The Canary Cowards

by Jescie Hall

I'm such a guy right now. Everything she just said, I pictured with a side of sex. Meet my limits? Break me? Girl, you wish you could. I'd rock your whole bland little homeless world.

“It's best not to be ashamed of a body that heals itself with such beauty.”

“You’re wearing pants,” he states matter-of-factly, looking me up and down. A harsh laugh leaves my chest at the random statement. “This may surprise you, but I always wear pants when I work.”

I think I have a crush on that stupid boy.

Because you will be mine. You just don't know it yet.

Blood pressure: 180/110. Pulse: 140 and rising. Temperature: Molten lava. Prognosis: Imminent death. Lake Decker is between my thighs!

I will find him. I will torture and kill this man for what he did to Dylan and Colin. He took the world they fought so hard to protect and fucking ripped it apart for his own selfish reasons. Because he couldn't stand to be second in their world.

Chill the kitty and get to work, you dick-obsessed whore.

Air. Where is it? I need air in the lungs that are currently being compressed with the weight of his water surrounding me. Suffocating me. So much so that I'm beginning to enjoy the sweet torture that is drowning.

What he doesn't realize is he's playing with a woman whose boundaries are on the verge of snapping like a twig.

“If you even for a second think you're gonna run, know I'll chase you. I'll chase until you're mine,” he whispers, grabbing my wrists and placing them on both sides of the headrest, making me fall forward into him again. “I'll catch you when you're slippin’.” He leans forward to capture my lips, pulling my bottom lip between his and sucking it tenderly before releasing it. “And you'll love every bit of getting caught.”

“Seriously, Lake? Who the hell says that? Don't panic. Of course I’m going to panic. Might as well have just told me to freak the fuck out because now that's exactly what I'm doing!”

I need Dylan like I need air, but I chose to suffocate instead.

“So what do I do now?” I ask, exasperated. “I mean, what would Ross do?” he says. “Ross?” I contort my face. “Yeah, man. Ross. You know, he was obsessed with Rachel, always feeling as if he wasn’t good enough for a girl like her. But they were endgame, my dude. Endgame.”

He left me before I could leave him.

“I know when a man is in love, Dylan, and that man has it bad.”

“You’re right where she wanted you,” I whisper.

And tonight, it’s just two shattered souls who’ve lost the fight to need someone.

“You love her. Love her. You love her. Don’t waste it, Lake. Love her.”

“Tell me I can love you the way I need to in order to breathe,” he whispers his demands like he does. “Tell me you’ll let me back in.”

“I’ll love you every lap, Lake. When we’re in the lead at the peak of our race, and when we crash into the fence, burning into nothing but shattered pieces and flames. I’ll love you through it all because you’ve always been part of my team. Our team.”

But just like The Canary Cowards, this is one race we couldn’t lose if we tried.