"Call me," Jason mumbled, stepping out of the car. I nodded as he glanced at me, waved goodbye. He walked away without looking back.
I sighed and drove home, not sure what I was going to say.
And if I say to you tomorrow
Take my hand, child, come with me
"Jason?" I held the phone away from my ear for a second to escape the background screaming battering my eardrum.
"Yeah, I'm here." His voice was distant, but he sounded disturbed.
"Want me to come get you?"
"Sure."
It's to a castle I will take you
where what's to be they say will be
When I arrived five minutes later, Jason was sitting on the curb, one hand pressed hard against his forehead.
Banging and angry shouts poured from the house like lava down the side of a volcano. He stood, brushed his hair back from his face, and climbed into my car.
He sat back heavily in his seat, looking sullen.
"Parents?" I barely whispered.
"Yeah." He put his head in his hands. "Drive, Julie."
Catch the wind see us spin sail away leave today way up high in the sky
But the wind won't blow, you really shouldn't go, it only goes to show
That you will be mine by taking our time
I drove to the most secluded place I could think of; the woods behind the school. I had to tell him before it was too late.
He looked around, confused. "And we're here because..." He let his sentence trail off, waiting for an explanation.
"We need to talk."
And if you say to me tomorrow, oh what fun it all would be
Then what's to stop us, pretty baby, but what is and what should never be
"Couldn't we talk somewhere else?"
"I'd rather avoid people."
He nodded, finally understanding. He pressed his hand against his window, staring at the trees. Then he looked at me.
"You know, most people come up here to have sex." He blushed. "I've never even had my first kiss." His gaze returned to the woods.
My face felt warm, and my palms began to sweat. I knew I had to tell him now, or forget it forever.
Catch the wind see us spin sail away leave today way up high in the sky
But the wind won't blow you really shouldn't go it only goes to show
That you will be mine by takin' our time.
"Jason."
He looked at me, studying my face.
I watched him as he watched me, waiting for me to speak. I took in his features, not sure I could say what I needed to.
Why am I the one who has to do this?
He touched my face, then quickly recoiled and twisted his hands in his lap, eyes cast down.
So if you wake up with the sunrise and all your dreams are still as new
And happiness is what you need so bad, girl, the answer lies with you
I inhaled deeply, and forced myself to speak.
"Jason, your best friend has asked me to marry him." The words were rushed, and not as I'd like them to have sounded, but it was done.
Jason sat motionless, still staring at his hands, which he had ceased twisting. For a moment I thought he'd stopped breathing. Then he jerked suddenly in the seat, startling me.
"Why do you always refer to him like that?"
"Like what?"
"My best friend."
"Because he is..."
"But he's your boyfriend..." He stumbled on the word. "...fiance..."
Puzzled, I corrected him. "Boyfriend. But he was your friend first, I met him through you. You were my friend first, that's why I'm telling you he asked before I give him an answer."
"What does it matter, you're going to say yes, anyway."
"You don't know that."
Catch the wind see us spin sail away leave today way up high in the sky
But the wind won't blow you really shouldn't go it only goes to show
That you will be mine, by takin' our time
He began twisting his hands again. He wouldn't look at me. I leaned my forehead against the glass and closed my eyes.
I heard him sigh, and turned to face him.
"Let's kiss," he whispered. "Before I lose my dream girl forever."
I blinked. "What?"
"I think you heard me." His eyes flashed.
Oh the wind wont blow and we really shouldn't go and it only goes to show
Catch the wind we're gonna see it spin we're gonna...
"Jason, you can't love me."
"Well, it's quite obvious you don't love me, so let's forget it." He slouched further into the seat.
"I don't want to hurt you. That's why I'm telling you."
"My life is going to hell and this is all you can tell me?"
"I have a life, too!"
"Well, it's not my fault yours is so much better than mine!"
"Jason!" I slammed my hand on the steering wheel hard, nearly breaking my wrist. "That's not my fault!" My tone softened. "That's not fair to say to me."
"I guess fucking up my life is in style these days. Seems everyone's been doing it."
Oh the wind wont blow and we really shouldn't go and it only goes to show
Catch the wind we're gonna see it spin we're gonna...sail, little girl
"Jason." I clenched my hands in my lap, trying to calm myself. "I am a girl, not an angel. Anything you and I would have would not be real love."
"Not to you." He was quiet now, his eyes glowing eerily. "I love you, Julie."
"I'm sorry."
Everybody I know seems to know me well
but they're never gonna know that I move like hell
He nodded and exited my car for the last time.
I never saw him again.
Thanks to Tlogmer for his help placing lyrics.