Word Count: 714 without lyrics, 1,101 with

He’d fled from the café and to band practice hoping to rid his mind of her. He’d hoped the heavy beats and melodies would wash out everything in his mind and leave it blissfully empty. His fingers flew along the frets, the notes thundering in his heartbeat louder than the subwoofer allowed it. Merric lost himself to the music, only to be jolted out of it by those coppery loops.

Why was he dwelling on this girl? This, may I remind you, stalker girl. For all her faults ( creepy, stalker, stuck in the dark ages in terms of music ), Merric couldn’t find a reason to hate her. She was kind, had a sense of humor, was good looking, and was trying, seriously trying to make herself not be creepy.

But what about Alex? his mind interjected, making Merric stop short and frown. His fingers moved through muscle memory and practice, never missing a note even if his mind was far from the music. The girl’s face flashed into his mind, still the happy smile she’d had before the disaster, green eyes shining from under deep purple hair. “What about me, MJ? I thought you’d never consider another…” she seemed to ask. Her perfect face morphed into one of sadness.

He let out a sigh, silver eyes glancing at his band mates for a moment as he was brought out of his mind. They nodded at him, telling him they were taking a five minute break and asking if he wanted to come with them. He shook his head, saying something about wanting to tune his bass a little more. Ilona shrugged and patted him on the shoulder. The trio disappeared, chatting about the gig later that night.

“My Alex is never coming back,” he said to his regret, his guilt, and the saddened face of Alex in his mind. The face scowled, rage maring her features.

“YOU SAID… YOU SAID,” she screamed at him, words he heard countless times roll through his mind. The words she’d screamed in shock, in pain, in rage, at him for promising her the world and crashing it down around her ears. Words that destroyed every picture of them together, raising a family, growing old, spending their days in each other’s presence. Words that had cracked his heart… and shattered hers.

Words he no longer wished to remember.

“No… you said you’d always forgive me, you said you’d trust me, but you never gave me the time ask for forgiveness, to mend my mistake. And you’re never coming back,” he said softly, the vision of Alex’s face vanishing. He didn’t have the time to dwell on the past anymore; he had a life to live, whether his ex was in it or not. Merric eyed the mic and the empty club, already deciding on a song as he picked up Greg’s guitar, pulled a pick out from his pocket and stepped up to the mic. He took a breath, Odette’s face beaming back at him in his mind for a moment. He smirked.

“ Now I know that I can’t make you stay
But where’s your heart, but where’s your heart
But where’s your

Now I know, there’s nothing I can’t say
To change that part, to change that part
To chaaaaaange!

So many bright lights that cast a shadow
But can I speak?
Well is it hard understanding I'm incomplete
A life that’s so demanding, I get so weak
A love that’s so demanding
I can't speak

I am not afraid to keep on living
I am not afraid to walk this world alone
Honey if you stay I'll be forgiven
Nothing you can say can stop me going home

Can you see my eyes are shining bright
Cause I'm out here on the other side
Of a jet black hotel mirror, and I’m so weak
Is it hard understanding I'm incomplete
A love that’s so demanding
I get weak

I am not afraid to keep on living
I am not afraid to walk this world alone
honey if you stay I'll be forgiven
Nothing you can say can stop me going home

These bright lights have always blinded me
These bright lights have always blinded me
I say!

I see you lying next to me
With words I thought I’d never speak
Awake and unafraid
Asleep or dead

Cause I see you lying next to me
With words I thought I'd never speak
Awake and unafraid
Asleep or dead
Cause I see you lying next to me
With words I thought I'd never speak
Awake and unafraid
Asleep or dead

Cause I see you lying next to me
With words I thought I'd never speak
Awake and unafraid
Asleep or dead

I am not afraid to keep on living
I am not afraid to walk this world alone
(Or dead)
Honey if you stay I’ll be forgiven
Nothing you can say can stop me going home
(Or dead)

I am not afraid to keep on living
I am not afraid to walk this world alone
(Or dead)
Honey if you stay I’ll be forgiven
Nothing you can say can stop me going home
(Or dead)

I am not afraid to keep on living
I am not afraid to walk this world alone
Honey if you stay I’ll be forgiven
Nothing you can say can stop me going home!”

The crowd in front of him roared with cheers and yells. The teen looked back at his band mates, almost wondering where the time flew. One second he’d been singing to no one, the next the lights of the stage blinded his eyes and he sang to the crowd, to Alex, to Odette. The three of them grinned back at him and slung their arms around his shoulders chatting and wooping about how Merric was back, Merric was back.

The blue haired bass player raised an arm up, and the crowd cheered again. His face stretched into a wide grin and he spoke into the mic.

“That was Moonlight Song’s cover of Famous Last Words! Thank you, and good night!”

The crowd cheered as the stage went black, and Merric could swear he saw those coppery loops of hair for real this time. He chuckled to himself as he collected his bass and gave Greg his guitar back.

Well, I guess I owe Odette a thanks now… or at least a sandwich, he thought to himself, fingers rubbing the A on his ear. Never would he forget her, but no longer would he be held up on her, at least in a major way.