orbit

The small room grew in capacity as more passersby trickled in.  She sat in the corner, watching, throwing her head back in laughter at her friend’s jokes, scanning familiar faces and unfamiliar strangers.  She breathed in, feeling the humid air stick to her lungs, smelling stale cigarettes and cheap perfume.  She glanced up.  Across the room, he stood, sipping his drink and swirling the ice to cool the liquor.  His face was dressed in shadows, half-hidden, smiling, and bobbing his head to the beat of the music.  He glanced up.  Their eyes met across the room.  Reassurance passed over the girl’s face.  The music did not slow down, people did not stop talking, and the world did not pause.  Yet, something had changed.  Slowly, over the course of hours, they worked their way closer, pulled, drawn to each other through the sea of faces.  They found themselves back to back.  Almost touching, the air became muggy, attaching their clothes to their bodies, clinging on…to what? She turned to face him.  Smiles in her eyes, trying to pretend her stomach was not churning with anticipation.  He choked down some liquor blaming the strong drink for coming so close.  He turned towards her and without glancing up, walked quickly past ignoring the pain in his chest as passed her, pretending not to notice her half open lips pursed and ready to speak.   It’s better this way, he thought to himself as he quickly moved away from her drawing presence and swiftly moved towards the door.  She watched him leave, heart pulling her towards him, but finding herself planted, grounded to her spot.  It’s better this way, she thought to herself as she blinked back memories behind the façade of a long drink.  The small room began to empty.  The thick air became lighter and stopped clinging to her as his body used to.  Her friend grabbed her arm as they left, but her heart pulled for something that was no longer there.