Sue

Track 3

I didn't talk to Harlow for the rest of the weekend then she missed Monday. That was typical of her especially when she had a new "boyfriend". Which left me to collect her assignments, cover for her when her parents called to see if she was with me. Then pretend to be her parents when the school calls and says she isn't there. Since she wasn't here though she missed the arrival of our new student Mia Isabelle. When asked what she enjoyed to do in her free time her face lit up as she explained her love for poetry and future goals of studying it. "Oh well would you mind quoting your favorite poem for us." She looked a little hesitant. "You don't have to if-" "No I want to just don't make fun of me" she grimaced a little "I'm a sucker for a good love poem." 

"The things about you I appreciateMay seem indelicate:I'd like to find you in the showerAnd chase the soap for half an hour.I'd like to have you in my powerAnd see your eyes dilate.I'd like to have your back to scourAnd other parts to lubricate.Sometimes I feel it is my fateTo chase you screaming up a towerOr make you cower By asking you to differentiateNietzsche from Schopenhauer.I'd like successfully to guess your weight And win you at a fete.I'd like to offer you a flower.I like the hair upon your shouldersFalling like water over boulders.I like the shoulders, too: they are essential.Your collar-bones have great potential(I'd like all your particulars in foldersMarked Confidential). I like your cheeks, I like your nose, I like the way your lips disclose The neat arrangement of your teeth(Half above and half beneath)in rows. like your eyes, I like their fringes.The way they focus on me gives me twinges.Your upper arms drive me berserkI like the way your elbows work,On hinges.I like your wrists, I like your glands,I like the fingers on your hands.I'd like to teach them how to count,And certain things we might exchange,Something familiar for something strange.I'd like to give you just the right amountAnd give some change.I like it when you tilt your cheek up.I like the way you hold a teacup.I like your legs when you unwind them,Even in trousers I don't mind them.I'd always know, without a recap,Where to find them."

She smiled afterwards "there's more but I'll spare you it can get a bit long. But if you choose to read it it's a very lovely poem." She looked so different outside of the dimly lit bar. Her light brown hair was curled and parted with a single black pin holding some of the front ones out of her face. She was tall. I think she even had a few inches on me. Her outfit of a black crop top and a mint colored high-waisted skinny jeans complemented her light brown skin and her bright teeth-baring smile, as she walked to the empty set behind me. "Hey." She whispered to me once she was seated. I turned my head slightly to look at her out of the corner of my head. "Hey." Was all I responded with before turning my attention back to the front of the room. After class was dismissed I walked up to Mr. Smith's desk and gathered the papers we worked on today for Harlow. Mr. Smith still had bags under his eyes, red eyes a side effect from his partying Friday night, then Saturday and a little on Sunday morning. When I returned back to my seat to gather my stuff Mia was leaning against the desk across from mine with a smirk. "So you do that often?" I knitted my eyebrows in confusion. "Do what?" She raised an eyebrow at my confusion. "Cover for Harlow." "Well I mean she's my best friend so I try to help when she's feelings sick." I responded while placing my books into my bag when I turned around to face her she was closer then I expected. Almost touching her noise to mine I tried to step back only to come in contact with my desk. "Friend?" Her minty breath fanned over my lips making me shiver. I turned my head to find an empty classroom Mr. Smith must have left to refill his coffee cup. Mia's hand came up to my face slowly turning it back to her. "Answer me Rachel." I stopped breathing as her hand slowly slid down my face to my neck, over my breast, then finding a home floating over my waist like a ghost. By now I gained my breath back and was hyperventilating. "Rachel I don't like repeating myself but for you I'll ask one more time. Is Harlow just your friend?" It took me a minute to process what it was she was even asking. Before I stumbled over my own words trying to answer "uhh...yeah... she's....m...m...my friend." I felt the smile spread across her lips. "But you want her to be more." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. I wasn't really surprised by it. Many people over the years have told me how obvious I was when I talked about or looked at Harlow. So much so that many asked how she herself has never noticed it. But I never responded because truth be told she did know Harlow sue knew I was in love with her. So she used it to her advantage every time she could. Every so often she hinted at her knowledge of my big "secret" but never fully came out saying she knew. "Well? No comment?" I didn't know what she wanted me to say. She knew the truth so there was no point in lying, not that I could. "Yes I want my relationship with her to be more than friendship." I smirked at my newfound confidence in this tense situation. All that confidence disappeared when Mia's response blew over my lips. "I want our relationship to be more than a friendship." I stared at her with wide eyes and an open mouth. "Oh...well.... uh.... I.... I don't.... I don't know..." "Shhhh Rachel baby I understand you aren't emotionally ready for a relationship right now I understand that and that's not why I'm telling you this ok? I'm telling you this so you know that I'm not only going to wait for you but I'm going to fight for you because you deserve so much better than what you are getting from a one Harlow sue." Her eyes remained in contact with me the whole time. I closed and opened my mouth several times before finally deciding what I was going to say to her "Rach! There you are I was looking everywhere for you!" Harlow's loud voice came cutting through the tense air. Causing a metaphorical bucket of cold water to splash on my face. I attempted to move out of Mia's grip but she wouldn't let me. Only tightening her grip on my waist before turning to smirk at Harlow. "Well come on I have so much to tell you." Harlow sent a dirty look towards Mia before grabbing my hand, trying to yank me towards her. But again Mia refused to release me instead turning back to me and planting a quick kiss on my lips. 

Her lips in three words

Different

Strange

Good? 

Then her lips were gone and so was she gone with a quick dirty look to Harlow. Then out of the door leaving Harlow steaming mad and me confused with tingling lips. 

I read a poem once,

I like the sculpture of your ears. I like the way your profile disappears whenever you decide to turn and face me.I'd like to cross two hems is spheres And have you chase me.I'd like to smuggle you across frontiers Or sail with you at night into Tangiers.I'd like you to embrace me.I'd like to see you ironing your skirt and canceling other dates.I'd like to button up your shirt. I like the way your chest inflates.I'd like to soothe you when you're hurt Or frightened senseless by invertebrates.I'd like you even if you were malign And had a yen for sudden homicide.

I'd let you put insecticide Into my wine. I'd even like you if you were the BrideOf FrankensteinOr something ghoulish out of Mamoulian'sJekyll and Hyde. I'd even like you as my Julian of Norwich or Cathleen ni Houlihan. How melodramatic you were something muttering in attics like Mrs. Rochester or a student of BooleanMathematics.You are the end of self-abuse. You are the eternal feminine. I'd like to find a good excuse To call you and find you. I'd like to put my hand beneath your chin, And see you grin.I'd like to taste your Charlotte Russe, I'd like to feel my lips upon your skin, I'd like to make you reproduce. I'd like you to be confident. I'd like to be your second look. I'd like to let you try the French Defence And mate you with my rook. I'd like to be your preference and henceI'd like to be around when you unhook. I'd like to be your only audience, The final name in your appointment book, Your Future tense