Page 67 of Call Me Baby 2: Side B
He rips off his hat and throws it down,
yanks off his crewneck.
I don’t feel my body, only cold brick.
His hands are everywhere—
one cupped under my jaw,
the other wiping blood off my face with his sweatshirt,
a violent tremor in his fingers.
His voice is in my ear.
He’s talking fast, shaky,
but it’s muffled behind a wall of shock.
“Goddammit—look at me. Look at me.”
He lifts my chin,
catches blood sliding down my face.
His eyes are red, wet, glassy,
as if this is shattering him.
“Keep your head up. Breathe.
“You ain’t breathin’.
“Breathe with me. I got you.”
My lungs burn hotter than the blood.
His sweatshirt’s stained red.
“Hey,” Andrew says, thumb stroking my chin. “Hey, hey, right here. Così coraggiosa. Così forte. Sei così fottutamente forte.”
I can’t.
I can’t do anything but hold my breath,
keep it all inside.
If I open my mouth,
it’ll all come out—
tears, truths, a tornado of emotions.
He tries to pull me closer,
but I press my palm against his chest,
feeling his heart slamming.
