Every Second [COMPLETED]

Chapter 45 - "I actually don't believe you."

The hallways of the concert hall were strangely quiet, the sound of work men's voices and heavy treads coming from a distance. The soft melodious sound of guitar strings being plucked floated through an open door and draftily lazily down the empty corridor. Amelia looked in to the room from which the sound emanated.

Haley, the lead singer for If Ever, one of Danny's openers, sat curled up on the couch, her hands wandering over the guitar. Amelia knocked gently on the door.

"Hey Amelia," Haley said.

"Haley, you haven't seen Danny, have you?"

"Yeah, he was just here." An amused look darted across her face. "He asked me to show him a few chords," Haley said, her face holding in the laugh.

"Did he really?" Amelia asked, incredulous.

Amelia found it amusing that the one girl who hadn't fallen instantly for Danny's charms, was the one he had fallen for.

Haley let out a small laugh.

"Hey, I give him points for making an effort. Something tells me he doesn't have to work this hard to get any other girl's attention," she said.

"Yeah, not really. Every other girl falls head over heels at the sight of him."

"What? Girls find a guy who can sing with good hair, dark skin, laughing brown eyes, and a great smile attractive? Who knew?"

Amelia laughed and Haley's face brightened with a mischievous glint.

"I have to find that dashing man, so I'll see you later Haley," she said, walking away with a wave.

"Later."

Amelia was half way down the hallway when the world exploded with noise, the walls ringing with sound of her name. She turned around as a flurry of dark limbs and streaming light brown hair filled her vision. Amelia staggered back as Poppy hugged her.

"Aims! I've missed you!" Poppy said.

Amelia gave Poppy a skeptically look.

"I actually don't believe you," she said.

Poppy glared at Amelia. A tall figure stepped up behind Poppy and a warm tenor voice filled the hallway.

"Hey troublemaker," Will said.

Poppy crossed her arms, Amelia rushed forward, and hugged Will.

"Will!"

"Whatever, be more excited about seeing my boyfriend than seeing me," Poppy said.

Amelia let go of Will and tossed her arms around Poppy's shoulders.

"Oh Pops, you know I love having you here. When did you two get in?"

Danny joined the group, clearly the one who had guided Poppy and Will to Amelia's location.

"We got in late last night. We had a late breakfast and the headed straight over here. We met Danny in the parking lot and he helped us find you. Now are we going to go to lunch or what?" Poppy asked. Shrugging, Amelia looked to Danny and Will.

"Do we have a choice?" Will teased.

"Of course not, I was just being courteous. Lets go," Poppy said.

Amelia exchanged amused looks with Danny and Will.

***************

Arm linked with Amelia, Poppy guided the group through downtown Denver as if she owned the place. She exclaimed over the events of the past two months, sharing funny anecdotes and catching Amelia up on every detail of her life. They stepped into a wide park, dotted with trees and the lounging bodies. They made their way down to a narrow river. Amelia broke away from Poppy and leaned against the fence, watching the water, as it tumbled, rolled and tripped over the rocks.