Life's For The Living

New Beginning

Retreating from the door, I gasped in shock. Why was he at my house? "Hello" his voice was so familiar, yet so foreign.

"H-Hi" that's all that could stutter out. Mentally slapping myself, I hid my shaking hands behind my back. He chuckled at my expression. It felt as if I would remain frozen there forever.

Somehow I motioned for him to come inside, away from the bitter cold air of winter. Ed was wearing a camouflage zip up jacket, and his usual jeans and trainers. He walked through the door and put his hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright?" in that moment all my nerves left me, and I calmed down.

"Yeah, I'm alright, thanks. Why are you here may I ask?" That part still had me completely puzzled.

"Oh...Your grandpa is friends with Stuart, and he told me you were a fan, and I wanted to meet you." I was shocked, why didn't Pop-Pop tell me he was friends with Stuart! All that mattered was Ed was here. Looking down, I realised that I was dressed in my Pajamas, and I blushed.

"Sorry for how I'm dressed. If I knew you were coming-" he cut me off "you look wonderful." I grabbed his hand and pulled him to where the rest of my family was, and they all beamed at me. I went right over to my Pop-Pop and thanked him.

When I turned away from my grandpa, Ed was sitting on the couch looking at me. I went and sat next to him, there were so many questions I had always want to ask him.

"Can you show me your tattoos please?" I softly whispered. Everyone else had left the room. He took off his jacket to reveal the colourful ink on his arms. Hesitantly I reached for his arm, and lightly brushed my fingers over the intricate patterns.

We talked for hours, and it was around 9.30 pm, when my Grammy entered the room and told Ed and I to come outside. "Let's go" He said as he stood up from the sofa.

The cold air was like a blow to the face as we entered the cold. Ed and I were pushed hastily into my grandparents car, and my grandma drove us away from my house and into Philadelphia.

After the 40 minute ride, the car stopped in a familiar place, Penn's Landing. Where I last saw Ed In concert. "I'll take care of her, don't worry. We'll only need an hour of two" I heard Ed speak. as soon as my foot left the car, and the door was shut, my grandma drove away. Now I was even more confused.

As I turned away from where the car had been, Ed wasn't behind me, but I heard his foot steps not too far away. I ran towards the sound, to find his at the side gate where we had waited for hours to see him, not many months ago. I laughed, realising that there was no way we were going to get inside but Ed was determined. He explored that gate for a few minutes, but then I remembered how to get in from where we were. "Ed follow me" I went over by the side, and squeezed through the opening in the gate. Ed followed.

Running past the restrooms laughing, we arrived at the small stage. It was quite tall, and I couldn't manage to jump up. Sighing at how weak I was, Ed came up behind me and hoisted me up onto the stage. I pulled him up too, and we just sat there staring at the darkness before us.

I stood up noticing the two microphones at the fron of the stage. I ran backstage to find how to turn them on, and Ed came back, knowing what button to push.

Hearing the familiar crackle of the speakers, I ran back on stage and tested the mic. It was on. He appeared from back stage, and stood at the microphone to my right.

"What song would you like to sing?" He politely asked.

"Would you mind if we sang guiding light? It's one of my favourites." Ed seemed happy that I asked to sing that because he took out his phone and briefly talked to someone before setting it down at the front of the stage. He began the song, "Well the road is wide, waters run one other side...."

Ed sang the first verse alone then came the chorus, "When I need to get home you're my guiding light, you're my guiding light..." I harmonised with his beautiful voice the best I could. My eyes slid shut as we finished the chorus, but they opened again when he didn't start the second verse. Ed was staring at me. He wanted me to sing it. I took a deep breath and began, "oh well the air is cold, and yonder lies my sleeping soul, with the branches broke like bones, this weakened tree no longer holds..."

After I finished the second verse the chorus came back and continued until the end of the song. It felt like we sang it for hours just admiring the sound.

Finally it came to an end, and applause burst out from Ed's phone, and I looked at him, wondering who it was.

"Hazel that sounded absolutely beautiful, thank you for doing my song justice." Foy Vance's voice sounded from the speaker of the phone. I kept down next to it, and spoke to Foy.

"Oh why thank you! It means a lot coming from you." I couldn't believe I was speaking to him.

When Ed and I finished talking to Foy, he was just staring at me, and I was getting kind of uncomfortable. "What's wrong?" He just laughed.

"You're voice Hazel. It's unlike anything I've ever heard." This made me blush violently. No one has ever told me they liked my voice. "Thanks." I didn't know how else to respond.

"Don't move from here. I'll be back in a minute" ed scrambled off the stage with his phone, I had no clue who he was calling.

In the mean time, I had begun to sing another song that was stuck in my head "Brother" by Matt Corby. After the first few lines I got lost in the song and I didn't notice Ed come back and stand at the bottom of the stage. He started harmonising towards the end, and I just continued. In the last line Ed applauded, and I laughed, jumping off the stage.

"Who did you call?"

"Stu."

"Oh"

"Yeah"

It got awkward after a while but then Ed burst out in an explosion of words.

"Would you like to come to London with me and record a song for the next album? Please? You wouldn't have to stay to long, but you could stay as long as you wanted....." I spaced out thinking about what he had just said. I gasped.

"Ed." He fell silent. I didn't even have to think before answering. "Yes! Of course I'll go to London and record with you!"

This was the opportunity I was waiting for. My life could begin now.

I'd finally have something worth living for....

If my parents agreed to let me go.