Beyond The Sky

50

I play through the whole song, cheering myself on as I do so. Soon enough, I've got the whole thing perfect... or, at least, what I would consider 'perfect'. I smile, excited to stop working on it for a little while. I set my guitar aside for a moment to grab my phone, and then take a picture of me with my guitar to post later. I'm thinking maybe I'll post a video of me and Lance performing too. I don't know yet, 'cause I have to see if he's comfortable with that. I'm just trying to be nice. I can't say 100% if I'll even record it, though. I'm just thinking about it.

My phone buzzes, it's a text from Spencer. He's asking if I'm finished with my practice so we can go out today and do... whatever siblings do on a break from school, before I see Lance tomorrow, and Evynne in another two.

And no, that does not include going and literally tearing up the town... We were raised to be good human beings.

I text him I'm on my way downstairs before I quickly put on a new outfit, grab my jacket, and meet him in our living room. He grabs his car keys off the entertainment center, and takes his puffy coat off the hook, saying goodbye to our mom before closing the door behind us, locking it.

"What's the plan?" I ask as I open the passenger door of his car. He would shrug at me.

"Really?" I ask again. "No plans for this day out?"
"Figured we'd just go with the flow," he starts, "maybe we'll just go on a road trip to a different city and take in some new scenery."

"I wouldn't think we'd go super far."
"I don't plan to go more than an hour and a half away. Don't worry, we'll be home before it gets too late."

I take a deep breath. "I wasn't really worried about that, I trust you."

"I would hope so!" He laughs. "Did you have anything in mind that you wanted to do?"

"Actually..." I pause. Did I really have anything I wanted to do? "...no, not really."

He'd laugh a little more. "Okay. I didn't think so."

"You're so mean."
"You think I'm not aware of this?"

I chuckle in response as Spencer finally starts his car up, immediately turning on the heater. I let the warmth from it hit me in the face. It felt nice. The radio was playing his loud, obnoxious music. He turns it down, asking if I'd like to play anything with the aux. I smile, taking this offer, plugging the aux cord into both the radio and my phone. He turns it back up, driving down our neighborhood. My first instinct is to play a song from my favorite band, but I change my mind and play something different.

Something the both of us enjoy. I immediately hit shuffle on the playlist we both made together, waiting for the first song to play.

"Angel In The Night" by Basshunter begins after it finally loads. Spencer looks at me, and I smile, nodding. He starts to sing obnoxiously once the next verse comes in.

   

And I'm so happy when I see

That you are smiling back at me..."

He really pays attention to the lyrics during this, and he tells me, "This song kind of reminds me of Isla and I."

"Aww," I say, "have you said anything to her about that?"

He shakes his head. "Haven't really thought about it until now." He pauses. "Do you have a song that reminds you of you and Lance?"

"I do. But I might have a couple others in mind."
"You should play it for me!"

"Are you sure? It's pretty cheesy."

"I just wanna hear it! I'd like to see if it makes me think of you two, too."
"You don't really even know the dynamic of our relationship."
"...You've told me everything, Serena, I do actually know. Whether you'd like to not think so."
"...A-hah. Right." I shake it off, waiting for the song to end. While I'm waiting, I look for "Together Forever" by Set It Off. The song that I think is almost perfect for me and Lance.

Not just because it's Lance's favorite either, just because I think it matches us.

A few minutes pass and the song is ending with the last verse.

"Are you 100 percent sure you want to hear this?" I ask, one more time. I think I'm starting to annoy him.

"Yeah," he smiles, "play it."

I hit pause on the Basshunter song right as it ends, and I switch it over to my song.

I look over at Spencer as it begins. He seems to be bobbing his head to the music a little, so that's a good sign.

"I like the way this sounds," he admits, "it's got a nice beat."

I nod. "I think so, too," I smile at him, "it's really nice. Just wait until you hear the rest of these lyrics."

"Oh?" He questions.

"There's one section I think is the kicker for this conversation. Also, after this song, can I go back to our normal playlist?"

"Yeah, of course."

I sing along quietly to the song until the verse in question comes up. I get just a little bit louder to tell Spencer, 'hey, pay attention to this part!'

    "How she feels like I do

When I stare at the moon

And I'd hope where she was,

That she noticed it too,

When my phone lights up,

And my dimples are digging deeper,

I swear I need her..."

I almost see Spencer's eyes light up. "So that's it, huh? That's the song?"
"Mm-hmm." I respond. "What do you think?"
"Very cute. Did you say that this was one of Lance's favorite songs, too?"
"I probably mentioned it, but yeah. It is." I pause. "I plan on performing it for him when I see him again..." My voice trails off as I slump in the seat a bit. I'm a little embarrassed.

"That's so cute. You two are amazing together, I can sense it."

I huff, sitting back up. "I really hope you would think so..."

"You see him tomorrow, right?"
"I do. Hopefully you're ready for some constant music playing."
"Oh yeah, you're teaching him a couple of songs, aren't you?"
"Yeah. I'm hoping to get one done to introduce him to Evynne."
"Ah," he smiles, "I see. How is Evynne, anyway?"
"She's doing great! She found her soulmate a few months ago."
"Oh, awesome! You should tell me all about him... or at least, what you know about him."
I laugh. "I should really leave that up to Evynne." Our song ends and I switch it back to our normal playlist. "I Don't Care" by Fall Out Boy begins to play as I start speaking again: "But if you'd really like me to try--"
"No, no, it's cool. You said Evynne will be over in a few days, I figure you can ask her about him then, and I'll just casually eavesdrop."

"Pfft. No need, she likes you as a person. She trusts you. I don't think she'll mind telling you."

"I know. Just wanted to see how you'd react."
"Like I'd have anything different to say?"

"Yeah. You're unpredictable, Serena!"

"I am not!" I laugh because I know he's joking. "Not everyone is an open book!"

"That's very obvious." He laughs. "Switch the song, I'm bored of this," he admits.

"Fine." I hit next. It shuffles, and it begins to play "Kamikaze" by Owl City. Total genre change.

"Yeaaah! Owl City time!" He laughs. "Guilty pleasure band, here I come!"

I laugh. "You enjoy this stuff? I thought you let me add it because I liked it," I smile, "but you actually, genuinely, like it?"
"I do." He admits. "It's catchy... But nobody, and I mean nobody needs to know I listen to this."

"My lips are sealed."
It's been about ten minutes now, and you can see the downtown area in the bright light. It's weird to be seeing it in the early morning when no one's really there.

"It's so lonely out here right now," I say, looking out the window, "it's so weird."

"Yeah, it's still pretty early," he responds, "a lot of people are probably at work right now."
"True. There's a couple of cars parked over there." I point in the general direction as the next song starts.

"Mm-hm." He listens to the song playing and we sit in silence for a little while, listening and singing along to the songs on our playlist.