ANATHEMA

chapter twenty-one: goner

Ashley and Josh left soon after hearing the call for bed time, but I stayed. Tyler was sitting with his back to his pillow and I was sitting across from him, both our legs being crossed. Tyler had my hand in his lap, playing with my fingers.

"You should probably go back, you know," he said eventually, breaking the peaceful silence. "I don't want you to get in trouble."

"I'll be fine," I assured him. "I'll tell them I'm scared to sleep in my room tonight or something if they ask. I just...I wanna be with you right now."

I could see a blush creep onto Tyler's cheeks. He could feel it, too, for he looked down at our entwined fingers.

"S-Speaking of which," he stuttered. "I didn't give you the finished product." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the familiar, crumpled up piece of paper and handed it to me.

"You finished it?" I asked him, a smile gracing my features. "When did you-"

"You must have forgotten how long I was in here," Tyler said sarcastically. "I had three weeks to think about everything, and when I think too much, I write."

My thumb ran over the penciled title, feeling emotions well up behind my eyes. I read the song with my hand over my mouth.

'Oh, Miss Believer, my pretty sleeper. Your twisted mind is like snow on the road. Your shaking shoulders prove that it's colder inside your head than the winter of dead.

I will tell you, "I love you", but the muffs on your ears will cater your fears. My nose and feet are running as we start to travel through snow. Together we go, together we go.

We get colder as we grow older. We will walk so much slower.

Oh, Miss Believer, my pretty weeper. Your twisted thoughts are like snow on the rooftops. Please, take my hand, we're in foreign land as we travel through snow. Together we go, together we go.

We get colder as we grow older. We will walk so much slower.'

I dropped the piece of paper in my lap, hands shaking.

"Is it bad? I'm sorry, I-" Tyler started, reaching for the song.

I batted his hands away and placed my hands on his face, dragging him closer to me and pressing my lips to his.

He reacted immediately, bringing his hands around my waist and pulling me closer to sit on his lap. His lips worked against mine, feeling soft and needy.

It was Tyler that pulled away first, leaning his forehead against mine and dropping his hands to hold onto mine.

"Ophelia?" he asked, chewing his bottom lip.

"Yeah?" I responded, staring at his lips instead of his eyes.

"I think I love you," he whispered. I tore my eyes away from his mouth and met his dark eyes.

"Hey, Tyler?" I asked him.

The light in his eyes dimmed some, but he replied with, "Yes?"

"I love you, too," I murmured with a small smile.

His eyes brightened again, and his features copied mine.

He pressed his lips to mine again, and my heart started racing.

/~/