A Guitarist's Tale

Chapter 2

      Quick A/N: The song used later is not a real song, I just.... I don't know what I was thinking ;p

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              Alexis couldn't speak, she had no words. Why? Why her dad? She broke down on the floor crying; her mother rushed to her side. Michael shook his head, very unhappy. Once Alexis calmed down, he explained that the doctor said he had between three and four months left to live. She burst out crying again, rushing to her room and slamming the door. Her father turned his head from Elizabeth, trying to hide his threatening tears. 

She simply put her head on his shoulder and wept into his sleeve.

Dinner was silent that night. Nobody said anything. The tension in the air was making Alexis uncomfortable and she shifted in her seat. Elizabeth kept her eyes on her plate. Michael just picked at his steak. Eventually, Alexis pushed her plate away from her and locked herself in her bedroom.

About an hour later, Michael knocked on her door and she opened it. It was clear she'd been crying; her eyes were red and puffy, her nose was running, and she was sniffling. Her dad stepped into her room, holding his guitar. She climbed into her bed, pulling the covers over herself. Michael sat on the end of her bed, positioning his hands over the strings to play her special song.

He began to play the melody, singing quietly in time with the echo of the sound from each string.

"When the wolves, they howl

and the owls ask "Who?"

and the moon is a bright circle in the sky

surrounded by shining stars

You'll remember that I love you

no matter where I go. 

You can look out the window and see the sky

you may think it's pretty

And love the night sky so,

But you shall always remember 

I'll never lie and

I love you 'till I die."

He gave his song a final few chords. He stood up, making the bed creak as he kissed Alexis on the forehead. "Goodnight, honey. I'll see you in the morning!" She didn't reply, just turned away and shut her eyes tightly. Michael sighed as he left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Nobody slept that night.

When Alexis forced herself out of bed, she got dressed, skipped breakfast, and waited for Charlie to get on the bus. When she did, she sat next to Alexis silently, noticing her depressed look. After a few moments, she spoke. "Lexi?"

"Yeah?"

"Are... Are you ok?"

Tears spilling from her eyes, Alexis told Charlotte the previous nights events. "A-and he only has four months left to live," she bawled. Charlie simply held her close, upset that her friend was sad. "D-don't cry! You're gonna make me cry, too!" 

Soon, they were both crying and hugging each other tightly. When they stepped off the bus, they were still sniffling, and by the time they reached class, their eyes were red and they were tired. The teacher gave them a questioning look, but Alexis shook her head. Charlie didn't reply either. Both of them slept soundly throughout class, and Mrs. Harley didn't seem to mind it. 

When the friends climbed on the bus, they exchanged addresses and Charlie requested a sleepover. "Sure, let me ask my mom," Alexis said, forgetting the talk from yesterday. When she got home, she knocked on her parents' bedroom door and queried her mom about the sleepover. Michael was nowhere to be seen.

"Okay, but stay safe and don't talk to strangers," Elizabeth reminded her. "Okay, mom." Alexis threw her stuff together and sat in the backseat of their Chevy, excited to see Charlie. She nearly hit her head on the roof of the car on her way out. The car stayed out, waiting to make sure she was good before leaving. Clutching her gym bag, she knocked lightly on the front door. No answer.

She knocked a bit harder. Still, nothing.

Disappointed, she turned around, about to walk back to her mom, but the door opened with a creaking sound. "Hey Lexi! Where ya goin'?" Alexis spun back around. "Charlie! I thought you gave me the wrong address there!" They laughed and Charlie held the door wide open. Alexis waved to Elizabeth, signaling she could leave. 

Once inside, Alexis breathed in the scent of cinnamon. "Mm, it smells good in here," she commented. Charlie grinned. "C'mon, I'll show you my room!" The two girls giggled, running through a hallway and crashing into a door. 

"Ow... I thought that was open!"

Alexis rubbed her nose, checking it for blood. "Ouch." Charlie glanced at her apologetically. "Sorry, Lexi!" Alexis just nodded, accepting the apology. She opened the door and they walked in together. "Ooh, I like this more than my own room!" It had gray walls and a carpet floor. Posters of KISS, Imagine Dragons, and other boy bands lined the walls. A white painted dresser stood in the corner and a queen-sized bed was in the center of the room. Gray and white striped curtains covered the windows on either side of the bed. Shirts hung neatly in her wide closet. 

Alexis stared in awe until Charlie nudged her. "So, what do you wanna do first?" Alexis gave her the "are you being serious" look. "We're gonna play Monopoly, duh!" 

"YEAH!" Charlie screamed. Her father yelled at her to keep it down. "SORRY DAD," she called back.

The girls settled down for a game of Monopoly and the night began.