Our Song

Slipping Through My Fingers

Art recoiled, regaining his thoughts. Paul gave him a slight pout before he asked what was up, "Artie, you okay?"

"Yes, no, I don't know." Art said in one quick breath. "Is this really what I want?"

"You're really going back on what you just said?" Paul tapped his finger slightly agitated.

Art tugged on the sleeves of his blue jumper grasping the ends of the sleeves with his fingers and hiding his hands underneath. He nervously bit down on his lip, " Do I have to explain it again, I don't want to ruin our friendship, I hold it very dear to me."

"How would it ruin our friendship?" Paul questioned.

Art sturred his cup of coffee out of embarrassment, but he didn't silence himself, "I mean if we break up, then it will be all tense when we are around each other, it might even ruin Simon & Garfunkel itself because we wouldn't be able to work together and I really don't want that happening."

"You know you're hurting me more by playing with my emotions than anything else, Arthur." Paul frowned.

"I don't mean to-"

Paul interrupted, " If you really need to say no, then say no, I am tired of you saying that we could be together, and then taking it all back. You know I've had a love for you since we were kids, but I felt all too embarrassed to admit it. When I do tell you I love you, you go back and say it will hurt our friendship. I'm tired of it."

"Paul-"

"Hey, I'm not done," Paul scolded Art for interjecting, " You always say that you will be there for me-"

Art cut in again, "When have I never been there for you? If you say when you were in England, that was your own damn fault."

"I wasn't even going to bring up England, I know I was there on my own regime." Paul clenched his teeth.

Art bit his tongue, making sure he wouldn't cuss out his partner, " Name one time I wasn't there for you."

"I meant emotionally there for me." Paul scolded.

Art let out a long sigh," I try my best Paul."

"That's what I love about you, but I hate the denial." Paul wanted to turn his attitude around, he didn't want this to sting more than it already did.

"I just need time to think." Art tried to rub the tiredness from his eyes.

Paul swallowed hard and watched Art go with sad eyes. He really thought this would be it, that Art was finally going to be his boyfriend, but instead, he just needed more time to ponder on his decision.

As he heard the door slam, an alarming instant silence joined Paul. The silence didn't linger for long, Paul's past had to join him.

"Did I hear some heartbreak?" The shadow peaked out from behind Paul, sitting right next to him with a cigarette in its hand.

"Oh great." Paul tapped his fingers.

"Sounds like someone missed me." The shadow grinned.

"In your wildest dreams." Paul had a deep frown plastered on his face.

"Do you need to vent?" The shadow raised its eyebrow, Paul felt intimidated.

"I do, but why would I vent to you, you already know what had happened," Paul whined.

"You've got no one else." The shadow pointed out.

"At least not here, but I do have someone other than Artie, and that is my brother," Paul explained sadness creeping up in his voice.

"Oh Eddie, but he's not around right now so might as well get it all out right now." The shadow smirked.

"I'm worried about Artie though and his drinking habits lately." Paul acknowledged.

"Come on, a little drinking won't hurt him, you guys are like twenty-four just let him party." The shadow enunciated.

"But it's out of stress." Paul fretted.

"Yeah, so what he'll get over it and grow up." The shadow shrugged.

"But he's so important to me, and no matter what I do I can't stop loving him, I guess I just want him to love me back." Paul slumped in his chair.

"You snooze you lose kid." The shadow made no effort to make Paul feel any better.

"You're making me feel even worse about it," Paul whined.

"Who else do you got?" The shadow brought up the same exact stupid argument.

"I'd rather talk to the wall than you." Paul hissed.

"Can the wall talk back?" The shadow was playing with Paul's sanity again.

"At least it would have nasty words spewing out every five seconds. You know my pride has been damaged a lot." Paul yelled.

"You don't want to go there." The shadow got a little more upset.

"And your allowed to push me to my breaking point, but I'm not, how does that add up?" Cold, wet tears fell from Paul's eyes, blurring his vision.

"I have more power." The shadow made exaggerated movements to prove its dominance.

Paul's tears became more prominent, " You just take advantage of my feelings. I don't even really know what you are or where you come from, and it's not like your going to tell me!"

"Some things are better unsaid." The shadow hinted.

"You're evil, and you make my life a chore to live!" Paul screamed.

"I'm only as evil as you make me." The shadow lectured.

"If anyone saw you, they'd think I'm evil, and I'm really not." Paul's voice broke.

"You feed me your bad memories, and that only makes me stronger and these past few years have been really doozy for you, and it has made my presence stronger." The shadow stated.

"I'm ready to make new, good memories, but with you here it seems like life is hell and that's all it'll ever be. That's not what I want, I want to have a happy life and not dragged down by things like you!" Paul wailed.

"I'll always be with you as long as the bad things keep rolling in." The shadow felt proud that it stayed around for so long.

"I'll prove to you that I will make new and good memories so you fade away and I'll never have to deal with you again. Yes, I'll always have my bad memories, but they will be overshadowed by the good ones, and you will seize to exist." Paul ranted.

"I'd love to see that happen." The shadow taunted.

Art stood awkwardly at the door, he hadn't seen everything, but he did see a portion of Paul screaming to himself. Enough of the evil thoughts, who cares if he was shouting to himself maybe it makes him feel better. Art was ready to start a new beginning too.

Paul turned his face away from Art, looking at the ground. Art spoke up, " After much deliberation, Paul will you be my boyfriend."

Paul was taken aback, he wasn't expecting that at all. He walked into Art's open arms and settled his head on Art's chest. He said, "Of course, your all I've ever wanted."