The Love Song

Spooky Dates

 I made a YouTube video. I sang Taylor's Swift's song "Red". I didn't know if Thomas would see it, but I hoped. I felt so bad about saying no, and it felt so wrong. But we cou;dn't work it out right now. I didn't want to be "that girl who he dumped his girlfriend for". I refuse to be "that girl". I also refuse to be "the girl who was so close to her dreams", or "the girl who ruined his dreams". There was too much on the line for both of us.

"gabrielle, please answer me" Another message popped up on my iPhone's screen. I lift my eyes to the ceiling, somehow thinking I would find an answer to this mess there. I'd been ignoring him for two days now, but he wasn't giving up. It just made me want him more. 

My phone was ringing, and I didn't want to decline the call. I loved his voice. I wanted to hear it. I was being selfish. I should juyst ignore it and walk away from him. But I couldn't. 

"Hey." I say.

"Gabrielle, don't hang up." Thomas pleaded. He really liked me.  I was a mixture of shocked, flattered, and worried. 

"I won't." I whisper. 

"I know you're scared. I am too. But just give it a chance. Tomorrow night, after you're back from where ever you're going during the day, I'll come pick you up and we can go out somewhere. Please don't answer now. Think about it. I know I need you, Gabrielle. I... I do." 

By this point tears were flowing from my eyes.

"I do too." I say, not being able to help myself. He was so important to me. "I'll call you back soon."

"I love you." He said, out of the blue. I didn't answer, I just hung up my phone. But I heard him. I heard the same tone I remember my dad using when he said the same thing to my mom when she was in her coma, after the accident. A feeling of loss, but of certainty. Of not wanting to lose something you know you love. Of sincerity and hopefulness, that the love will carry on. I fiddled with my charm bracelet, the one my mom had, too. 

" I love you, too." I whispered to myself, putting the phone down. I wiped the tears from my eyes and went to make breakfast. It was early and I was tired from worrying. I didn't want to have to worry. 

But I was only worrying because I was afraid I'd loose him. 

I quickly dialed Thomas' number on my phone and when he said hello, I said ,"Yes."  

The next day, after after a long recording session with a sore throat, I got into Thomas' car. It smelled like him: familiar.

"Hey." He said, looking at me. 

"Hi." I smiled, and he drove out of my driveway. "Where are we headed?" 

His lips turned up and his eyes looked mischevious. 

"Somewhere... Fun."

Thomas finally parked his car about an hour later, and when I noticed where we were I wanted to hit him. 

"Thomas! This is a haunted mansion!" I said. Because it wasOctober, and close to Halloween, the town decorated the old, unihabited house and made it extra spooky, not like it wasn't already. I'd never gone before, but the reviews in the newspaper all raved about how scary it was. Lucy had gone two years ago and had run back to my house crying. 

"Yeah, I know." He said, laughing. He took my hand and pulled me forward to pay our tickets. I was already terrified. 

 As we stepped into the haunted house I hesitated. Thomas placed his hand on the small of my back and pushed me forward, using his other hand to hold mine. 

The entrance was pitched black. The walls were covered in spiders webs, that were so real looking I was convinced they were not decorations. The floor boards creaked under our feet and I flinched. Thomas grinned and I held onto him tighter. There were coffins leaning up against the walls, and the doors were slightly ajar. I was so scared; expecting something to jump out at any moment. But as we moved down the haunted hallway nothing jumped, so I let my guard down a bit, which turned out to be a bad idea as suddenly a vampire-looking-thing jumped out, right in my face. I let a high-pitched scream escape my lips and I jumped way back. Thomas laughed, but I just clung to his hand tighter.

"This is too scary!" I called out to Thomas.

"It's fun!" He insisted. I couldn't disagree. It was fun. 

When we finally escape the spooky house, I was still clutching Thomas' hand. Not because I was scared anymore, but because I didn't want to let him go. 

It was close to ten o'clock now, so he suggested we just go back to his house for a bit. I agreed and we got into his car and drove to his place. 

He lived about twenty minutes from my house, but in the busier part of the city. His house was small and chic, a definite bachelor pad. It wasn't big, but it was inviting. I sat down on his living room sofa, which was probably the comfiest thing ever as he offered to get us drinks. He came back with two cokes. 

I popped the cap to hear the familiar hissing sound which could only indicate goodness, and I took a sip of my drink.

"Thomas, that was so fun. Thank you for a wonderful night." I said when we set down our glasses.

"Thank you for agreeing to give me a chance."

He put his arm around me and gave me a big hug. 

"Will we be able to work all of this out?" I asked, "With our work and stuff... Will we even have time for each other?" 

"I promise." He said. 

I believed him.