Page 59 of Composed
Cole • Then
Sad Song – We The Kings
Eighteen Years Old
Crispclassicalmusicstirsthe air.
Wind flutters the curtains, blue lightning splitting the grey clouds in flashes.
I roll my neck, hands gliding over the black and white keys, feet dancing between the pedals as the melody spills from my fingertips. I lose myself in the notes, the knots in my stomach easing with every breath.
I don’t stop when the door creaks open, nor when footsteps clink across the hardwood, not even when the stool beside me dips. Warmth caresses my skin as fingers tickle the nape of my neck.
Hendrix doesn’t speak.
She’s been doing that a lot lately, keeping her voice from me.
The closing notes fill the silence between us.
I drag in a laboured breath.
Applause rings out from beside me. “You never cease to amaze me, Rock Star.”
“You like it?” I ask.
Hendrix props her head against my shoulder. “I loved it. What was that one?”
“Gaspard de la nuit.” I kiss her hair, breathing in the strawberry and lemon scent of her shampoo. “Gaspard of the night. It’s inspired by Aloysius Bertrand’s poems of supernatural beings.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“You’rebeautiful.” I curl my arm around her and lift her into my lap. She presses her hands against my chest, her forehead dropping to mine. “Hi, baby.”
“Hi.” She kisses me, soft and gentle.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.” She exhales a slow breath as her body tenses. “I got my letter from LIPA.”
“And?” I slide my hand into her hair and tug until we're eye-to-eye.
Sparks flicker through me with every press of her fingertips as they brush over my shirt, goosebumps pebbling across my skin. Gold flashes in her eyes. “I got in.”
“You got in?”
She nods, blinking furiously as tears gather on her lashes. “Unconditional scholarship offer.”
“Holy. Fuck. Rixie.” I cup her cheeks and slam my lips to hers. I feel her smile against my mouth. Peppering kisses on every inch of her face, I laugh. “I’m so fucking proud of you.”
She kisses me then.
Firm, hard, almost as if she’s afraid I’ll disappear.
“Hey.” I tip her chin. “What’s going on? This is amazing news, baby.”
“No. I know. I just…” She chews the ball in the centre of her lip.
“You’re scared?”
