Social Casualties - 1 [ 5SOS ]

14. Social Expression

° Jessa °

"What's music to you?" I asked Calum, watching as he tuned the strings on his guitar.

I hung around the music class, waiting for Luke after school since I had been refusing to go to his house before him because of what had happened with his roommate last time, so we agreed that he'd pick me up at the Extracurricular Building, and we'd walk together rather than me experience yet another traumatic situation.

Calum looked up to me, having a small smile appear of his cheeks, "Uh—I don't know" he muttered, "It's all I've really worked for, my older sister loved it, so I did too"

"You know, my dad used to teach me guitar" I began, seeing Calum raise an eyebrow up to me, "Don't get me wrong, I loved it, but it was so long ago, I doubt I remember any of it"

"Well, I can resume your lessons" he insisted, making me warm up.

"You'd do that?" I asked.

"Of course, I mean with that voice you've already got, you'll do great"

I nudged his shoulder, having him chuckle at his small comment.

I continued to watch him as he tinkered with his guitar, strumming its strings whenever he'd tighten their grips.

After he was done, he set the acoustic guitar on his lap, and began to strum random tunes.

"Come here" Calum said softly, standing up from where he sat, and patting the very stool he was on, "I'll show you something"

"Oh no, Calum, you don't have to teach me today, I—"

"Jessa" he muttered, raising his eyebrows to me.

I managed a smile, walking over to the stool, and placing myself down in front of him.

"Don't be afraid of the instrument" he noticed my foreign actions, "It'll love you as much as you love it"

"Sentimental" I giggled as he placed the guitar in my lap, and laced its strap onto my shoulder.

Calum placed his palms over my hands, positioning where they were to be on the instrument, though keeping his fingers with mine.

"It's all in structure" he said softly near my ear, "A good musician has the guitar play them, a great musician can play the guitar, but an amazing musician can do both"

"Very sentimental" I said just as softly as he did, feeling my fingertips tingle at the touch of the strings, and his hands gently on top of mine.

"Music's so much more than just noise, Jessa" he told me, having me smile warmly at his actions.

We were torn away from our small moment of isolation by the sound of someone clearing their throat, and knocking on the opened doorframe.

"Quite the moment I walked into" Luke said when we both looked up to see who had come in, "Are you ready to go?"

I nodded, and shifted away from Calum, giving him back his guitar, and thanking him for his company.