Heart Strings|GirlxGirl

A Moment Of Clarity

The weight of the moment still clung to the air like static, an unspoken charge that neither of us dared touch. The lights of the rehearsal space cast long shadows, dimming the intensity of the outside world but doing little to soften the reality between us. Freye was still sitting on the edge of the couch, her hands resting on her knees, as if bracing herself. Her gaze hadn't left me since I finished.

I set the guitar aside with shaky hands, every movement calculated to avoid looking at her. My heartbeat was deafening, drowning out every logical thought that screamed at me to run-to get away before she broke through whatever walls I had left standing.

"Axel."

Her voice was quiet, but it carried. I stopped mid-motion, fingers still grazing the strings of my guitar.

I didn't turn to face her. "Yeah?"

She didn't answer immediately. The pause was heavy, deliberate, and I hated the anticipation it stirred in me.

"That song," she said finally, her voice tinged with something I couldn't quite place. "It wasn't just a song, was it?"

I let out a hollow laugh, leaning back against the amp. "You know me. I'm not exactly subtle."

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"That." She stood now, stepping closer, the air between us growing thinner. "Deflect. Brush it off. Pretend it doesn't matter."

I closed my eyes, frustration bubbling under my skin. "What do you want me to say, Freye?"

"The truth." Her answer was immediate, cutting through the noise in my head.

The truth. That was the problem, wasn't it? The truth felt too big, too heavy, too raw. It was all of the feelings I'd kept bottled up, disguised behind half-smirks and playful jabs. It was vulnerability, the one thing I'd spent my entire life avoiding.

"I can't," I said finally, my voice cracking on the word.

Her footsteps were soft, but the sound of them made my chest tighten. She was close now, too close.

"Why not?"

I opened my eyes and looked at her. Really looked at her. Her features were soft, but her eyes were relentless, piercing through every excuse I wanted to make.

"Because I'm scared," I admitted, the words tumbling out before I could stop them.

Her expression didn't change, but something flickered behind her eyes. "Scared of what?"

I let out a shaky breath, running a hand through my hair. "Of everything. Of getting hurt. Of letting you in and having you walk away. Of feeling something so-" I stopped myself, clenching my jaw.

"So what?" she pressed, stepping even closer.

"So consuming," I finished, my voice barely above a whisper.

The confession hung in the air, raw and vulnerable in a way that made me feel exposed. But Freye didn't recoil. She didn't pull away. Instead, she reached out, her fingers brushing against mine in a touch so light it sent a shiver down my spine.

"You think I'm not scared too?" she asked, her voice softer now.

I looked at her, the vulnerability in her tone pulling me in despite the walls I still tried to keep up.

"Freye-"

"No, listen to me," she interrupted gently but firmly. "You're not the only one who's terrified, Axel. You're not the only one who's been hurt or let down or left to pick up the pieces. But I'm here. I'm standing right here, trying to figure this out with you, and you're pushing me away."