FALLEN: A New Adult Romance (First of the FALLEN Trilogy)

Iris

With more wine in her system, Sophie feels more and more at ease with Mace. We have moved the conversation to the living room, and she acts like they are best friends. I like to see them interact. I think Marcel likes it as well. It reminds me, I have never seen him have fun. Every time he is with his friend Eddy, it's because of me, and some drama always happens. I am sorry to cause this in his life. I don't want there to be more drama between us.

"...since we've been together, I haven't been able to remember anything he taught me. How long did it take for you?" Sophie tells Marcel about something I didn't pay attention to.

"I learned in four months. Eddy taught me."

"Four months?! Wow! Is it because you learn quickly or because he is a good teacher?"

"A bit of both, actually." He thinks a second and responds. "If you want, I could teach you."

"Would you?" Her face brights up, and he proudly nods. She raises a finger and runs to her room to come back with her guitar. "Grace was actually complaining about how dusty it was earlier. I am happy to finally use it."

"It definitely is." He smirks and takes it on his knee, pressing his upper body against it. He blows on it to get most of the dust away.

He fingerpicks a few strings and quickly realises the guitar isn't tuned. I am blown away to see him tune it by ear. I sneak a look at Sophie, who is completely smitten by the Marcel she sees tonight. Maybe it's the wine, but I am so thankful for their relationship evolving that much.

"I won't teach you anything tonight," Marcel says with his usual tone, but she doesn't take it the wrong way.

"I figured... Do you know any songs? Maybe, if you want, you could play us something before I leave you two and go get some sleep. The wine is hammering me."

"No shit?!" I let out with a laugh as it wasn't a secret. She wouldn't have been so open to Marcel if she hadn't been.

"What would you like to hear?" He politely asks as he fingerpicks absentmindedly the well-tuned guitar in his hands

"Surprise us," I ask of him with a large smirk.

He seems to think about it for a few seconds before I see a smirk growing on his lips. He takes the pick from Sophie and gives the guitar all of his attention. It takes a moment before I seem to recognise the tune. But then again, I doubt myself. It isn't until he starts to sing that I finally recognise it.

Iris.

"And I'd give up forever to touch you

'Cause I know that you feel me somehow

You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be

And I don't want to go home right now

And all I can taste is this moment

And all I can breathe is your life

And sooner or later, it's over

I just don't wanna miss you tonight

And I don't want the world to see me

'Cause I don't think that they'd understand

When everything's meant to be broken

I just want you to know who I am"

Neither Sophie nor I have said a thing as he surprisingly and beautifully sang part of the song Iris by Goo Goo Dolls. It wasn't awkward like it might have been with anyone else. It was the most gorgeous and the purest thing I have ever seen Marcel do. I am utterly smitten and at the edge of tears when he stops singing and looks back up at us.