Listen To Me

chapter 7 ⋆ play me

Noel

The next time I find Jax, he's in a music room.

What surprises me is that he's playing the piano incredibly well. Something I vaguely recognise as a famous Chopin piece flies from the piano, as Jax deftly runs his fingers over the keys. He barely even notices me entering the room, he's so focused.

When he's done, Jax looks up at me and grins. "How did you find me?"

"Lucky guess." I say, smiling. "I remember you saying to me that you were going to practise here more regularly."

He gestures for me to sit in the chair beside him. I oblige, and he pulls me closer to him. When I'm close enough, he rests his chin on my shoulder, burying his face into my neck. "I missed you." he says, his voice muffled into my skin.

I squirm, hoping he doesn't realise that I'm ticklish. But of course Jax notices. He always sees everything. When he withdraws from me, there's a wicked grin on his face. "You're ticklish?"

"No." I protest, resisting the urge to run. When Jax reaches for me, I get up from my seat and indulge my senses by dashing across the room. He gives chase, chuckling as I make it halfway before I'm in his arms again. He reaches for my neck, tantalizingly brushing his fingers across my skin, and I giggle.

But the mood is no longer silly. He's looking at me with something serious, earnest in his eyes, and I'm melting before him. What has this boy done to me? A week ago, I would have recoiled from the mere idea of being in a relationship. Now, I couldn't imagine myself without Jax.

I reach over to take his jaw in my hands, kissing Jax's mouth. He kisses me back, walking us over to the piano. As we let go of each other, he smiles at me. "Do you trust me?"

I raise my eyebrows. "Yes is the simple answer."

"Then here," Jax says, taking my hand in his. He runs his fingers over mine before he places them on the piano keys, keeping my hand locked in his. "Play with me." I raise my eyebrows at him and giggle. He understands the euphemism, and he blushes adorably. "Not in that way! I mean we'll play something. Creating something beautiful together is better than making it alone."

"Such a poet." I comment wryly, but there's a genuine smile on my face.

Jax starts off gently, guiding me through a simple melody. Then he brings in the complicated chord sequences, but it's not hard when his fingers are holding mine, sure and steady. He won't let me misstep.

When we finish the piece, I laugh, giddy with his success. "You're incredible, Jax."

"Not nearly as astounding as you, Margot." he says softly. Jax puts his fingertips underneath my chin, tilting my head up as he searches my face. "I'm yours, every day. I promise you now that it'll never change."

My smile dissolves. "You can't promise that forever, Jax. Eventually, something will take us away."

Jax sighs, frustrated. "Fine, so it won't be forever. But for as long as I can have you, I will."

He kisses me again but this time it's feverish, desperate. It's a blind sort of adoration that wasn't there before, crushing everything in its path. My thoughts blend together as I focus on Jax. Him, only him. He is the air I breathe.

When we move away from each other, Jax grins at me, his golden hair illuminated by the sunlight. His eyes are warm and brown as earth. "Can I tell you something?"

"Anything." I say fervently.

Jax's eyes soften. "Arden's birthday is in a few days."

"He didn't tell me." I say, feeling strange. We only just became friends, but his birthday is a big deal.