The Normal Life

ch. 7

C H A P T E R    S E V E N

"Selly, Sel, Selena! Selenuuuur. Sel!"

I groan as my sister continues her actions – shaking me awake. Her voice is sweet and everything but I almost want to scream right now. I want to sleep. I cover my ears with my pillow but her little hands push my shoulders with more pressure, causing me to roll on the other side of my bed – except, my bed doesn't have another side....so I fall down on the cold ground, my sleepiness gone all at once.

"Ouch," I wince at the impact. Lana widens her eyes but then bursts out in giggles. I groan at her as she helps me to get up but I do half of the work as she's still busy laughing. We walk downstairs and eat breakfast with my parents.

The day goes on lazily as Lana goes to school and my parents go to work. I asked them if I could come and help but they declined – assuring me that they didn't need help and that I should just chill. I'm home alone by eleven a.m. with nothing to do. I walk around the house, deciding to make myself a healthy salad because apparently my mind isn't interesting enough to find something else.

As I eat, I wonder what it's like back in L.A. I wouldn't be free right now back there, I would be moving around quickly – either getting ready for an interview or for a show. I had no free time and I craved for holidays but now that I'm in vacation, I find it boring.

I decide to go out on a walk. As I wander around, I notice the familiar blonde I've met at the FarmFun festival. Lindsay. I smile as I walk up to her. She's sitting on a bench with an acoustic guitar in her hands.

"You play guitar?" I ask. My voice startles her because she looks up at me, blue eyes glittering. She then smiles at me.

"You scared me," she breathes out and nods at my question, "I do, kinda...and I sing too."

"A dancer, singer and guitarist," I nod to myself, impressed, "That's great."

"Uh, not really. I'm not a professional like you. And I'm so embarrassed right now. What I play is probably nothing to the singers you know back in L.A—"

"Oh come on, don't be modest and show me what you've got. We all started from something, didn't we?"

She glances down shyly but starts strumming the strings anyway.

She plays the melody slowly and I know that she's going to sing a slow and possibly sad song. Intrigued, I sit down next to her and listen intently.

Pretend you're happy, pretend we're fine

I guess that's easier after all this time

Talk about someone else then look in my eyes

I know you still hold on to us inside

But we watched that butterfly fly.

She pauses to see my reaction. I give her a reassuring smile and she closes her eyes, once again singing the beautiful words.

I'd give anything just to be with you again but it's not the right time

And I'd give anything just to feel you on my skin

But it's not the right time and it'll never be the right time, will it?

It might never be the right time and that's the hardest part of it...

She stops and looks at me, "I...I haven't finished writing the song. That's all I've got for now," she bites down on her lip nervously, "So?"