wheel. The same rings I saw so many times adorning Simon's long fingers.

The same rings, I, now wanted to feel pressed cold against my skin.

Simon's left hand was wrapped around the neck of the instrument, knuckles white, holding it in place. The body of the guitar covered his lower body, and the material probably pressed against his hips.

A wave of heat his my face when I suddenly became aware of my thoughts. I let my hair fall into my face, trying to hide the color from Dan, standing next to me, still holding onto my sleeve.

When my eyes lifted back up, Simon stood right at the edge of the stage, Yunglud and another guitarist by his side.

I watched him nod his head in the rythm of the song, lazily. The placement of the guitar still caused goosebumps to rise on my arms and a tingling feeling in my stomach.

A cigarette was passed through and held to Simon's lips. He accepted, took a long drag, and let the smoke dance around his features.

The fist knocked the air out of my lungs again. I couldn't avert my eyes from his lips, blowing out the smoke.

The last accord fell and echoed in my ears. The crowd burst out in cheering applause.

Dan said something.
Ray screamed something.
Leo clapped.
Simon.

Hair, eyes, lips, hands, smile,...

Dimples.

Again.

More.

Smile.

His voice.

Husky, raspy, close...

Too close....

Right behind me.

I turned around.

Simon.

He was smiling, laughing, curls surrounding his face, red light dancing in his eyes.

"Juliet!"

I hugged him. My arms flying around his neck, my body pressing against the guitar, hanging around his neck, separating our bodies.

"I'm so proud of you, Simi!"

I shouted against the noise of the crowd.

And there they were. His rings. Pressed against me, through the fabric of my shirt. Simon's fingers sprawled across my waist as he hugged me back.

He smelled like smoke and lemon. His breath hit my neck as he said something in my ear.

I didn't understand.
I didn't understand anything.
I just felt.
And I felt so deeply and so strong like never before.