Oranges & Roses

Los Tiempos Van Cambiando

Unedited.

Chapter Forty-Five

“Dance with me,” Rey finally said.

The music was still playing softly in the background. No one had managed to turn it off and take the radio back inside. The guy was singing the Spanish version of Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin and it was annoying me to no end.

I didn’t look at him. “I’m going to bed.”

“Not before you dance with me.”

I tried to tug my hand out of his but he tightened his grip and started doing his own tugging in the opposite direction of where I wanted to go. So that’s how we stood for a little bit of time, me leaning and trying to pull away while he just stood there like a freaking tree, keeping a hold of me.

“You know I’m not going to let go, Oranges.”

“Really? Because I think you should. I don’t want to dance. I want to change and then go to sleep. So let me.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

He shook his head. “No.”

“Are you trying to torture me?” I finally whipped in his direction and looked at him so he could see what was going on inside of me. But all I was met with was the same pair of dark eyes that never gave anything away. “Because you are. You know that, right?”

“I’m not trying to torture you,” he said calmly. “I’m trying to dance with you.”

“Well I don’t want to dance, Rey. Did you ever think about that?”

“Of course I did. I think about a lot more than you think I do.”

I scuffed and shook my head. “No you don’t because if you did, you would know that I’ve had a long day, a long weekend rather, and I’m tired.”

“I know you’re tired, Oranges, but all I’m asking is for one dance.”

“No.”

“Please?”

“Rey…” He pulled me forward and this time I just let him. The sooner I let this happen, the quicker I would be able to go to bed. The song ended and switched over to ironically being one I’d danced to at the Red Keys the one time I was able to bear it. The artist was different and done acoustically but it was the same song.

“Why did you bring me here?” I asked.

It was a question I’d posed hundreds of times and thought I was satisfied with the answers given but that ultimate reason I knew he was hiding and holding on to was something I needed to know now. It was time to reveal all the cards on the table and since mine were already sitting there for him to read, it was his turn.

Because this was pretty much it. There would be no more chances after this. If he was going to do it, now would be his chance moment. I already had it all figured out in my head. The morning would be awkward, nothing would be said, we’d move around each other as comfortably as possible without actually interacting. I could see it all play out because I’d already watched him separate himself from me progressively over the weekend and whatever the real reason was behind him bringing me here would be the final blow to my already unraveling state.

“If you’re not trying to torture me, then why bring me here?” I whispered.

“Because it was the only way I knew how to tell you something important. It was the only way I knew you would believe what I said and understand that it is the truth.”