Sarah Smiles

We're So Starving

Brendon's POV

"I'd tell you what the usual is, but that would ruin the surprise. I know, I know, you hate surprises, but you really should just give me a chance." I explain. I notice that Sarah isn't paying any attention at all. Actually, she's just staring at me, smiling a big, goofy smile. "Sarah!" I say, waving my hand in her face. "Sare, are you ok?" I ask, concerned.

She quickly looks away and starts blushing profusely. "Yeah, I'm sorry. Dammit, you're just so perfect. It isn't fair!" Sarah sighs. I'm perfect? She is so beautiful inside and out, it's almost sickening. I can't believe she would ever think she wasn't.

Sarah acts awkwardly for a few minutes, shyly playing with her fingers and looking anywhere but at me. I decide that now would be an excellent time to pick up my guitar. I walk to the corner where I had placed my guitar earlier and pick it up. I booked out the whole restaurant and had them clear the whole room of everything except the one table and the two instruments. I sit on the floor, legs crossed, and start strumming the beginning of The End of All Things.

Whether near or far
I am always yours
Any change in time
We are young again

"I love this song!" Sarah jumps out of her chair, forgetting all about our awkward affairs, and runs over to where I am.

"Do you play?" I ask her, handing over the guitar. It just so happens to be the one I call Dorothy. This is because it's bright red and shimmery, like Dorothy's shoes from the wizard of Oz.

"Ha ha, not well." She answers dryly. "I'm not the best at performing music."

"Show me what you got." I test. She starts to strum the beginning of a familiar song.

They told him, "Don't you ever come around here.
Don't wanna see your face. You better disappear."
The fire's in their eyes and their words are really clear
So beat it, just beat it

You better run, you better do what you can
Don't wanna see no blood, don't be a macho man
You wanna be tough, better do what you can
So beat it, but you wanna be bad

Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right

Just beat it, beat it!

She cuts off the song with a slam. I clap, she has an amazing voice, and her finger picking is pretty good for someone who says they aren't. I wonder why she isn't more confident that in her ability?

"I thought you said you weren't good? I was expecting awful tone-deafness. That was amazing." I say, taking Dorothy from her and setting it against the wall. I look back at Sarah, she's smiling so broadly that I can feel the radiance shining off of her. She has an amazing smile. It's full of innocence and youth.

"I'm not that good." She laughs, standing up and making her way back to the table as Adolf walks in with our mac and cheese and some sparkling grape juice. "So that's what the usual is!" Sarah exclaims. She must have been itching to know.

For the remainder of our meal, we discuss how Sarah would make an exceptional musician. She tells me about her mom, and how it would never be approved. I find that sad. My parents have always supported my musical career.

Adolf comes back, dessert menu in hand. "Would you like dessert?" Adolf asks Sarah. She shakes her head.

"I don't need anything, thank you, Adolf." She smiles at him.

"But Adolf makes a pretty bomb peanut butter cookie. Right, Ade?" Adolf nods and looks at Sarah with skepticism.

"Life is really too short, you should get the cookie." He haggles. Sarah gives me a look and then turns back to Adolf.

"Fine. But it better be a damn good cookie." She caves. I laugh at her and she sticks out her tongue at me. When Adolf leaves, I stand up and offer my hand to Sarah.

"Do you play piano, too?" I ask, wanting to hear her sweet voice once again. Sarah nods and takes my hand, joining me. We walk over to the piano and she sits down, playing a starting note that I know all too well.

This is gospel for fallen ones locked away in permanent slumber, assembling their philosophies from pieces of broken memories.

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

Their gnashing teeth and criminal tongues conspire against the odds, but they haven't seen the best of us yet.

I join in at the chorus of the song, harmonizing with Sarah's voice. It feels so natural.

If you love me let me go. If you love me let me go. Cause these words are knives and often leave scars the fear of falling apart and truth be told I never was yours the fear the fear of falling apart.

It sounds like pure magic when I hear it in my ears. We have to do a recording together, I decide. There is no way her voice can go unnoticed.