Smile

The air was silent. As silent as breathing can sound. Her eyes walked up from the hands to meet his. “They are smiling”, she thought. She had never understood how eyes could smile. The concept seemed always too out of reach, intangible. So were those lips. She remembered every single time she tried to get his attention. How she thought it was all in vain. How she gave up, but not really. She accepted. Yes, accepted, that’s the word. She had accepted that those eyes would never smile for her. His hand held hers. He was still looking deep, and yet softly, into her eyes. He knew what he had to do, but it felt like his whole body had shut down, waiting for her to smile. Immobile. He remembered watching her with the corner of his eye. Sighing and laughing not to cry. Remembered all the kisses he never gave her. Her lips were half-opened. A smile passed by his. They were alone, in silence. Music played, thoughts lingered, but nothing seemed to want to disturb that one single moment. Their minds were blank, yet full. He recognized the song. “Ah, this song”, she thought. Her eyes smiled. He leaned, switching between her eyes and her lips so it wouldn’t make her uncomfortable. She lifted her chin. The lips touched, slowly, silently. She felt the tears bursting up to her eyes. He held the back of her neck, never wanting to let her go. The music got louder. “Ah, this song”, he thought.