Communication - Hayley Williams

Pearl Haired Girl - Chapter 9.

I felt her eyes burn a hole into my face. Did all of this really happen? My mind was racing and I didn't know what to do. Did she mean it?

After a couple of seconds of debating I finally looked at her. She wasn't looking at me anymore. Hayley was fumbling with her fingers nervously.

„Hayles?" I asked, unsure about how she felt about this.

„hmm" she hummed as she looked up at me. I saw unshed tears in her eyes. Her cheeks were flushed. I was unsure that it was from the crying or the kiss. I had no idea what to do.

„Ar-are you okay? What's wrong? Did I do something? I-I.. faszom" I stuttered clearly not having any idea about what's going on. Did she regret kissing me? I felt guilt pang in my chest.

She just shook her head and brushed a lone tear away. She sniffed quietly and shrugged.

„I-I...can I do something? Or you need space?" I asked hesitantly. She looked so small. Her confident self was nowhere to be found. She looked... broken.

She stared at me as another tear came out. I slowly lifted my hand to wipe it off but stopped halfway and pulled back. I wasn't sure if she wanted me to even touch her. I decided it would be the best to give her some space. I slowly stood up.

„Christie" she said slowly, her voice sounded hoarse.

„Yeah?" I said quietly.

„Stay. Please" was all she said as she stared down to her fingers. She was picking at her callouses again.

I sat down again. It was clear, she wasn't up to talking. But somehow I still wanted to comfort her but wasn't sure how. I hesitantly lifted one arm up, inviting her for a hug.

She looked up me and accepted the invitation. She slowly came closer and put her arms around my torso as she laid her head on my shoulder. I gently wrapped my arms around her, not wanting to scare her off or anything. As I felt her breath on my neck I felt goosebumps arise.

I started to gently caress her back. After a couple of minutes she took a ragged breath and I felt her tears drenching my t-shirt.

„Oh Hayles" was all I said as I tried everything to calm her down. I rubbed her back in circles and held her close. I felt her clutching my t-shirt. Her hands gripped it in fists.

„I'm here. You are going to be okay" I murmured as I tried to calm her down. Her tears kept spilling and I felt her body squeeze closer to me. She buried her head in the crook of my neck as she continued sniffing quietly.

Then an idea popped into my mind. When I was younger my mom used to sing to me when I cried. I didn't have a great singing voice... but.. at least I could try.

So I cleared my throat and started singing softly. She immediately froze as she started listening.

„Egyszer a Nap úgy elfáradt /Once upon a time, the Sun got tired
Elaludt mély zöld tó ölén /Went to sleep on a deep green lake
Az embereknek fájt a sötét /People suffered from darkness
Ő megsajnált, eljött közénk / As she pitied us, she came to us."

She held my gaze soflty as I sang the words quietly. Her eyes were red from crying and her cheeks were puffed. I kept on singing because it seemed to ease her mind.

Igen, jött egy gyöngyhajú lány /Yes, a Pearl Haired Girl came,
Álmodtam, vagy igaz talán /Was it true, or was I dreaming
Így lett a föld, az ég zöld meg kék, mint rég" / The earth, and the sky became green and blue again

Once I was done I squeezed her gently with my hands. Her crying stopped by then. She was looking at me with a glint in her eyes.