CHAPTER 5 – FLYING WITHOUT WINGS
~ AN HOUR LATER ~
She was finally ready, though why she was doing this she didn’t know. It was true what she’d said about letting people attach them to her, she didn’t want to leave more people than she was going to already, she wouldn’t have minded if she’d die a loner, no one to cry over her, no one to worry, no one left holding the pain of her life. A tear slipped it’s way down her cheek, she quickly reached for a tissue and blotted up the trail it left. A knock on the door burst her day dream quickly. She stood up looked at herself one last time then went to open the door. She was dressed in a knee length skirt which had a mesh covering, with a flower like pattern on it, her top was a strapless one which had a ‘movement’ split up each side, and was a dark maroon color to match the flower design on her skirt, her hair was let to drop with freedom. Her make up was subtle yet visible, as she slightly matched her eye-shadow with the maroon color.
“Hi” she said pulling open the door
Kevin was standing there in charcoal dress pants, with a dark reddish tinted shirt.
“Hey” he replies smiling “ready?” he question
Serena nods casually, and grabs her bag.
They ate dinner almost silently, there was so much each wanted to say, yet finding the words was another matter. How could she possibly tell him, she was slowly but surely dying? How could he tell her, he’d fallen helplessly head over heals for a girl he’d known one night? He wasn’t even sure if that was ever possible.
“So do you work?” she questions for the sake of conversation
“Yes, I work in the entertainment business” he replied, it was great to find someone who didn’t really know who he was
“Sounds like fun”
“It is, but it can also be very trying. What about you, do you work?”
“I’m an artist, well a budding one anyway” she replied smiling
“Really, wow”
“Do you live around here?”
“Yeah, though work tends to lead me across the world, but I call Orlando home”
“Around the world? I’ve never really been out of the states, and even then I’ve never seen snow” she laughed
“Really?”
“Really”
The night swiftly went by, with a conversation littered around menial things such as family and general everyday questions.
A slow song began to play and slowly couples began to congregate on the dance floor like little mesmerized lemmings.
“Want to dance?” he questions reaching his hand across the table
“I don’t dance” she answers
“One dance?” he questions again
“One dance” she replies standing up to take his hand
He lead her onto the dance floor, and wrapped one arm around her waist the other hand held tightly onto her hand, as she draped her other arm carelessly over his shoulder.
“Everybody’s looking for that something, one thing that makes it all complete, you’ll find it in the strangest places, places you never knew it could be”
Serena recognized the song playing, she’d heard it once, and immediately feel in love with it, it was sad, yet happy, and always made her wonder when she’d find “One thing that makes it all complete”.
“Some find it in the face of their children, some find it in their lovers eyes, and who can deny the joy it brings, when you find that special things, you’re flying without wings”
He slowly pulled her in closer, inhaling the scent of her sweet perfume. He wasn’t quite sure what had come over him he was usually so mechanical. He refused to believe in love at first site, but perhaps that was only because he’d never felt it, unlike now. There was something about her, something treasured and kind, something kindred and special, he couldn’t quite place what, but holding her in his arms he felt like he’d known her all his life.
“Some find a cheer in every morning, some in the solitude every night, some find it in the words of others, a simple line can make you laugh or cry. You’ll find it in the deepest friendship, the kind you cherish all your life, and when you know how much that means you’ve found that special thing, you’re flying without wings”
As he pulled her in, she let go of her defenses and slipped her head down onto his inviting chest. He was taller than her, quite a bit, thus allowing her to make a soft pillow from his chest. As they swayed back and forth, much like the mesmerized ones around them, she could hear the words of the songs echoing through the restaurant.
“So impossible as they may seem, you’ve got to fight for every dream, cause who’s to know which one you let go, would have made you complete. Well for me it’s waking up beside you, to watch the sunrise on your face, to know that I can say I love you in any given time or place”
Serena wanted to let the building up tears simply escape from her eyes, “Fight for every dream” she’d stopped fighting, she’d given up on her dream – to live. She felt a single tear slip from her eye and she prayed he didn’t see, she didn’t want to tell him about the REAL Serena, the one diagnosed with Cancer, the one that has given up the battle because she’s too weak to fight anymore. She wanted to live out this dream, this dream holding her tightly and moving her to the music, she wanted that one thing, something you cherish all your life, she wanted to feel the joy it brings, she wanted to “Fly without wings”