The Searching Secret

Chapter 9

When the song ended Jay and I made our way back to where we were sitting earlier. His arm was around my shoulders and mine was around his waist, trying to steady ourselves as we laughed the whole way back. When we got back to our seats we found Chase and Layla whispering to each other. "Everything okay?" Jay asked

"What?" Layla asked, somewhat startled.

"The problem you guys had to take care of?" I reminded her.

"Oh that," Layla said, trying to laugh it off. "Yeah. Big misunderstanding. Everything is great." I didn't know why, but she felt guilty about something. Chase glared at her and then took off without saying a word.

"What's wrong with him?" Jay asked.

"Oh nothing, he just went to talk to the band about something."Layla smiled.

"Okay," he replied, as we both sat back down.

"So, Jay, we kinda have a favor to ask you. Well, more a request. And since you guys are staying at our place, for free I might add. I think it's only fair." Layla said, practically bouncing with excitement.

"Um, alright," he said, as he took his arm from my shoulder and turned to face her. I felt a strange but familiar feeling when he did this. This was a feeling that I shouldn't have because of Jay, so I tried my hardest to get rid of it. "What is it?" he asked.

"We want you to play a song," Layla smiled, as Chase returned with a guitar.

"What?" I asked. "Jay doesn't play." I turned and looked at him waiting for him to tell them they got it all wrong, but he said nothing. "You play?"

Jay shrugged.

I turned my attention back to Layla. "How did you know he played?" I asked.

"I saw him looking at the guitars in the window of the music shop while we were out today. So, it was more of a lucky guess," she replied, with that stupid fake sweet smile plastered all over her face. This girl was up to something, I just couldn't figure out what. "So what do you say?" she asked Jay.

"I don't know," Jay replied slowly.

"Jay," she said sternly. "Fight with all you've got." I looked at her, confusion written all over my face. What the heck was she talking about?

Jay breathed deeply and then quickly sighed. "Why not," he replied, as he took the guitar from Chase.

"You only live once," Chase mumbled with wink. "Just tell the band what song you wanna play and they'll be able to follow your lead."

Jay nodded and slowly followed Chase to the stage.

"Alright, Y'all, we are in for a special treat. One of our city friends agreed to play a song for us," Chase smirked, "Of course he ain't from around here so go easy on him."

Jay said something to the guys in the band, and then sat down on the stool in front of the microphone. He put the guitar strap over his shoulder and took another deep breath. "Alright well, here it goes."

He started to strum the guitar and the band soon followed his lead. With only a few notes I knew what song he was playing. "Oh my gosh." I said softly, when his voice started to sing the words to 'I'll be' by Edwin McCain. "He remembers."

"What?" Layla asked.

"This song. It's the first song we ever danced to," I replied, as the memory flashed across my mind.

***

It was middle school my ability was still very new to me, but my parents had made me go to this stupid school dance. Not only was I still learning to deal with others emotions, but it was one of those dances where if you went alone you were a loser. You were even more of a loser if you didn't have someone to dance with during the slow songs. All my friends had dates and it was the first slow song they played and I had already found a seat on the bleachers dreading the nasty things that would be said about me, when Jay walked up. "May I have this dance?" he asked, as he held his hand out to me and bowed slightly. I laughed softly because even though that was a dorky move, I was glad to be getting off the bleachers.

"You're my hero," I said to him softly, as we spun around in circles.

***

"It's all he's got," Layla said, pulling me out of memory. She was smiling and shaking her head slightly.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Nothing," she replied, keeping her eyes on Jay. I followed her lead and watched in amazement of what he could do. "You two really do make a cute couple."

Turning to face her I said, "We are just-"

"Friends? I know. You said. But I'm not an idiot. I can see the love that's there," she said.

"I'm sorry. I know you really started to crush on him. Maybe I could talk to him, tell him to give you a chance."

Layla laughed, took her eyes from Jay and put them on me. "I wasn't talking about him, even though, yeah, it's obvious he is head over heels for you. But I see it here," she said point to my eyes. "But even more importantly I see it here," she pointed at my chest. I dropped her gaze and looked down to where she had pointed, my heart. "You can't deny it forever, Riley."

"Layla, I. . . " I started to say in defense, but what was I going to say? That I didn't love him because I knew that wasn't true, I knew that I loved him, but did I love him like that... maybe, I don't know. These past few days had been so confusing. "I. . . " I looked up slowly as if I was about to admit defeat to her, but I found she was no longer sitting in front of me. In fact I had no idea where she had gone.

I turned my focus back to Jay and found his eyes locked on me. "Tell me that we belong together. Dress it up with the trappings of love." He sang and for a moment there was no one else in the world. He kept singing, as I got up from my seat and slowly made my way to the stage. Our eyes were locked the entire time

When I reached the front of the stage I stood there just watching and listening as he finished the song "greatest fan of your life," he sang

As he finished the song I climbed up on the stage. "You remembered," I said barely in a whisper.

"How could I forget?" he replied just as quiet.

"You never told me could play, let alone sing that well," I said only slightly louder

Jay shrugged, but kept he's eyes locked on mine. "You never asked," he replied.

"Well, cowboy," I smiled, as I took his hat from my head and placed it on his, "What else don't I know about you?"

A/N Kind of a lighthearted bunch of chapters but I hope you enjoyed them! To those Jay lovers out there, don't worry you are in for a bunch more.

What do you think about the time Riley and Jay are spending together? Tell me your thoughts in the comments!