Let Me Be Your Hero
Song: "Hero", Enrique Iglesias
Let me be your hero...
"Kevin... you should talk to Marissa."
"No, Joe. There's no point. We're done." Joe started to argue again, but Kevin shot him a warning look and went back to combing out his hair. The last thing he wanted to do was talk to his ex-girlfriend. He was done with their relationship, and she wasn't. Neither were his family and friends. They didn't understand why he would break off the perfect relationship.
How could he explain that it was the perfection that made him feel choked, trapped? Marissa was beautiful, smart, sweet, everything a girlfriend should be. Everyone loved her. He, according to her, was the perfect boyfriend: caring, sensitive, strong, and a rock star to top it all off.
But she didn't need him. She could tell him she loved him a hundred times, but she could never look him in the eyes, show him her flaws, and say, "I need you, Kevin. I need you." He was an accessory. Not in a cruel way, but it was true all the same. She was flawless, and he hated it.
He pulled on his shirt and buttoned it up, calling, "Frank! You ready, man?"
"Yeah!" Frankie bounded into the room, all dressed up in nice pants and a button down shirt. "Can we go?"
Kevin smiled. "Sure." He was the official chauffer to their neighborhood kids' Valentine's Day Dance. Frankie was excited to go--something about the girl across the street who would be there--and Kevin had offered to take him and hang out. It was a much needed night away from the judgments and pleas to get back with Marissa.
When they arrived at the dance, Kevin had to laugh. He had never seen so many preteens and children who thought they knew what love was. Blushes, giggles, and awkward hand-holding were everywhere, as well as several cries of, "Eew! Cooties!" Frankie immediately attached himself to the side of a little blonde girl about his age.
Kevin left Frankie to his romancing and headed for the refreshments. He grabbed a handful of pink, heart-shaped sugar cookies and a glass of punch and watched kids chase each other across the dance floor. There wasn't much dancing going on, but most of the kids weren't even in double digits yet. What did he expect? The fact was, he found the loose, crazy atmosphere to be freeing.
He looked up, across the dance floor, and choked on his cookie. Blonde hair, golden skin, and a little black dress, set off by a smile so brilliant it lit the dim room. But it wasn't only the way she looked that stopped his breath. It was the way she stood, the way her hand brushed across her cheek, the soft but slightly guarded way she held her shoulders. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her, even as he coughed from choking on the cookie. Slowly, he made his way across the dance floor and came up beside her. She didn't notice him, so he said, "You don't look dressed for a kids' party."
She turned slowly, met his eyes, then ran her gaze slowly up and down his entire frame. "You're one to talk."
He felt his face redden. "Right. I guess we both overdressed. My name's--"
"I know who you are. You're PKevs."
He stared blankly for a moment, processing. "PKevs, like--oh. Oh!"
She laughed. "A nickname I made up. I'm Ray." She extended a pretty hand.
He shook it, still blushing a little, and locked eyes with her again. In that moment, it hit him like a freight truck: the reason she was so appealing. She wasn't perfect. He could see it in her eyes that she had weaknesses lurking beneath her confidence that she needed someone to support. She'd been hurt, maybe. He saw the longing, the searching in her eyes. She was looking for something to heal her. Maybe... could she be looking for someone to come in and save her? Could--could he be that person?
The current, upbeat song ended and soft, slow music began--the first slow dance of the night. The little kids weren't even paying attention.
Would you dance if I asked you to dance?
Would you run and never look back
Would you cry if you saw me crying
Would you save my soul tonight?
He realized he was still staring into Ray's eyes. He swallowed hard and looked at the floor before asking hesitantly, "Do you--would you--dance with me?" He felt like he was sixteen years old again, awkwardly beggin his crush for a dance. But wasn't that how it was supposed to feel? The butterflies, the flushed face, the racing pulse. She nodded, smiling, and he was sure. This was what falling in love, in its imperfect, rawest, most real form, was meant to feel like. He held out his hand and she place hers in his. A thrill shot through him; he slowly pulled her close. She rested her other hand on his chest and he momentarily forgot to breathe.
Then, she smiled up at him and he forgot his awkwardness. All he wanted to do was rid her of the loneliness behind those pretty eyes. As they danced, Kevin absorbed everything he could about Ray. She was playful--she kept flashing teasing, shy smiles at him--and an odd mix of quiet and bold. She didn't talk much, but when she did she was confident and brave. He saw that it could be a cover, though, for what lay beneath--a vulnerability and insecurity that needed someone to reassure her, tell her she was good enough.
