Jaded

She sashays across the floor, bam bam bam. Forks are held mid bite, conversation vaporises, small talk dries up like a puddle hit by an a-bomb. A thousand strings shoot from our eyes to hers and she pulls them taut with each step she takes. Later, I go to her table and perform a ten minute set. I can't keep my eyes off her and nor can the audience, my magic is a pale comparison next to her porcelain skin. I leave and she goes for a cigarette, I offer her a flame, and she pats a chair and asks me to sit. We talk and she laughs softly. She's here for three days, she tells me, I choke, and hide it with a cough. Then I abandon. I forget about it. I put it from me. I cannot cope to find and lose so much in three days. I would rather go without. Later, I leave and walk to the tube. She is standing outside with eight of her friends, heading the same direction, I have no choice but to follow. We share a cigarette on the walk, and when it is time to head our separate ways, she steps away from the group, leans up and embraces me. I hold her for a few seconds in silence, as she kisses my cheek she whispers a thank you into my ear. I walk away with no more than her first name. As soon as I am out of sight I realise my mistake. One dinner, one meal, and where it would have ended was not mine to decide. Maybe she might move here, maybe I might move there? Who was I to predict our fates? I turn back, but she has gone. Wait! I know where she is staying, she told me in passing. I ring up the hotel, I select options from an automated menu, punching numbers, a voice picks up. I need to leave a message for one of your guests. Of course Sir, what room number? Umm, I don't know. Ok, her surname? Err, I don't know. Pardon? I just met her tonight, her name's Jade, she's australian, blonde, 5'6, slim- Sir we have over one thousand guests here- I'm only after one, she's just come through the door an hour ago- I'm sorry Sir, like I say, we have a lot of guests, what makes you think I'd know who you mean? A small thing called hope, I reply and hang up the phone.