Aiden started to count the beat out. His face was in that dreamy drummer state already. We'd been practicing this song for months now. Upturned faces waited expectantly. I found Sophie in the crowd and batted my eyelashes. "Now I’ve heard there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased the Lord..." I sang, my hands spanning the keys.
Aiden loves Leonard Cohen. He has all his records, books of poetry, even bootleg video recordings. Every show we play has to include one of Cohen's songs to make Aiden happy. As a compromise he has to do a Dresden Doll song for me.
The spot light shimmers on us and I feel so alive. Even if this is just the community youth center... one day we'll be somewhere bigger. The banners across from us droop lazily. Some of the kids are talking with each other, flirting, jostling each other. Tables are set up in the back of the room with craft items and some of the homeschooled kids. The staff hover around the room like confused moths.
When my eyes are closed I can pretend we are in an arena of adoring fans. I practice tossing my long brown hair back and looking out suddenly, with that intense smoldering look I'm trying to perfect.
He is watching me like I am the only thing that matters. His eyes and mine are locked and I almost miss a note. Who is he? He is tall with a page boy hat pulled down over his dark hair shadowing his blue, blue, blue eyes. He is standing toward the back of the room. I hope he doesn't go before I can find out his name.
The rest of the set is a blur for me. All I can think of is if he likes my voice, my dress, my hair? I feel self conscious where I usually get lost in sound. Aiden shot me a look like 'where are you?' and I tried to pull myself back together. We've done these shows so many times.
The clapping filters half heartedly around the room. Lillian, the CYC director bounces onto the stage and thanks us. We're off by the time she is talking about the craft tables in the back. We never do the craft tables. It would hurt our rock image.
Sophie ran up to us with bottles of water. "You guys were awesome!" Aiden raised his eyebrows. "I don't know. I think Bri was out to lunch." "Sorry, I don't know what happened..." I feel a hand on my shoulder and I just KNOW it's the blue eyed boy. My heart lurches. "Hey, you were great." his voice is deeper than I expected, but still pleasant. "Thanks." Aiden said. He looked at the boy's hand still on my shoulder. I felt the pressure through the fabric of my dress.
"Can I talk to you?" the boy asked. "Sure!" I knew I said it too quickly to be cool, but he didn't seem to notice. He just tugged my arm gently and started to lead me outside. Aiden looked pissed, but Sophie looked like she was going to jump out of her skin with excitement. She shooed me with her hands.
The evening air was crisp and I could see stars starting to wink in the sky. We sat down on the swings side by side. "Do you always do that?" he asked. "Hmm? What? Play music" I asked, confused. "Bite your lip when you are nervous. It's so cute." I could feel my blush heating my face and looked down to hide in my hair. "So you're in a band or something? Is that guy your boyfriend or what?"
"Aiden? No! I mean yes, I'm in a band, and no. Aiden is not my boyfriend. We've just been friends for a long time. He's practically a brother." I am so flustered. So embarrassingly flustered! "I'm glad to hear that. I'm Ryan. What's your name?" He was glad that Aiden wasn't my boyfriend! I had so many butterflies I was nauseous.
"Bri." I smile brightly and stick my hand out. Nothing like a friendly hand shake to make things more casual. Ryan reached out and clasped my hand in his. He didn't shake it, just held it. "Bri." he repeated, but when he said it, it sounded so much more special.
"I really wanted to meet someone who would understand me. I can just tell after hearing you sing that you get it." I am not sure what I got but it didn't matter. He was really looking at me, I could feel his warmth on my hand spreading down my arm. "What else do you do, Bri?" I shrugged. "I don't know. I have a pretty heavy work load at school so music is pretty much it other than that." "I understand. Classes are ridiculous this semester for me. I have to carry thirty pounds of books around!" he laughed and leaned closer.
The whole world was narrowing down to him. Was he going to kiss me? I wanted to know what his lips would feel like on mine. I wanted it so bad I felt like I would die if I didn't kiss him. Would I ever get a chance like this again? I would regret it forever if I didn't even try.
I leaned and closed the gap. He flashed a grin and then his lips were rasping against mine. Warmth flooded me and I felt like the sky was falling. His kiss was catching me over and over again. His hands framed my face as he pulled back. "Bri. Oh, Bri. I have to see you again. Can I see you again?" I thought dizzily, so this is falling in love.
