//------------------------------// // A Heart To Heart // Story: Blue Eyes and a Beat // by TheOriginalDash //------------------------------// After we had gotten all of her things packed away in the back room, we decided to sit at the bar, and have something to drink. I found some orange pop, and cracked a couple open for us. I slid them across the wooden bartop, and then jumped over it, using my arms to push for extra height, landing on the stool next to Vinyl. As I settled into my seat, she jabbed me in the side. "Ow! What was that for?" My eyes were watering, and there was a fire spreading through my ribs. I rubbed at the spot, trying to ease the pain. "I dunno, I just felt like it. Plus, I have a question. Why orange pop? That's what you always get us, ever since we were little." The demon looked at me with wide innocent eyes, and I lost all notion of revenge. I sighed, and gave up on murdering that blue haired angel. "Remember when I was three, and you were four? The day that we first met? You were sitting on a swing in the park, all alone. I was curious, because I didn't know who you were, or why you were alone. So I walked over to you, and said hello. You were crying, and that made me upset, too." Vinyl looked at me, and nodded her head, remembering that afternoon. "Yeah, it was my first time there, and I had wandered off from my mom. I didn't know where she was, so I sat on that swing, and hoped she would find me, Then you came, and I was confused, because you had funny hair." She laughed, and rubbed her hand over my hair. I pushed her softly, and laughed, too. "You know, I'm not the only one with funny hair. What about you?" I poked her in the shoulder, and pointed at her hair. She got a funny look in her eyes after that. "That's what made me like you in the first place. I figured another kid with weird hair must be okay company. That's what made me trust you, That, and your big, cheesy smile. You just walked up to me, and had the biggest grin on your face. It was like you though it was Christmas, and I was Santa." I had to laugh at that, because I could remember every detail of that day, down to the blue jacket that I was wearing, the one with lightning bolts on the sleeves. It always made me feel so fast, like I could run like an Olympian sprinter, even though I could only get about two miles per hour at that age. "Yeah, I did, didn't I? I remember being so happy to see someone my own age, that I could play with. Then, I saw that you were sad, so I went and got my mom. I told her that there was a girl on the swings, and that she was crying. Mom said that I should go talk to you, and see what was wrong." Vinyl grabbed my hand, and locked her fingers through mine. "And I saw that you came back, and I was so happy. You asked me what was wrong, and I told you. Then, you went and got your mom, and I remember thinking that she was a very tall lady. She picked me up, and gave me a hug. She told me it would be alright, and that she would help me look for my mom." She squeezed my hand tighter, and then let go, so she could take a drink. I picked up the story where she left off. "So we looked for your mom, and we found her eventually. She was running around pretty frantically, asking people if they had seen her daughter. When she saw us, she looked like she was about to collapse. She practically ran my mom over to get to you." I picked her hand up, not giving her opportunity to let go this time. "She was so happy. I remember how she picked me up, and just about squeezed the life out of me. She didn't let me go the rest of the time. I think she was afraid that I'd disappear if she let go again." I smiled, as I remembered that moment. I was so happy that my new friend had found her mom. "And then, my mom took everyone out for ice cream and pop, her treat. Your mom tried to refuse, but mine insisted, saying that she owed you something for bringing her daughter back." We laughed, the memory coming back to us. My mom was a strong willed lady, but Vinyl's mom could always get her to agree to anything. It was kind of like Vinyl and me, just an older version. "So we went to that little shop on Fifth, Murray's, wasn't it? And we all got our ice cream. and our moms sat there and talked for hours, and we just had a good time playing little games with each other. I think Mr. Murray enjoyed the excitement, because he didn't say a word to us, not even when we played hide and seek in the freezer." I heard an outburst of giggling, and looked over to see Vinyl doubled up and shaking. "Oh, the look on your face when I finally found you! You were so cold, I swear, there were icicles hanging from your nose." I laughed with her, and then shoved her a little. "It wasn't funny! I could've gotten frostbite! If I would've been in there any longer, I might have. You always were hopeless at finding." I waited for Vinyl's merriment to subside, then I continued on to the main point of my story. "So, you asked me why I always get orange pop? It's because that's what you told me to get, all those years ago. I didn't know what to get for a drink, and you said that I should try it. It was the best thing I'd ever tasted. So, that's all I ever get for us. It just seems, right, somehow. Like we're still three, and trying to pass the time in that little shop while our moms talk. Call me sentimental if you will, but that was always a perfect day for me, and I just can't let it go completely into the past. So this is my way to keep the memory alive, by drinking orange pop." I hid my face behind my hair, and waited for her response. I never meant to open up so much to her. I suppose, though, if I were to open up at all, she would be the one to talk to. After all, we've only known each other practically our whole lives, and she is my girlfriend now. "Wow. That was really... sweet. I never expected that. I mean, I expected something cheesy and emotional, it is you, after all. But I expected something like a sunset, or your favorite