Something always brings me back to you. It never takes too long

I let the balloons and confetti shoot out as I finished my last note. My friend, Taylor, laughs.

“Girl, I don’t see how you’re not famous yet.” She laughed, catching a balloon. I laughed with her, enjoying these short moments. She was the only person I still talked to anymore. Terrance said it was for the best, since my parents would never forgive me for moving in with him and everyone else was trying to hold me back from being famous. Taylor must have seen my smile falter at the thought of my parents.

“Hey there,” She said, touching my shoulder, “What’s wrong?” I shrugged. My parents still didn’t want know now about me. Terrance would call them every now and them, ask them to reconsider, but they never wanted to speak to me.

No matter what I say or do I’ll still feel you here ’til the moment I’m gone.

“Your parent’s love you.” She whispered, pulling me into a hug. “And that boy is no good for you. You won’t get famous by being kept stuck in a house, only allowed to leave if yo’re in sweats and a ponytail. You need to be partying, getting your name out there, meeting people. You’re beautiful all the time, but you need to be drop dead gorgeous and on stage.”

I sighed and pulled away. “Terrance doesn’t think I need that. Besides, I’m getting my name out there right now, doing this. And as far as my family is concerned they want nothing to do with me.”

Taylor smiled sadly. “Oh sweetie,” She said, tucking a loose strand of my hair back into my cap, “Being a sing -a-gram isn’t what you need. You need to be doing gigs. And how do you know they don’t want to talk to you? You never try to call them.”

“No, but Terrance does, he calls to beg them to talk to me, but they refuse.”

“Well, how do you know it’s them on the other line?”

“Because Terrance says it is.”

Taylor lets out along sigh. “Sweetie, people lie, especially men like Terrance. I’ve talked to your parent’s and they think that you’re the one that wants nothing to do with them, and it breaks their hearts.”

I hug myself. Terrance doesn’t lie to me, I thought to myself. It had become one of my common sayings this past year or so. Terrance doesn’t lie to me. “I have to go.” I said, turning and making my way back home.

You hold me without touch. You keep me without chains.



I step into the living room and see Terrance sitting on the computer he blew all our money on.

“Hey.” I said, stepping closer towards him. He snaps the laptop shut and sits there, still facing the wall.

“You’re late.” He said, still not moving.

“I-I’m sorry. My last gram took a little longer than expected. It was across town.” I mutter, biting my lip.

I never wanted anything so much than to drown in your love and not feel your reign.

I take a deep breath. Terrance doesn’t lie to me, but neither does Tayor. “Baby, are you sure my parents don’t want to speak to me? Not even my brother?” I ask. As soon as the words leave my mouth I regret them. Terrance shoots out of the chair and walked right up to me.

“Do you think I would lie to you? ” He asked, watching me. I shake my head.

“N-no. I was just wondering.” I stutter.

His body relaxes and he reaches up to touch my cheek. “Good. Becuase I would never lie to you.” He whispered, pulling me into a kiss. I close my eyes and suck in as he begins to run his hands across my body. He was being so gentle and sweet. This was the Terrance I loved. This was the Terrance that would never lie to me. “I love you.” He breathes, pulling me into the bedroom.

Set me free, leave me be. I don’t want to fall another moment into your gravity.

We sit on the bed as he runs his hands over my body. “You’re beautiful, and you’re mine.” He whispers, kissing me again. I close my eyes again and kiss him back, remembering when we first began dating.

Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I’m supposed to be. But you’re on to me and all over me.

Afterwards I got out of bed to cook him dinner as he got dressed and began playing a video game, Grand Sim Auto, or something. Gun shots and car crashes rung out in the house. I placed the food onto a cooking sheet and put it into the oven, looking over at him. I sighed, remembering better times, happier times. Now days it just felt like he just kept me around for his bedroom games and food.

You loved me ’cause I’m fragile. When I thought that I was strong. But you touch me for a little while and all my fragile strength is gone.



“Terrance,” I say, swallowing the food. He doesn’t even pause or look at me. “I want to play some gigs. I spoke to the proprietor at the park down the street and he said I could try out for one. I’m going to go down tomorrow morning and give it a go.” He grunted, continuing to shovel food in his mouth. He slowly set his fork down.

“Athena.” He said, looking at me. His hard eyes met mine. I held his stare. When had his eyes become o hard? Had they always been like that? I raked through my memories and couldn’t come up with a time they weren’t. “I told you that you’re not ready for gigs yet.”

Suddenly my anger flared. I couldn’t remember a time when his eyes weren’t so hard. Hell, I could hardly remember a time when we were happy, truly happy. Definitely not since I moved in so long ago.

I live here on my knees as I try to make you see that you’re everything I think I need here on the ground. But you’re neither friend nor foe though I can’t seem to let you go.

“Are you serious? Why am I not ready?” I explode, shaking my head. “This is just getting crazy Terrance! Lately it seems like you’re just trying to hold me back!” Terrance didn’t even flinch. He sat there quietly for a moment then stood up. Something flashed in his eyes for the briefest moment but it was too quick to figure out what it was.

“Get dressed. I want to take you somewhere.” He said, walking over to the door and grabbing his coat. I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out. He told me to do something, so without thinking I got up and went to he bedroom.

The one thing that I still know is that you’re keeping me down. You’re keeping me down, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You’re on to me, on to me, and all over…

We stopped outside the town park and he took my hand, pulling me to the gazebo. We hadn’t spoken since my outburst at the dinner table. The wind was chill and biting. I pulled my sweater over my free hand as we stood there. Terrance’s hard, intense eyes watched me.

“Athena, I know I haven’t been great to you lately. I just really want you to succeed and I feel like now isn’t time for a gig. But, if that’s what you really want then I’ll support your decision. I appreciate everything you do for us, and all that you’ve been forced to give up because of other people.” He took a breath reaching into his pocket. I crossed my arms, still not sure I was ready to completely forgive him yet.

Something always brings me back to you. It never takes too long.

Suddenly he knelt down and opened a box he pulled from his pocket.

“Marry me, Athena.” He said, looking up at me with soft eyes. I gasped.

“I-I…” I stuttered in complete shock. “Yes!” I exclaimed. Everything I had felt towards him washed away. He was Terrance.I was his and he was mine. Everything would work out and be perfect.

Gravity by Sara Bareilles