We exchanged phone numbers and then he was walking toward the parking lot. He turned back and waved. I hugged myself all the way back inside in glee.
Aiden loves Leonard Cohen. He has all his records, books of poetry, even bootleg video recordings. Every show we play has to include one of Cohen's songs to make Aiden happy. As a compromise he has to do a Dresden Doll song for me.
The spot light shimmers on us and I feel so alive. Even if this is just the community youth center... one day we'll be somewhere bigger. The banners across from us droop lazily. Some of the kids are talking with each other, flirting, jostling each other. Tables are set up in the back of the room with craft items and some of the homeschooled kids. The staff hover around the room like confused moths.
When my eyes are closed I can pretend we are in an arena of adoring fans. I practice tossing my long brown hair back and looking out suddenly, with that intense smoldering look I'm trying to perfect.
He is watching me like I am the only thing that matters. His eyes and mine are locked and I almost miss a note. Who is he? He is tall with a page boy hat pulled down over his dark hair shadowing his blue, blue, blue eyes. He is standing toward the back of the room. I hope he doesn't go before I can find out his name.
The rest of the set is a blur for me. All I can think of is if he likes my voice, my dress, my hair? I feel self conscious where I usually get lost in sound. Aiden shot me a look like 'where are you?' and I tried to pull myself back together. We've done these shows so many times.
The clapping filters half heartedly around the room. Lillian, the CYC director bounces onto the stage and thanks us. We're off by the time she is talking about the craft tables in the back. We never do the craft tables. It would hurt our rock image.
Sophie ran up to us with bottles of water. "You guys were awesome!" Aiden raised his eyebrows. "I don't know. I think Bri was out to lunch." "Sorry, I don't know what happened..." I feel a hand on my shoulder and I just KNOW it's the blue eyed boy. My heart lurches. "Hey, you were great." his voice is deeper than I expected, but still pleasant. "Thanks." Aiden said. He looked at the boy's hand still on my shoulder. I felt the pressure through the fabric of my dress.
"Can I talk to you?" the boy asked. "Sure!" I knew I said it too quickly to be cool, but he didn't seem to notice. He just tugged my arm gently and started to lead me outside. Aiden looked pissed, but Sophie looked like she was going to jump out of her skin with excitement. She shooed me with her hands.
The evening air was crisp and I could see stars starting to wink in the sky. We sat down on the swings side by side. "Do you always do that?" he asked. "Hmm? What? Play music" I asked, confused. "Bite your lip when you are nervous. It's so cute." I could feel my blush heating my face and looked down to hide in my hair. "So you're in a band or something? Is that guy your boyfriend or what?"
"Aiden? No! I mean yes, I'm in a band, and no. Aiden is not my boyfriend. We've just been friends for a long time. He's practically a brother." I am so flustered. So embarrassingly flustered! "I'm glad to hear that. I'm Ryan. What's your name?" He was glad that Aiden wasn't my boyfriend! I had so many butterflies I was nauseous.
"Bri." I smile brightly and stick my hand out. Nothing like a friendly hand shake to make things more casual. Ryan reached out and clasped my hand in his. He didn't shake it, just held it. "Bri." he repeated, but when he said it, it sounded so much more special.
"I really wanted to meet someone who would understand me. I can just tell after hearing you sing that you get it." I am not sure what I got but it didn't matter. He was really looking at me, I could feel his warmth on my hand spreading down my arm. "What else do you do, Bri?" I shrugged. "I don't know. I have a pretty heavy work load at school so music is pretty much it other than that." "I understand. Classes are ridiculous this semester for me. I have to carry thirty pounds of books around!" he laughed and leaned closer.
The whole world was narrowing down to him. Was he going to kiss me? I wanted to know what his lips would feel like on mine. I wanted it so bad I felt like I would die if I didn't kiss him. Would I ever get a chance like this again? I would regret it forever if I didn't even try.
I leaned and closed the gap. He flashed a grin and then his lips were rasping against mine. Warmth flooded me and I felt like the sky was falling. His kiss was catching me over and over again. His hands framed my face as he pulled back. "Bri. Oh, Bri. I have to see you again. Can I see you again?" I thought dizzily, so this is falling in love.
We exchanged phone numbers and then he was walking toward the parking lot. He turned back and waved. I hugged myself all the way back inside in glee.
No comments:
Post a Comment