Broken Charms

Can't Let Go: Part Three

“Kiss me, and you will see how important I am.”

― Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath

Harry

Astrid was . . . unearthly. Ethereal. Unattainable. Her pale skin glowed under the low amber light. I didn’t know where to look as she danced. I wanted to memorize all of her. Her eyes were lined with dark kohl that made the green of her eyes shine and pierce straight through me. it’s been a while since I had seen her tattoo spread across her back making her look like an angel. Imagining the art that lay between was maddening. She bore other tattoos, too small for me to identify. It must have gotten them after we broke up since I didn’t remember them. From here they resembled runes or hieroglyphs, like she was a goddess. Exotic and forbidden. Immortal.

That was what she looked like. She was the kind of sight that I would never, could never forget. The few times her eyes met mine, my blood pumped furiously through my veins, I clenched my fists, and had the urge to do something crazy. I wanted to walk up to her platform and join her, or throw her over my shoulder and take her away where no one else could see her.

I’d always thought of myself as a fairly rational person, not one to be ruled by my desires and emotions. But this . . . nothing was logical about the way this girl made me feel. I’d gone crazy. All the stress of everything with Elena and the tour and the new album—I’d finally snapped.

That was the only way I could explain why I followed her outside when she went on break. I had no idea what I was going to say or do, but I couldn’t let her out of my sight.

She said, “Hey, Haz.” on an exhale, her breath curling from between those ruby red lips.

“Hey, Astrid.”

She walked away from the bouncer, and leaned up against the brick of the building. My eyes snagged on her leg as she propped a heel up on the wall behind her. I forced myself to look away. She was sexy as hell, but I was sure she got enough guys ogling her here.

“Are you stalking me, Harry?” I stayed where I was, careful to keep distance between us, so that I didn’t do something stupid in my drunken state.

“Only a little.” She laughed. That was good. I’d made her laugh. It had been a long time since I had made her laugh

“so do you like Red Dawn so far? It’s like my home this past few months. I’m here more than I’m at home.” I filed away that information for later.

“I’ve never been here to a bar like that. it’s different but I like it. your friends seem nice.”

“they are, aren’t they?”

I nodded. “Especially, Stefan.” I searched for something else to say, but my mind was moving too slowly. God, could I be any more boring?

This was a terrible idea. The silence between us stretched into awkward territory, and I was too drunk to hold a decent conversation. The longer I stayed, the harder it became to fight off the urge to touch her. Time for a tactical retreat.

“I should probably go find him.” She frowned and stared at me as I took a step back. “I only came to say hi.” She looked at me for a second longer, and her eyes  widened in shock. Then her lips turned downward, and I saw her disappointment seconds before she swept the emotion from her expression.

I looked behind me expecting to see a mugger or a UFO or a zombie. We were alone on the street except for the bouncer, who stayed silent and still outside the door.

“What?” I asked. She shook her head.

“Nothing. Don’t worry about it.” My curiosity was too strong to turn around again.