I feel myself being lifted in the air before my eyes flutter open. Layne smiles down at me, his eyes squinting in a quick wink before giving the clear blue sky his attention.
We're back.
Smiling, I follow Layne's gaze and notice us flying to a fluffy white cloud that floats six feet above our heads. As we reach closer, the air becomes more cold and crisp; I throw my head back and hum against it.
"How many women can say their man carried them to the clouds," I giggle, tossing my head forward as I look at Layne.
"Not that many," he laughs, his eyes sparkling as he settles me down on the cloud. And then himself.
"Thought I would slip right through if I ever sat on a cloud," I laugh as I watch our legs dangle over the clouds.
"The clouds got us, babe," Layne laughs. I laugh at his comment, the breeze singing in my ears as I look around us. Mmhh, talk about having your head in the clouds, huh? "I wrote a song," he says after a minute of pure silence.
"Can I hear it?"
Layne nods, a composition book suddenly appearing by his side. Smiling, I watch him open the book and flip through several pages before stopping at one. Layne grins at me, clearing his throat before saying, "What-"
"Wait, can you sing it?" I shyly ask, giggling.
Layne nods again, laughing at my request. His eyes float back to the page, reading it over for a second to himself before singing;
"What does friend mean to you?
A word so wrongfully abused
Are you like me, confused?
All included but you
Alone...
The sounds of silence often soothe
Shapes and colors shift with mood
Pupils widen, change their hue
Rapid brown avoid clear blue
Why's it have to be this way?
Be this way...
Flowers watched through wide eyes bloom
A child sings an unclaimed tune
Innocence spins cold cocoon
Grow to see the pain too soon."
Whoa. Layne shuts the notebook and then tosses it into a cloud that is nearly the same color as his eyes. He then looks at me and smiles, "What do you think?"
"It's beautiful...but it's sad." As Layne was singing, I felt all of his pain, a swirling vortex of anguish.
"I know," he nods. I grip the warm cloud under my hands, wishing I could suck the pain out of him. All of the sharp, searing, burning, numbing, and aching pain inside him.
"Give it to me," I suddenly tell him.
"Give you what?" he laughs, confused.
"Your pain." Please.
Layne shakes his head, "I wouldn't do that even if it was possible."
"I wouldn't mind," I say gently.
"I know you wouldn't...I know..." he says, nodding. "I'll take yours too."
"...You know?"
"...I know something is hurting you...I just hope it's not me."
"It's not...."
"....And you still can't tell me?" Layne asks me. I swallow, biting the inside of my gums. I want to. Instead of answering him, I rest my head on his shoulder. "Do you still want to run away?"
"We shouldn't leave...."
"Not even if it's just you and me?" he laughs.
Releasing a soft chuckle from my lips, I look up at him. "I love you," I mouth, a tear threatening to pour from my eye.
"I love you." Layne mouths back before kissing the middle of my forehead.
A single tear rolls down my cheek. A flicker of light fills my mind. I can do it.
"Let's go back," I tell him, fully lifting my head from his shoulder.
"You sure?" he asks, noticing wetness on my face. Layne's hand is warm as he brushes it across my cheek.
I nod, "we need to talk."