Wildflower (Kris Bryant)

20 Next To You

Kris

"Let's go lets go lets go" Serenity yells as she pulls me behind her. Never did she show any muscles but man was she using them.

All of the sudden she was super strong and super excited to start our Lolla experience. "I'm coming! Don't dislocate my arm or I'll never hear the end of it" I beg as I drag my feet being me. I don't know how I'll explain to the team doctors that I'm out of baseball because my girlfriend got excited.

Finally she lets up a little but still continues to drag me to wherever she wanted to go. I wasn't into music as much as she was so I trusted she knew which acts to go to. The set up here was huge and there was so many places to go I don't even know where to start. I didn't know a lot of these musical acts but she pretty much knew them all. Just as her book range was huge so was her music range. She even got into rap and hip hop which was quite the surprise for me. But she knew her way around here and made sure she got to experience it all. She was so excited and I honestly never seen her so active in my life.

We find a concert to chill at until Sam Smith came on stage later tonight. It's all she's talked about for the whole week she knew she was coming here. She was over at my place nice and early all ready to go just for this concert. But we had to wait so we visit some of the other ones since we had the opportunity to do so.

So I stand there with her in my arms as we sway back and fourth. The scent of her perfume fills my head as I smile to myself.  We sit back and enjoy the view and the music like we should on such a beautiful August day.

"This city is beautiful, isn't it" she asks. The wind takes her hair but the flowers in her hair stands their ground. She looked like a beautiful flower goddess right now and I'm happy for once she was okay with taking pictures because she liked the way she looked. 

"It is. But I think you're more beautiful" I say and she rolls her eyes. She throws some popcorn at me as she laughs.

"I was about to say I can't believe we've been together for almost four months but now I can believe it" she teases.

"Oh come on, you love me" I accuse.

"That I do."

Finally it comes time and many many people come out to see Sam Smith. I knew a few of his songs from the radio and what Serenity has played for me. I liked his music but it was quite depressing. Beautiful, but depressing.

So we move up to the front so she can see her favorite artist. The sun starts to set and that's when the stars come out, so Sam comes out on stage and I swear this girl loses her mind. He looks right down at her and smiles and I thought she was going to pass out.

"Oh my god this is insane" she squeals and I smile.

"He hasn't even sang yet" I laugh.

"I know" she screams.

Finally he stands behind the microphone and starts the concert. Even his talking voice was angelic. He starts to sing and I started to see why she loves him so much. This guy has the most talent I think I've ever heard in a singer. I got chills all over my body and they never ever left the entire concert.

"How is everyone doing tonight" he asks and the crowd roars. For a slow music and love/sad song specialist he sure did draw a huge crowd. Only Chance the Rapper has more people than he did out here. "I want you all to grab your loved one and hold them tight. This one for you guys" he says.

So I grab my girl and she grabs me back. She rests her head on my chest and I smile down at her. I admire her and all her beauty as she lets the words take her over.

"Yes, I do, I believe that one day
I will be where I was
Right there, right next to you
And it's hard, the days just seem so dark
The moon and the stars are nothing without you

Your touch, your skin, where do I begin?
No words can explain the way I'm missing you
Deny this emptiness, this hole that I'm inside
These tears, they tell their own story

You told me not to cry when you were gone
But the feeling's overwhelming
It's much too strong

Can I lay by your side?
Next to you, you
And make sure you're alright
I'll take care of you
I don't want to be here
If I can't be with you tonight."

And for the first time in my life I connected to a song. Maybe a little too much for I felt like I was about to cry. But this was quite possibly the most beautiful song I have ever heard. And I felt every single word of it, the yearning to be with someone, wanting to make sure she's okay. This song was a journey and I was on it with him, with Serenity. And I never wanted it to be over.

"I'm reaching out to you
Can you hear my call?
This hurt that I've been through
I'm missing you, missing you like crazy

Told me not to cry when you were gone
But the feeling's overwhelming
It's much too strong

Can I lay by your side?
Next to you, you
And make sure you're alright
I'll take care of you
And I don't want to be here
If I can't be with you tonight

Lay me down tonight
Lay me by your side
Lay me down tonight
Lay me by your side
Can I lay by your side?
Next to you
You."

The song finishes and she turns around in my arms. She looks up to me and I realize how this moment and every other moment with her is so special. And I think she realized it too as she reaches up and cups my cheek. Her hands were cold but it felt good after she made my cheeks warm. She doesn't kiss me and she doesn't close her eyes and rest her forehead on mine, she just looks up at me with so much love in her eyes. More love than I've ever seen in anyone.

And I knew I was right where I was meant to be.