Piano Request

They had met a little over three years ago. Kattie was the new kid in class who transferred second semester and Matt was the quiet one who only really talked to two people throughout the day. She took the seat right next to him. I don't know what it was about her, but somehow, she got him to open up to her. They were inseparable by the end of the day.

Now, Kattie was a very social person. She got him to go out to parties, bars, and even got him to stand up on a stage and sing karaoke. She was the best person in his life, and he knew it. Matt helped her to keep track of her schoolwork and kept her feet on the ground every time she was about to fly to close to the sun. No one knows what would have happened to her if he never entered her life.

One year later, they moved in together. Surprisingly, they were just as close as they were when they first got together. Some say they lived in the honeymoon phase. I don't know what to think. If Kattie was out shopping for clothes, then Matt would be her audience, despite the fact that he wears the same four shirts every day. Kattie would play D&D even though she used to make fun of people who played. Of course, that was before him.

Another year passes, and they go out dancing every Saturday night. Most of the time, she would be wearing the yellow dress that he had bought her for her birthday. They graduated that year. Matt got a paid internship at a law firm and signed up for more classes to take online. Kattie, well, she didn't know what she was going to do, but she knew that Matt was going to help her find something.

The honeymoon phases was coming to an end. They had been together three years now and the real world had finally creeped its way into their home. Kattie now baked just to be doing something through the awkwardness that the house atmosphere had become. The Saturday's they used to dance through, now became quiet dinners where Matt would catch up on work and Kattie would draw her newest designs. He had helped her get a job at some home renovation company. Kattie was still outgoing and coinvented Matt to take a night out for them to go to dinner.

He walked in. She was sitting there in his favorite yellow dress, but he couldn’t feel anything. He didn’t know when it all changed, but their love had finally faded out like an old candle that had completely run out of wax. She looked at him with the same shine in her eye that he fell in love with on their first date. He knows he must end things now to spare her less heartache. The words were in his head but got trapped like a web in his mouth. It may seem harsh, but there was only one way he could end it.

He got up to “use the bathroom” and dropped off a request at the piano. The player glanced at the napkin with the request written on it, then back at him. He sat back down and told her that he requested this song just for her. The pianist proceeds to play. As “Gotta Go My Own Way” from High School Musical began to play, her face slowly shifted. That once so bright light in her eye became that of dust. To his surprise, she left with much dignity. Not a single tear drop shed from her eyes as she had stood up, grabbed her bag, and walked out of the door.

Three years, and just like that, it's over. I wish I could tell you that they kept in touch, but they just grew into two different people going opposing ways in life. They had each other when they needed each other and that's all anyone can hope for.

Matt grew to be a great lawyer and tries too always do the right thing. He has more friends and even goes out with his coworkers from time to time. Kattie now runs a bakery in a small town, she even did all the design work herself. They are both happy with the life they achieved for themselves, with help from that one old, but special someone.