Marcel

Chapter 45

Marcel's POV *3 months later*

“Are you nervous?” Cami whispers, her head nudged into my shoulder. We're in my studio, listening to tapes and sitting on the couch. It's the last time we'll be doing this for awhile.

“I haven't slept in days,” I tell her, smiling shyly.

“Me too.”

She shuts her eyes and snuggles in closer. I can feel her warm breaths and the beating of her heart against my chest.

“I can hear your heartbeats,” we both say in unison, causing us to laugh.

We sit in silence for a minute, each lost in thought.

I wonder if we'll still do this in college. If we'll sit in each other's dorms on rainy days and watch movies in our pajamas. Or if we'll study together before big exams. Maybe we'll walk around Harvard Square after it snows and look at all the scenery. There's so many things we can do together.

“Marcel?” Cami whispers.

“Yeah?”

“I could stay here forever with you.”

“As long as I'm with you, I could be anywhere.”

The door abruptly opens, shining a strip of light into the room.

“Are you ready?” my mom asks.

I stand and shrug, “I guess so.”

I'll miss coming here. I'll miss strumming the old guitar and hitting random notes on the piano until I come up with a song. I'll miss listening to old tapes that bring back memories. I'll miss dancing around the room with Cami.

“Wait, there's one last thing we have to do. We'll be out in a minute,” I tell my mom.

Cami looks at me confused, “What do we have to do?”

“May I have this dance?” I say, smiling.

“Of course you may,” she says, holding onto my hand.

I remember the first time we did this.

“I love this song,” Cami told me quietly.

“Let's dance then.”

“Marcel, you hate to dance,” she said giggling.

“Not if I'm dancing with you. May I have this dance?” I said, extending my hand to her.

“Of course you may.”

“It's not a silly little moment,
It's not the storm before the calm.
This is the deep and dying breath of
This love that we've been working on,” I whisper in her ear, singing along.
“Can't seem to hold you like I want to
So I can feel you in my arms.
Nobody's gonna come and save you,
We pulled too many false alarms,” she says, joining in.
“We're going down,
And you can see it too.
We're going down,
And you know that we're doomed.
My dear,
We're slow dancing in a burning room.”

I spin her around slowly, and wrap her in my arms. We sway back and forth as she smiles up at me.

I lean down and kiss her gently while holding tightly to her tiny figure.

“I love you.”

It's just like the first time we danced in this room. Time seems to freeze with her in my arms. I don't ever want to leave.

“I love you,” she says, “Thanks for dancing with me one last time.”

“It doesn't have to be the last time.”