ғʀᴏᴍ ᴘᴏʀᴛʟᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ʟ.ᴀ. » ᴅᴀɴɪᴇʟ sᴇᴀᴠᴇʏ

Chapter Nine

Anna opens the front door. She breaks out into a wide smile before pulling me into a hug.

"Kai, I didn't know you were coming over!"

"Yeah, I came to drop this off to Daniel," I say, gesturing to the paper book under my arm.

"Oh, okay," she says, stepping away from the doorway. "Come on in, I'll show you to his room."

Before I know it, we're standing steps away from his bedroom.

"Here you are. I'll be downstairs," she says. I thank her and send her a smile before she's off. I stand alone in the hallway.

Why are you so hesitant to give this to him?

I shake my head, gather whatever courage I have within me, and walk up to his bedroom door. It's open slightly and I hear the picking of a guitar along with a voice. His voice.

I knock on the wood surface.

"Come on in," he calls.

I slip inside his room, but he doesn't look up, preoccupied with his work. He's scribbling words- most likely lyrics- down on a notebook that's resting on his bed while leaning over the guitar in his lap.

He looks up at me and his face brightens.

"Hey, Kai. Sorry that I didn't meet you at the front; I didn't hear the doorbell."

"Oh, it's fine," I say, waving my hand in dismissal. "Well... here you go."

I raise the copy of my book in the air so he can see it before placing it on the corner of the desk to my left.

"Is that your book?"

He looks so excited, it makes me laugh. I nod and he gets off the bed to look at it. He picks up the stack of paper, reads the title, and then flips it over to read the summary on the back. I find the look of wonder that is apparent in his eyes amusing.

Glancing around the room, I spot a keyboard in the corner and absentmindedly make my way over to it.

I turn it on, almost forgetting that Daniel is in the room, poising my fingers over the keys of a song I wrote two years ago when I didn't see my mom for three weeks straight.

I've never been one to showcase what I can do in front of others. Especially singing. This is the only area of my life that I have not shared with Blaire. I don't why, I just haven't.

Despite all that, for some strange reason that I can't explain, I don't mind if Daniel knows.

I play the entire first verse, humming the tune the lyrics follow quietly and letting my fingers move at their own accord.

"Sing the words," says a voice behind me.

I turn around to look at Daniel.

"What?" I say.

"There are words to the song you were just playing, right?"

"Yes," I say, looking at the carpeted floor with a small smile.

"Go ahead. Sing the words out loud."

I shake my head slowly.

"I've never... I've never sang this song for anyone. Scratch that. I've never sang for anyone. Ever."

"Wow... really? Well... see that song on my bed? I've never sung that to anyone either so how about this. You sing yours and I'll sing mine. Deal?"

I'm acutely aware of the blood pumping wildly through my veins. I feel my emotional walls threatening to rise and not let him in. I don't want to sing to him. I don't want him to judge me. I worry, but one look at him sends a wave of peace through me that no one has ever made me feel before.

I surprise myself once again.

"Okay," I sigh, "but you're going first."

He grins, grabs his guitar, and sings. He seems entirely comfortable performing for me, but I shouldn't be surprised. This is what he does for a living, after all.

When he finishes, I clap for an excessive amount of time. He laughs as I finally come to a stop, just to start talking.

"You're so talented," I say, not embarrassed a single bit, because it's completely and entirely true.

"Thanks, Kai. That means a lot," he says, smiling.

All smiles.

I sit down on the seat in front of the keyboard. Without thinking about how terrified I am to sing for an individual who is literally famous for being a singer, I begin.

Three minutes later, I turn around on the bench and force myself to meet Daniel's eyes.

"Did you write that?" he asks. I nod.

"About... your mom?" he says, quieter than before. I don't feel the usual twinge of sadness when I nod again. He smiles gently.

"You've got a gift, Kai."

His comment catches me off-guard.

"What do you mean?" I say.

"You wrote that piano part. It was involved, not just chords. You wrote the lyrics. They mean something to you, so that automatically translates into proof that you're passionate about singing. And your voice... Kai, you're really talented. All of what you showed me proved that you're not just another singer."

I look at the ground again, blushing.

"Thank you," is all I can manage to say.

Somehow, after that, he talks me into singing with him. He strums through random songs on his guitar, and I join in when I know the words. I harmonize with him as he sings the melodies and every time I do this, he shoots me an expression that features a grin and wide eyes.

He looks down at his guitar, singing his heart out. I look at him, my heart feeling like it's going to burst out of my chest.

Thank God that this boy did not remain a stranger to me.