Page 47 of Missed Notes (Rixon High 5)

Adrenaline pulsed through me as I adjusted my posture. After so much time away, it felt a little awkward to be up here, but then I found her across the room.

Sofia.

I could just make out her smile, the way her eyes seemed to say, ‘you can do it.’

“This first song is called Seven Minutes in Heaven.”

I strummed the opening chords and closed my eyes, letting my muscle memory do the work. It came as easy as breathing, the way the lyrics poured out of me, how smoothly my fingers ran over the frets and plucked at the strings.

The bar fell into hushed silence as my voice rose, singing about first kisses, first touches… first love.

Not that I knew much about that. The only girl I’d ever had a crush on had always been off-limits.

Not anymore though.

My gaze landed on Sofia again across the room. She had shuffled to the edge of the booth, watching me serenade the crowd. But I wasn’t singing for them, I was singing for her.

To her.

Jesus, I was in deep.

Too fucking deep, and nothing had really happened yet.

But it was Sofia.

And I wanted her so much.

That want had only grown since finding out about her illness. It had become urgent. Like the clock was ticking on our chance at being together. I couldn’t explain it. It was just a feeling.

But then everything felt finite now we were in senior year. My time with the team, deciding what the hell to do about college, the impending fight with my father when I didn’t choose his dream. The walls were closing in around me, and soon I’d have to make a decision. One that could shake my entire future.

Yet all I could see was Sofia.

All I could think about was her.

My voice faded as I held the final note, the crowd breaking into a raucous applause. The noise vibrated inside of me, giving me a short burst of endorphins.

I’d planned to do a five-song set. But I was already itching to get back to Sofia. She’d been about to kiss me back, and I wanted to pick up right where we’d left off.

Two more songs and I was calling it a night.

I had a girl waiting on me.

The girl.

At least, I hoped she would be soon enough.

CHAPTERNINE

Sofia

Cole was good.

Really good.

I didn’t know what I’d expected, but it wasn’t those deep, gravelly lyrics about first love and heartbreak. His voice was hypnotic; smooth and rich it fisted my heart, holding me captive as he sang to the crowd.

Part of me had been so relieved when the emcee called Cole up onto the stage.

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