𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 ~ T. Nichols

Different But Same

"What the fuck happened here?" Theo asked when he, Freddie and Cami walked out of their apartment the next morning to see the remains of Johnny's burnt car in the parking lot.

"I wasn't home last night," Cami shrugged, looking at Freddie.

"I was blacked out in bed," Freddie shook his head.

"So was I," Theo shrugged. The three moved towards their van, wiping some ash from the windscreen before they set off to school.

—————

Theo and Tory found themselves seated side by side in their music class, surrounded by the sounds of various instruments. Tory's frustration was evident as she struggled to follow the music notes on the sheet, her fingers stumbling on the keys of the piano.

Theo, noticing Tory's struggle, glanced at her with concern. He softly whispered, "Hey, don't be too hard on yourself. It took me years to play the piano."

"But you're in a band," Tory rolled her eyes. "You can play piano and guitar."

"That's not the point," Theo laughed. With a smile, Theo reached into his bag and pulled out a sheet of music. "I wrote this song called 'Dance With My Mother.' It's a simple song, and I think it could be a great starting point for you."

Tory's eyes widened with surprise. "Are you sure? It's a personal song."

Theo nodded, his voice filled with sincerity. "Yes, darling. This song is special, just like you."

Tory's face reddened as Theo placed the sheet of music in front of Tory, he positioned himself on the bench next to her. He gently took her hands in his, his touch warm and reassuring.

"Let's try something different," Theo suggested, his voice gentle and encouraging. "Instead of focusing on the notes, let's focus on the feeling of the music."

Tory looked at Theo, her heart filled with gratitude for his support. She nodded, taking a deep breath.

As Theo began to play the simple melody on the piano, he guided Tory's hands along the keys, showing her the rhythm and flow of the music. Together, their hands danced across the piano, creating a symphony of love and understanding.

Tory's frustration slowly melted away as Theo let go of her hands and she played without guidance.

"Back when I was a child
Before life removed all the innocence
My mother would lift me high
And dance with my grandpa and me and then
Spin me around 'til I fell asleep
Then up the stairs, she would carry me
And I knew for sure
I was loved."

"If I could get another chance
Another walk
Another dance with her
I'd play a song that would never ever end
How I'd love, love, love
To dance with my mother again."

Theo sang along softly as a guiding point for Tory to stay in line with the music. Her fingers slipped every now and then which made the song sound off, but Theo just smiled at her reassuringly.

"When I and my grandpa would disagree
To get my way I would run from him to her
She'd make me laugh just to comfort me, yeah-yeah
Then finally make me do
Just what my grandpa said
Later that night when I was asleep
She left a dollar under my sheet
Never dreamed that she
Would be gone from me."

"If I could steal one final glance
One final step
One final dance with her
I'd play a song that would never ever end
Cause I'd love love love to
Dance with my mother again."