Page 176 of Eternal
And I’m curious…
“I,uh…found this,” he says. “Thought of you.”
He pulls out a thin cardboard square, wrapped in a plastic sleeve, it’s … it’s a vinyl. My heart stutters before I even see the cover.
It’s OK Computer.
It’s all blue. One of my favorites…
“You remembered,” I say, softer than I meant to.
Hedid… he remembered.
“You love this group,” he replies. “I liked listening to it with you last time.”
I don’t respond, I just run my fingers over the corner of the sleeve. He doesn’t ask if I have a record player, he doesn’t ask if I’ll listen to it tonight.
He just hands it to me.
“I... I don’t have any players on me now…” I awkwardly.
That makes him smile.
He takes his phone out and searches for something on it. “You like sad music, right?” before hitting play. A few seconds later, a song comes up, and my smile is instant.
“Proud of me?” He asks as he leans closer.
“You’re ruining this song…”
He laughs, pulling me gently against his side, his arm wraps around my shoulder, warm. It’s... so warm…
I lean in without thinking.
The city flickers below us, bright and too far away, the music plays, and suddenly I’m not here, I’m there. In the one place, the one moment, where I wasn’t just surviving.
When the last notes fade out, he stays close, not moving away.
Pulling a small pack from his pocket, he fishes out a cigarette and lights it, then nudges the pack toward me.
I take one without thinking, and soon we’re sitting side by side, smoking silently, it’s calming, relaxing, and fresh. My mind stops thinking. He reaches out, fingers brushing the edge of my Santa hat, gently twisting the fabric.
“I’ve been missing you,” he says softly, voice low enough that it almost sounds like a confession.
I shrug, trying to keep my expression neutral. “You’re always busy.”
“Yeah,” he admits, “but still.”
“You kinda abandoned me.”
Who is even speaking…
We can’t… we can’t be feeling? We’re not allowed to, I am not allowed to, he isn’t too…
“I’d never. Told you, I’m just a call away.” He takes a slow drag, eyes never leaving mine. After a long pause, his breath brushes my ear as he whispers: “Merry Christmas,partner.”
And just like that, December feels a little less cold.
“Merry Christmas,Damir.”
