Tell Her This - VictorianAgePhobic

Her suitcases were already packed. Waiting by the door for the yellow taxi to finally show up. Finally, after years of rotting in this little town she gets to leave. With a sigh she looks out the bay window and watches the kids ride their bikes up and down the street, purifying the air with their laughter. If you’d asked her if she wanted to leave less than two months ago she would’ve laughed right in your face. She loved this small town. She loved waking up to hearing the newspaper boy hit her door with the morning edition. She loved opening the paper and seeing her writings on the front page. There was nothing better to her than being able to go to the park on the first Saturday of each month, just to watch the PTA put on a small circus. The president’s husband was always the crazy kind of guy that loved to make people laugh, no wonder he made the perfect star clown. It was fun to sit on the bench with her best friend and watch him parade around, acting silly.

It was all his fault she was leaving, her best friend. He’d been her date to the newspaper’s New Years party, and he’d let her go loose and get completely wasted. He knew she had no tolerance for alcohol, and he knew that she couldn’t keep her mouth closed when she’s wasted. So, being as she was, she’d spilled every secret to him. Even drunk, she couldn’t forget the look he gave her when she confessed her love for him. The way he’d looked at her was burned into her mind.

She rested her head against the window and closed her eyes. The very thought had her starting to cry. Soon, she was all but bawling. This is why she had to leave, seeing him everyday, that awkwardness, just wasn’t worth it. She’d been offered a job in the busy city, editor of a major newspaper. Any normal time, she would’ve denied the chance, loving the atmosphere and quaintness of her town. He just happened to pass by, looking away from her, almost ashamed to have known her. Needless to say, she’d accepted the job, quite loudly, and watched him walk away, only pausing in step when he heard she was moving to be closer to the job.

A knock on the door drew her from her pity party. Assuming it was the taxi driver, she walked to the door and opened it widely.

“The bags are right-“ she stopped as looked up to the man at the door.

“Where they belong.” He smirked a bit, watching her. His smirk fell when he noticed her bloodshot eyes. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her into the yard and started dragging her to the park, about two blocks away.

“What are you doing?” She tried pulling her hand away, only to stop when he squeezed her wrist a bit. He continued to walk in silence, every once in a while having to tug her when she started becoming stubborn. They finally reached the park and went straight to the center, where the PTA held their activities. Sitting in the middle was a small platform, the townspeople scattered about, save for a man on stage, a guitar player for the church services. People milled around, all looking excited and holding drinks.

“I have a good-bye present for you.” He winked at her, somehow ignoring the fact that she was shell shocked and wondering why he’s acting like nothing’s changed between them.

He walks onto the stage and quickly the gatherers hush, most grinning like fools. He leans down to speak to someone in the crowd, who hands him a microphone, and then turns to say a few words to the guitar player.

“Okay everyone, you all know why I’m here so I’ll just get down to the main treat.” The guitar starts of softly and soon he puts the microphone to his mouth and begins to sing.

“Tell her not to go
I ain't holding on no more
Tell her something in my mind freezes up from time to time”

She laughs softly as people raise up drinks, now recognized as slushies. She rolls her eyes at how corny this is.

”Tell her not to cry
I just got scared that's all
Tell her I'll be by her side, all she has to do is call.”

Her smile fades as she realizes what he’s referring to. How dare he spill her business to the people. Never mind the fact that they all already know. She can’t remember how many times people have told her that it was about time she got her man.

”Tell her the chips are down
I drank too much and shouted it aloud
Tell her something in my heart
Needs her more than even clowns need the laughter of the crowd.”

The crowd burst into laughter as the circus clowns danced around the stage and made their way into the crowd and to her. Each one gave her a daisy, well everyone but the president’s husband, he gave her an entire bouquet. She smiled in thanks and gave him a small kiss on the cheek.

”Tell her what was wrong
I sometimes think to much
But say nothing at all
And tell her from this high terrain, I am ready now to fall.”

She gasped at the words and jerked her attention to the stage. He watched her intently, never even blinking as she started to tear up and clutched her flowers with a death grip.

”Tell her not to go
I ain't holding on no more
Tell her nothing if not this; all I want to do is kiss her”

He jumped off the stage and walked slowly to her. The crowd parted to make room for him and watched with damp eyes as he got closer, walking in time to the beat created by the guitar guy, still strumming on stage with a goofy look on his face. He stopped a breath away from her.

”Tell her something in my mind
Freezes up from time to time.”

He leaned down, close enough to have their breath mix. “Will you love me? I know you said you do, but you were drunk. I want you to say that you love me as much as I love you.” He closed the small gap and kissed her with everything he felt. The flowers fell to the floor, as did the microphone. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she was pulled flush against him. The only thing that could pull them apart were the loud cheers and whistles coming from the onlookers.

“I love you too.”

Song: Tell Her This - Del Amitri