Last Chance

She offers her hand
It's his last chance to take it,
to go dance with her.
She's come to him before
but he declined,
looked away,
pretended he didn't see her.
She smiles,
hopeful,
beautiful.
Her eye alight,
she offers him another chance
to dance.
One last chance.
He can't see behind her eyes,
how her mind is racing.
her heart flying,
how her hands shake just a little.
He doesn't see the pain behind her smile,
hear her heart pleading with him.
Take her hand.
Go with her.
See everything she wants to show him.
It hangs there,
her hand,
in midair
waiting.
She doesn't move,
doesn't breathe...
doesn't say a word.
But neither does he.
No acceptance,
nor rejection.
Her smile fades,
the light in her eyes goes out.
Her hand drops
and her head bows.
He couldn't see what she was offering.
So much more than a dance.
Everything.
Turning away,
she looks over her shoulder
one last time
at the beautiful,
broken man
who she saw all along,
wanted despite it all.
But who couldn't
or wouldn't
take her hand
and dance with her.