Erica Clifford - Completed

Six

A garage. They had a garage around they back of the house that they had turned into a band area. A set of drums, a piano and a few other instruments lined in one corner with 2 old mismatched sofas opposite. It wasn't a huge space. But it was quiet and I could hear him talking now. 

"It's not the studio but it's all we had for a little while." 

"It's cute." I walked around, slowly taking everything in. He sat down in the middle of the floor, pulling his phone out and pulling up where I'm guess he had been writing his lyrics. He was cross legged on the floor like I usually sit.

"Come sit." He patted the floor opposite him, beside where the bottle of rum had been placed. 

I couldn't quite make out his eyes colour in the darkness of the kitchen. I couldn't really see him that well, he was pretty much a shadow. Not now. I could see him in a better quality, though it was still a little dark, even with the ceiling light on. 

I think they were green. Maybe hazel. Definitely more green than brown though. His hair was like a beautiful brown with the very tips looking a lot lighter than the rest. Not blonde, but more on a light caramel scale. 

I sat down slowly and carefully, pulling the blanket over my legs so I could sit crossed legged as well without the fear of flashing him. 

"Okay so." He handed me his phone and I gently took it from his hand. "Please be completely honest. I know it's a little rough."

"Have you got a rough idea how you want it to sound?" I looked at him quickly before turning back and continuing to read. It definitely needed some adjustments but it was a good start. His sweet smile playing on his lips as he looked down at the strings of the guitar.

"No judgement?" 

"Not an ounce." I held my hands up as he started, pulling at the strings and singing the lyrics delicately. A single sweet melody I could listen to forever. How could someone's voice fill my insides with what felt like static. Tingling. Bubbling. 

"I wonder what you're doin' now
'Cause I'm racking my brain to think about anything else right now
And I hate driving through these streets when I'm on this side of town
All I ever see is your face, my name
How it felt when you said it
Your lips, my neck
Three words and you meant it." I read along as he continued and pulled my phone out, opening the notes page and adding some pieces I think would do well if they were changed.  He stopped playing and I looked up. "You get the idea." 

"Keep going." I nodded as a blush appeared on his cheeks and I pretended like I didn't see anything. "It's good. A few thing's I'd change but it's your song not mine." 

"What would you change?" 

"I think its a little flat right now it needs a little variation in tone. I also don't know if I like this line here." I handed his phone back and pointed out the line, leaning over as I did before sitting back. "The phrasing just seems a little out of place to me. For this song anyway." He looked at it and then lifted his head to my phone and I handed it over so he could see what notes I'd made. 

"Oh that works so much better." He typed away on his phone, making the changes I'd suggested. I felt a sense of pride, stronger than I'd had before as he started playing again, reading and singing the changes from his phone as he sung the new lyrics. 

Once he was finished he looked up at me and nodded. I think he was happy with it now. His smile was still there, only small. But I could just make it out. He leaned over and opened the cap off the rum, taking a swig and then handing it to me so I could do the same. 

"So how long have you been in music then?" He asked as I drunk, pulling a face at the alcohol but taking another gulp anyway. 

"I started playing the piano when I was like 4 and just never stopped." I put the bottle down beside me. 

"Oh you play piano?" 

"Yeah. Piano, guitar, bass, violin and I played clarinet for like 6 months or something stupid before I got bored." He raised his eyebrows and I chuckled slightly, taking my phone from his out stretched hand. 

"That's a lot of intense instruments." 

"Well, I mean I've been learning them all for years. I did Piano first as a kid. We had one in every room pretty much so I'd just sit and hit the keys and then my dad decided to teach me. And then once I was doing well with that when I was like 6 or 7 I saw him playing guitar and then I wanted that. My mum wanted me to do violin so I started that when I was god, like, 11 or something." I looked at him, letting my lips pull up ever so slightly. "What about you? How long have you played?" 

"Guitar? Since I was like 12 or 13."

"So like 10 years?"

"Nearer to 15 but yeah." I nodded, urging him to continue speaking. "When I first started, it was my older brother who taught me. He was like the popular jock type of guy and obviously I wanted to be like him." He rolled his eyes slightly and I chuckled in response. "I ended up surpassing him in everything which he wasn't happy about. Now he's working some dead end office job and I'm living his dream. He doesn't think it's as funny as I do." He put the guitar down beside him and leaned back in his arms. "Do you have any siblings?" 

"2 younger sister." I nodded and he smirked. "What are you smirking at?" 

"Your poor dad." I rolled my eyes, still smiling at him. 

"He works with essentially all young men. Don't worry, he has plenty of son figures in his life. I'm his favourite anyway, don't tell them that if you ever see the girls." I chuckled and moved so I was sat on the side of my legs, leaning on one hand. 

"How old are they?" 

"My sisters?" 

"Yeah." 

"18 and 4." 

"Did you say 4 as in, 1,2,3,4?" 

"Yeah. There's a small age gap. She's on the lower end of 4 as well." I chuckled and his mouth dropped open. "14 years between the youngest and middle and 19, nearly 20 between me and her." 

"God you were full grown adult." 

"You're telling me. The thought of it makes my skin crawl even now." We both let out short laughs. "How old is your brother?"

"He's 29, so there's only 4 years between us." I nodded. So he's 25 then. Quick maths. Brain smart. 

"That's not bad." 

"Not compared to 19 years. Jesus." I laughed again. "Do people think she's yours when you go out together?" 

"Oh my god, so much. Me and my sisters all look really alike too. So if it's just me and Soph people will stop and tell me that she takes after her mama. And I'm like, sir my mother is blonde." I laughed hard and he did too. 

"Please tell me you say that." 

"I usually just stare at them blankly." I took a deep breathe, still giggling. "I did once though. I'd had it 4 times in one shop and I'd had enough. She was like 2 at the time and I just said, we get our looks from our father." He threw his head back, almost falling to the floor as he did, lifting one arm across his stomach. A hard laugh. One that I knew would keep him giggling for a while. "You should have seen the woman's face. It was pure horror. I could have clarified that she was my sister but I was too proud in the moment and the woman scampered off."  I was laughing too, in between the words.

I was having fun here tonight. A lot more fun that I thought I was going to have.