Small Town Girl

Chapter 3

"What's it like being in marching band?" asks Josh

"It's really fun! I love it. It's hard but I still enjoy it. Honestly it's one of the only times I feel like I'm actually accepted." I say

"So what instrument do you play?" He asks following up his previous question.

"Saxophone. Alto-Saxophone to be exact." I answer.

Josh and I have been meeting everyday after school for three weeks for his report. He has become a very good friend of mine and he knows almost everything about me now. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

"That's really cool so do you play any other instruments?" He asks

"Uh. Yeah I don't tell many people but I play piano and guitar." I say

"Are you any good?" He asks looking like he was almost afraid to ask.

"Not really." I say shyly.

"Not really. Goodness don't lie to him." says Nathan from behind the counter "She's the best guitarist and piano player I ever met. And I've met a lot. She also sings."

"Really!" asks Josh excitedly "Can I hear?"

"No. Absolutely not. I'm as good at singing as Nathan is good at keeping secrets, which as you can see he is not very good at that." I say embarrassed and mad at Nathan for telling him that.

"Why not?" asks Josh

"Yeah Sarah! Why not? You let me hear you sing and play." says Nathan with an evil grin.

"That was different Nathan! I was here really late and thought you had already left." I say very aggravated that we were still talking about it.

"Come on Sarah. Please." says Josh

"No."

"Sarah just this once I won't tell anyone else." says Nathan

"And I won't tell anyone either." says Josh

I sigh knowing neither of them will shut up about it until it happens.

"Fine. But no one else can find out. You two are the only ones that know and the only ones that can know." I say giving in.

"Okay." they both reply.

I go up onto the stage that at night is occupied by bands that play indie music. I sit down at the piano and rest my fingers on the keys as I think about what I should sing. And then it just comes out. It took me a second to realize what I was playing. But when I did finally realize I quickly lost myself back into the music.

"I heard there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased The Lord

But you don't really care for music do you?

I goes like this th the fifth

The minor fall the major lift

The baffled king composing

Hallelujah" I sing

I finish the song with

"Maybe there's a God above

But all I've ever learned from love

Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you

It's not a cry you can hear at night

It's not somebody who has seen the light

It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah" As I open my eyes for the first time since I had begun to sing.

I hit the last note and realize I have to look up at the reaction of Nathan and Josh.

They both have wide eyes. I told them I couldn't sing now they think I'm a walrus. This is by far the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to me. And trust me I've been embarrassed a lot.

"Well okay Josh I think we went over enough for today. Nathan I'll see you later." And with that I got up, grabbed my bag and laptop and run out.

"Sarah! Wait!" I hear Josh yell as he jumps up and runs after me I also hear Nathan laugh and say "That's Sarah. Always bashful"

I get to my car and try to find my keys in my bag as quickly as I can so I don't have to talk to Josh who ran after me. But I didn't find them quick enough.

"Sarah. Hey what's wrong?" asks Josh like he honestly didn't know.

"I was terrible. I told you I was terrible. But you made me sing anyway. And when I looked up and saw you and Nathan's faces, I knew you thought I was awful; and I just couldn't take you and him trying to tell me I sung well and played well with a fake smile plastered on your faces." I say getting upset.

Josh quickly grabbed my elbows and looked me in the eyes and said "Sarah, listen we weren't going to tell you that because you were awful. We were going to tell you that because you were amazing."

"Don't lie to me." I whisper

"I'm not your voice is astounding. You have a voice that people can only dream of hearing." He says lifting my chin so I had to look at him.

"Really? You're not just saying that to make me feel better." I ask

"No of course not." He says as he pulls me into a hug. "Okay, now are we okay?"

"Yeah." I say pulling myself together.

"Great now let's just take a walk and talk. Does that sound good?" He asks smiling at me.

"Yeah , that sounds great." I say

....................................................................................................................

We walk through the park just talking not about anything specific. Just talking.

"So can I ask you a question?" asks Josh

"Well you didn't give me much of a choice now did ya?" I say "But yeah anything."

"Okay so are you and Nathan like together?" He asks with his head down.

"No. Not at all. Never have been though most people find that hard too believe. Why?"

"Oh just wondering. He's awful young to own a business. Isn't he?"

"Not really, his mind makes up for it. He's only twenty and he graduated from high school at seventeen, and dropped out from college last year. His dads rich but he doesn't like to talk about him because they don't talk much after he dropped out." I say

"Oh then how exactly does the place stay open?" He asks

"At night bands come and play it brings in quite a crowd. That's how it stays open." I reply.

"Oh okay. So I have another question." Josh says

"Okay."

"Why did you run out earlier?" He say concerned.

"That's just what I do. I run when things start to go downhill to avoid getting hurt again." I say

"Again? What do you mean again?" He asks stopping to look at me.

"You may think you know everything about me Turner but you don't." I say

"Will you tell me please?" He asks

"Sure." I say. I don't know why I decided to tell him such a personal story. But when he looks at me I feel like I've known him forever. So as we walk I begin.

"It happened when I was ten......"

**************************************************************

Hey guys sorry this ones short and cliche but it's where the story just keeps going in my mind.

HAPPY READING!