Not Another Love Song

by Julie Soto

“Um, no? Gwen, he was looking at you like I’m about to look at the Grubhub delivery guy. Ready. For. A. Meal.”

He straightened, taking a small step away and glaring at Mei as she exited the stall. “Sorry,” she said. “I just… really wanted to get outta there before you guys boned.”

but the file needed a name. He typed: Not a Love Song. And he believed it for a few weeks.

“What are you doing right now? Do you want to hang out? Or jam for a bit?”

His thumb rubbed a circle, and his voice brushed her ear. “Relax.”

“Tell me I can see you again,” he whispered, leaning into her. “For music or anything else.”

“I want to be clear,” he whispered, as she focused on the rose-colored smudges around her lips. “I want you. In every way.” She swallowed, and he watched her throat move. “I want to see you. And fuck you. And play music with you.”

Maybe she liked love songs after all. As long as she was playing them with Alex.

“It’s simple, really,” he said. “It’s about a cello who fell in love with a violin.”