stuffed bear being orange. I didn't think it would be that. That was amazing, and I'm really amazed that you shared that with me. I didn't think it was possible, but I think I love you even more now, just for caring that much." She pushed aside my hair, and leaned in, kissing my cheek softly. While she was there, she whispered something so softly, I almost missed it. "Dash, don't ever let your heart close. Leave it open. Sure, it'll get hurt sometimes, but I'll be there to pick you up and make it better. I think you're perfect as you are, with your big, soft heart and all. Don't ever let anything or anyone change that, not even me. I would never change you anyway, because I love you, my Dashie." With this, she kissed my cheek again, and withdrew to her own stool, smiling at me. I felt my heart swell, and I tried my hardest to contain the emotions coursing through me. I say tried, because about three seconds later, I started to feel tears welling up inside me, and I let a few leak out. Vinyl looked concerned, so I stood up, and pulled her close to me in a hug. I wrapped my arms around her, and pulled her in tighter, enveloping her in a strong, warm cocoon. "Dash, are you alright? I didn't upset you, did I?" She looked at the tears rolling down my face, and wiped a few of them away with her thumb. I laughed, and buried my head in her shoulder, waiting for the words to come to me. They usually did, when I needed them. "Vinyl, I am perfectly alright. I just never thought this day would come. I never thought that I would have someone this perfect. I never could have even dreamed that it would be you. I don't know what I ever did to deserve this, but I don't want this to end. If this is some dream, and I'm really in a coma somewhere, I don't think I wanna wake up. Unless, of course, we're really in a relationship in reality. Then, I think I could give up this dream. I wouldn't want to keep you waiting, after all. I know how impatient you get." I laughed a little. It was true. I may have been the speed demon, but she was always dragging me after her on some adventure. I was more than happy to follow her, and was disappointed when I couldn't, like when she went to high school, and I had to wait a whole year to join her. That was awful, because the bullies really picked up when my protector was gone. She rubbed my head softly, and rocked me back and forth, rubbing my back in the space between my shoulder blades, as I regained my calm and cool self. I looked up at her, and smiled. Then I squeezed her tightly, and let her go. She hugged me one more time, quickly, and then stepped back. "Better now, Dash?" I nodded my head, still not trusting my voice. "Good, because I don't want you to get too sappy on me. I need cool and strong Dash, too. I can't always be the strong one, because that's your job. And you can't lose your job, because then you'll be homeless. I can't have a bum as a girlfriend." She laughed as she said this, and I laughed as well. Her sense of humor might not make sense to some people, but I always loved her jokes. I walked over to her, and punched her softly in the shoulder. As she rubbed her arm, I sat down on the metal stool again. "How's that for strong, huh?" She laughed, and I leaned back on the bar, finishing off the last of the pop. She downed hers in one gulp, and crushed the can. I held out my hand, and she looked at it, confused. "I want your can, silly. I'll throw them away for us. I'm a nice person, remember?" She chuckled, and handed me the can. "It's not that. It's that you are a remarkable person. That was a rather gentlemanly move. Most people would've had me throw my own can away. It's not even that big a deal." I smiled at her over my shoulder, as I walked to the trashcan. "If it's not that big a deal, why are you making it one?" She scowled at me, fake annoyance in her face. "No, stupid, that's not what I meant. I just thought it was really nice. Nobody ever really does nice things for me except you and mom. It's just nice, these random little things you do to be kind to me." She frowned, a look of concentration on her face. "What I mean to say is, thank you. You always were the best friend a girl could ask for, and not just to me. You were always nice to everyone, even when they would turn around and stab you in the back five seconds later. I never understood it, but I knew I always liked that about you. You weren't afraid to be just randomly nice. I mean, you'd pick up litter in the street, and put it in the trashcan. You'd close things left open, and open doors for people. And you'd always find time for me, no matter how busy you were. Even if I'd call you in the middle of the night, you'd walk to my house to come talk to me. That's something special, that I haven't found often." She searched my face for a reaction, so I pulled my stool closer to hers. "Well, Mama always did raise me a gentleman, ma'am. Ain't nothin' special, shucks, I jus' do what I always done." I tipped my imaginary cowboy hat, and she cracked up. I always did have a talent for making her laugh. "So, now that we've been having a heart to heart, I have a question for you." She perked up at the mention of a question, always interested in what I had to say. I cleared my throat, and put on a grin. "So, which one of us wears the pants in this relationship? Because, to be honest, it sounds like I'm pretty whipped." Her mouth dropped open, and she hit me in the arm. "Are you serious? What was that? I thought it was going to be something important! Are you kidding me?" She shook her head, used to my antics. I don't think she expected that, though. "Well, people usually ask, I just wanted to have an answer for them. I mean, your pants are pretty hot." She slapped my arm, and I laughed. A few seconds later, she joined in. The sound of our silliness echoed through the mostly empty room, and I felt higher than Cloud Nine. In fact, I might just take Vinyl up to a cloud someday. I've always wanted to be a pilot.