It occurred to him that he could only see it in her eyes because he stared at it--in a less beautiful form--in the mirror every morning.
Would you tremble if I touched your lips?
Would you laugh? Oh, please tell me this
Now would you die for the one you love?
Hold me in your arms tonight?
Ask Kevin stared down into Ray's eyes, he found himself drowning in them, losing himself to the world around. She drew him to her like a magnet just by looking at him with those bright, secret eyes. Her soft mouth curved up in a gentle smile and his heart skipped a beat. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close as, almost of its own will, his other hand came up and his fingertips skimmed across her lips. With satisfaction, he heard her breath stutter. When she trembled, he knew she was feeling the way he did.
His overflowing heart was going a hundred miles a minute. She's what you've searched for, it cried. Look at her. She's all Marissa wasn't. She needs you and you need to be needed. She's your missing piece. In that moment, he wanted desperately to kiss her. He even ducked his head towards her--but in that last second, his mind caught up with his speeding heart and yanked him back to reality. He knew nothing about this girl but her name and the look in her eyes. He had known her for no more than two minutes and exchanged less than a hundred words. No matter how sure his heart was, he would be stupid to kiss her now.
As the song ended, he sighed. She raised an eyebrow, still pressed close against him. "You okay, PKevs?"
He laughed, "Never better!" He'd never heard a cooler nickname. "Are you thirsty?"
"I could be."
"If...?"
"If you want to get me a drink."
Marissa would have said no or insisted on getting it herself, too "perfect" to let him help her. He nodded. "I'll be right back. Don't move a muscle."
She froze in comical imitation of his command, then winked with those perfectly imperfect eyes. "I'll be here."
He turned away quickly so she wouldn't see him gasping for breath. He quickly grabbed two drinks and scanned for Frankie. The little love machine was still joined at the hip with the blonde girl, talking and eating through a mountainous pile of cookies from the same plate. Young love. So sweet.
He took the drinks back to Ray and handed her one. As she thanked him, the DJ, who had been sitting looking bored out of his mind all night, said, "Now, let's put on another slow song for Prince Charming and Cinderella over there." Kevin looked around and found the DJ looking straight at him and Ray. He glanced at Ray, who was blushing bright red, and shrugged, "Well..."
She seemed to regain composure. "I've always wanted to dance with Prince Charming. I guess you're my knight in shining armor for tonight."
He knew he must have been glowing as he pulled her back into his arms. Not just tonight, he thought to himself. Forever, if you'll let me.
I can be your hero baby
I can kiss away the pain
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away
Would you swear that you'll always be mine?
Would you lie would you run away
Am I in too deep?
Have I lost my mind?
I don't care you're here tonight
The song ended all too soon, and the dance not long after. Little kids didn't need long to tire of eating cookies and pretending to dance, but Kevin was disappointed, wishing he could spend some more time with the beautiful girl he was quickly falling in love with. He had talked to Ray for a while, then Frankie pulled him off to look at something and he lost track of her. Holding Frankie's hand, watching parents leave with their kids, he searched futilely for Ray. She was gone.
"Frankie," he said hurriedly, "stay here. I have to go find the girl I was with."
"Ray?"
He looked down in surprise. "Yeah, Ray. How do you know her?"
Frankie gave him an incredulous look. "She's Tina's older sister."
"Tina is..."
"Duh! The pretty girl I was with tonight."
Kevin gaped. "That little girl... that's Ray's sister?"
"Yeah. See?" He pointed. Ray was walking out the door, arm around the little blonde girl's shoulders. Kevin's heart leapt in his chest. He knew where she lived. He watched Frankie run down the the street to their house all the time. He took Frankie home, got him into bed, and returned to his car. He sat, car running, staring down the street. Her house was down there. Just a couple blocks, and he could be where she was. Maybe he could even stare in those beautiful eyes again, and maybe he could do something about the loneliness. He could be her hero.
I can be your hero baby
I can kiss away the pain
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away
But would she want him? Would she agree to let a man she barely knew see and strengthen her inmost soul? He couldn't imagine that she would. But, he realized as he pulled away from the curb, he had to try. He drove slowly to her house, not sure what he would say to her, if he would even see her. Then, he found himself parked at her curb, opening his door, and stepping out onto the sidewalk. It was almost eleven at night, and almost all the lights were off in her house.
