Take Me There

The feeling of Misty snuggling up next to Kyle is a warm one…one that he hasn’t known before. He’s held friends close…he’s held his sister close…but this was different. This was…just different.

As Misty begins to speak, he listens carefully, digesting her words slowly to assume nothing and understand everything. Her words of how she feels about him...likes him...respects him, makes him wish he could wave them off. He did not feel important...he did not feel worthy of those kinds of compliments. He was more than glad that he had been helping her through her pain, but he hadn't intended on her thinking of him in this way. It hadn't been a goal. I had apparently just...happened. In a way though, he did feel flattered. Embarrassed by his nature, but flattered none the less. To have a woman talk to him like this was a pleasant difference.

Her soft kiss sends another chill down his spine, her hand on his chest feeling gentle and warm. He continues to listen, not trying to communicate until she is finished. Her confession of liking him, and her questions as to whether he felt the same or not made him stop and think.

His eyes stay focused on the water beyond, his demeanor appearing calm, while on the inside it was chaos as a million and one thoughts raced through his mind. Her ending statement feels like a little prick to his own heart. She had read him well...too well. He had indeed been trying to hide. There were just so many questions...so many doubts. How could he be sure about this?

Letting a pause settle between them, Kyle finally cocks his head, tilting Misty's chin up with a gentle finger. He needs to see her eyes again...to see the truth in the words she has spoken. And indeed, he finds it. She cared about him...liked him...wanted more than just friendship if he was willing. And was he willing?

He closes his eyes for a moment and swallows hard. Dang this injury that kept him from speaking what he wanted to. There were so many things that would take too long to sign or write down. What about his original goal? What about just simply making Misty get through this hard time? What about Carson? Was it really over between Carson and Misty? Was she this enthusiastic about Kyle now simply because she was missing someone to love? Or was it genuine, separate from the pain she'd been going through?

Kyle opens his mouth, then sighs, closing it again. He tightens his grip around Misty's shoulders a little, trying to assure her that his silence didn't mean he was saying no - he was simply trying to get his thoughts straightened out. He was sure he could stand the pain if this didn't work out, but could she? He would hate to put her through anything else, after what had happened with Carson. And yet...she was right...life was too short.

Reaching to her hand, he takes it in his, spreading her fingers out so their palms touched. His fingers were longer than hers, his palm broader. He liked the feel of her soft touch. Moving his finger tips down her own fingers, he maps out the curves and lines. He didn't play games...he didn't hold women just because it was fun. He didn't kiss them with the intention of simply walking away afterward.

Kyle's eyes finally drift back down to meet Misty's again. The music echoed in his mind, and he knew he wanted to believe. He was a risk taker...why could he not do this.

Without giving Misty an answer to her question, he moves to shut the lid on his little box and put it back into the hidden crevice. Standing up, he offers Misty a hand up too, silently helping her back down the rocks and onto the beach. Glancing to her, a faint smile is on his lips, but not enough to hint at what might be going through his mind. He doesn't try to let her know though, simply keeping her in the dark as he takes her back down the walk across the beach and up, close to where the car was parked.

Facing her for a moment, he sets his hands on her shoulders, planting her in place, his facial expression telling her to stay there. Next he makes several gestures, asking her for her car keys. Seeing hesitance, he rolls his eyes, his look conveying the thought, “I’m not going to drive away and leave you here, just give me the keys.” He holds out his hand until she gives them to him, then he goes to her car.


Getting in the passenger side, he rummages around in his backpack, then finding the CD he was looking for, he goes around the other side to turn the key over just far enough to get power without starting the engine. Slipping the CD into the player, he skips to the song he wants, and puts down the windows in the car, while turning the volume way up.

Making it back over to her, still on the sand and in his bare feet, the music starts, loud enough to be heard. It’s a hard beat with drums and electric guitars, the bass boosting the minor tones that drive emotion into the song.

Kyle takes Misty’s hands in his, facing her and just looks at her as the song plays, letting it do the talking for him. It was what was on his heart.

As the instrumental prelude dissolves into the lyrics, a strong male voice starts to sing, the mellow tone with a slight rasp fitting the rock style. It could seem familiar to some, but to most, it would be unrecognized as a voice not heard before.

"Caught in the confusion
Behind these iron bars.
The restraints all around us,
Holding us back from life.
I wanna live,
I wanna breathe,
Break out of this,
Break out and be free.

Take me there,
I wanna go there.
Take me there,
To be with you.
Take me there,
To the place where we can be free.

Stuck in this spinning world,
Under all the pressure.
Rules and regulations,
Keeping logic in check.
But I wanna live,
I wanna breathe,
Break away from this,
Break away and be free.

Take me there,
I wanna go there.
Take me there,
To be with you.
Take me there,
To the place where we can be free.

We’ve been held back too long.
We’ve listened to all but us.
We’ve done all the politically correct.
But what about us?
What about us?

Take me there,
I wanna go there.
Take me there,
To be with you.
Take me there,
To the place where we can be free.

Our hearts can be free.
Let loose and be free.
Yeah, be free."

As the drums fade, Kyle looks into Misty’s eyes. It was there time if they wanted it.