(Based off the song Sometime Around Midnight by Airborne Toxic Event. Italic is the song’s lyrics.)
“And it starts, some time around midnight…”
James Neal stood at the bar with his fellow teammates after a win. He watched everyone around him having a wonderful time, dancing and chatting with girls, but he just couldn’t get into it. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why he was upset. You. You were why he was upset. Just a month before, you had called it quits after realizing you were tired of always being alone.
“And that white dress she’s wearing, you haven’t seen her for a while…”
James looked up at the same time as you. Your eyes met for a second before you looked away.
“And there’s a change, In your emotions.”
He felt himself going into a daze.
“And you feel hopeless, and homeless, and lost in the haze of the wine.”
His heart began pounding as he looked you over. Suddenly memories of your four years together came flashing back. He could see you walking down the isle in your wedding dress, he could see you laying with him in bed, he could see your smile when he would come home from a road trip.
“The room is suddenly SPINNING, she walks up and asks how you are…”
James was near fainting. You set down your drink and walked over calmly. James looked dumbstruck.
“How are you?” You asked him quietly.
James’s face remained shocked for a second before he realized he should respond.
“I’m okay… I’m…” He stopped talking once he looked closely at you.
He wanted more than anything to kiss you. You bit your lip uncomfortably and leaned back.
“Are you sure? You looked… kind of broken.” You said gently.
James shook his head.
You sighed, “I better go… See you around, James.” You walked back over to your TABLE and friends.
For a few more minutes James watched you. He watched you lean over and whisper to a man whom your arm was hooked through his. The man nodded. He watched you hug and say goodbye to your table of friends. The man and you began to walk towards the door. As you were about to walk out the door you looked over your shoulder and made eye contact with James.
“And she leaves, with someone you don’t know, but she makes sure you saw her, she looks right at you and bolts…”
James felt his hand get clammy. Anger filled his stomach and took over his body. Brandon Sutter turned around to see James. He suddenly looked worried.
“What is it? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Ignoring Brandon completely, James set down his wine glass and headed for the door you had just left out of. His mind was clouded with only thoughts of you.
“And you walk, under the streetlights, and you’re too drunk to notice that everyone’s staring at you…”
People on the street moved around James as he stumbled in the direction he thought you had gone in.
“You don’t care what you look like, the world is falling around you…”
200 feet in front of James, surrounded by walking people, you walked, still arm in arm with the man. James spotted you and began to walk quicker.
“You just have to see her.”
James closed the distance quicker. You laughed and talked to the man.
“You just have to see her.”
James came up behind you. Quickly, he spun you around and looked at your shocked expression.
“You know that she’ll break you in two.”
Gently, James leaned forward and kissed you.
-Ashley