One still burned, however. The living room light was on, and through a sheer curtain he could see golden hair and a black dress. There she was. She was sitting on the couch, a book in her hands, so concentrated on what she was reading that, if she had heard his car pull up, she didn't even glance up. His view was made hazy by the lacy curtain, but he watched her tug her hand through her hair and bite her bottom lip gently. He couldn't breathe, she had him hypnotized.
Eventually, with courage he didn't feel, he opened his door and stepped out of the car. When he closed the door, it closed a little harder than he meant it to, much like Nick usually slammed it shut. She heard it and finally glanced up. Her eyes locked on him and she froze, hand halfway to turning the page. He waved shyly, unsure of what he was doing.
She waved back in the same way, then got up off the couch and disappeared out the living room door. Another light flipped on, and then the door opened, just slightly. He jogged up the walk and stood on the doorstep. She was peering out at him, wonder and confusion plain on her face. He smiled. "Hi, Ray."
"Um--PKevs. Hi." They stared at each other awkwardly, then she said with sudden force, "What on earth are you doing at my house at almost midnight?"
Had he been sitting his car that long? He glanced at his watch. Quarter till midnight. Wow. "I--" What did he have to say? He surrendered logic and let his heart lead the way. "Let me be your hero," he blurted, searching her face for a reaction.
He watched in awe as tears sprang to her eyes. "What did you say?" It was obvious she knew exactly what he said. Her tears were threatening to spill over, and as he watched, she blinked and a crystal drop of salt water rolled down her cheek.
His heart aching for her in more ways than one, he used a gentle fingertip to brush away the tear and repeated in a whisper, "Let me be your hero."
She stepped back and opened the door, and he walked in, feeling simultaneously comfortable and terrified. "W-why?"
He stared. "Why... what?"
"Why me? Why my hero?" Her loneliness and weakness burned in her eyes, stronger than ever, as if becoming more obvious when threatened.
He wanted so much to pull her into his arms, stroke away her tears, kiss her breathless and make her forget everything. Instead, he stumbled, "I-I saw--do see something in you. Something I... need. I need a princess, Ray, and there's no one better for the part than you. And... I think you need someone. And I think I could be that person." He swallowed, then said in an almost questioning tone, "The one you... need."
I just want to hold you
I just want to hold you
Am I in too deep?
Have I lost my mind?
Well I don't care you're here tonight
When she only stared, her expression giving nothing away, he rambled on, "I know you think I'm crazy because I just met you, but I feel like I know you already, and I see--well, I think I see--something I recognize in your eyes. Something I've been dying to find for the longest time, and... Ugh. I feel like I've lost my mind, like I'm jumping into this way too fast, but--"
"You're not crazy." She said it so softly that he hardly heard her and almost asked her to repeat herself. She looked up at him with those imperfect, beautiful eyes and said, "If you are, then I'm worse." She smiled and his breath caught. "I sat here tonight thinking about you, telling myself I would never see you again but desperately hoping I would. I imagined you coming to me, telling me I was what you were looking for. I had the whole fairy tale romance going on." She laughed. "And it was a crazy dream, the kind that never comes true." She shrugged and looked down at the floor. "And then there you were in the window." She reached out and took his hand. "You're the only man on earth who has ever made my fairy tale become reality." She pulled him towards her and whispered, "You're already my hero."
That was all it took for him to lose it. Every shred of hesitancy, of composure, of guardedness, disappeared upon hearing those words from her mouth. He brought his mouth down to hers and kissed her softly, and at that moment he felt his life click into place. Every relationship before this seemed glaringly empty and out of place. The way their lips meshed perfectly together echoed the way their souls and hearts perfectly complemented each other.
Kevin would be the first to say he was imperfect. He had flaws and he had pain. But tasting the sweetness of her mouth, her arms around him, he felt his strengths surge to support her weakness and comfort her hurts, and hers do the same for him.
I can be your hero baby
I can kiss away the pain
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away
Two searching half-hearts found their missing pieces. Two sets of lonely arms found the one who filled them completely. Two imperfect, completely human people became, in that moment, the perfect unit.
You can take my breath my breath away
I can be your hero