All We Knew

Chapter 14

Chapter 14: music bandage

Later that night we all decided to light a fire on the beach and talk. I sat on a blanket that covered to sand with my legs crossed. Baylee and Adam sat to my left and Mitch and Lena to my right. Dan sat next to Adam on the left and the others all surrounded the fire in a circle.

"So are you guys excited?" Jason exclaimed. Everyone laughed. "Yes!" Perston, Megan, and Jerome all replayed. The others just nodded not excluding Mitch, Lena, Dan and I. I looked over at Dan and he was just staring at the fire.

I could tell he was lost in his train of thought as I was as well. Just overthinking everything and wondering why we came. All of this could have been avoided if we just stayed home. Everyone was silent. Every once in a while I would hear Jason whisper something to Megan and she would giggle.

I lean back glancing behind everyone for a second and realize a black guitar behind Perston. The fire had made my face too warm making me pull away from the flames. "Hey Lena? Can you pass me the guitar?" I ask. Lena looks over at me. She looks bothered by something. "Yea sure..." Lena grabs the guitar and slides it over to me

I grabbed the guitar, placing it softly onto my thigh taking the pick that was wedged between the strings. I slid my fingers to their assigned spots on the neck of the guitar preparing to play. I counted one measure in my head. Then I was ready to start. I start a pattern of strumming to a song that I had learned as a child. 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark' by Death Cab for Cutie. The melody of this song had always interested me in its beautiful sound and powerful lyrics.

I closed my eyes sliding my fingers along the strings with a passion behind the music. As I strummed I felt the strings vibrate creating a very homey sound. It reminded me of Dan. There wasn't a particular reason. I think just how the music made me feel, and how he made me feel were slightly similar. When I'm with Dan I feel this sort of being protected and familiar. Like I'm home.

Right then I realize. Home isn't the place, it's the people. My home right now is here in LA. As I open my eyes looking up from the strings Baylee is smiling in front of me. I look over at everyone else and they are all paying close attention to my playing with a smile on their faces. Even a grin escaped Dan's lips.

I come back to the start of the verse in my playing. Baylee smirks before opening her mouth and singing the melody. "Love of mine, someday you will die, but I'll be close behind... I'll follow you into the dark" Baylee sings beautifully. Adam smirks cutting her off. "Blinding light, or tunnels to gates of light, and our hands clasp so tight... Waiting for he hint of a spark." Adam adds singing the next line. Adam and Baylee stare into each others eyes both smiling.

I continue to play along, hoping this duet will continue. "If heaven and hell decide, that they both are satisfied... Aluminate the noes on there vacancy signs... If there's no one beside you, when your soul embarks... I'll follow you into the dark..." They both harmonize with big smiles on there faces. Adam grabs Baylee's hand. "In Catholic school, as vicious as Roman rule. I got my knuckles bruised...by a lady in black." Baylee sings the next verse.

"And I held my tongue, as she told me Son fear is the heart of love... So I never went back." Adam adds. I notice him blush slightly but he still had a big smile on his face. I continue playing the chords over and over repeating. Slowly my mind wonders and I glance over at Dan. I watch Dan as he smirks while watching them as they sing. I can't help but to smile at him. His smirk slowly turns to a smile and then laughter.

Then he turned to me. Turning his laughter back to a grin. I blushes when he looked at me and my smile grew bigger. Dan continued to smile at me and I surprised. I looked down blushing from the butterflies that now filled my stomach. I look back up at him still strumming away at the guitar. The thing that confused me most was how I could play without messing up even with the feels that I was experiencing at the moment.

Finally we came to the end note of the song. Adam sang out a low note as Baylee accented it with her high voice. I took one more strum to end the song. They both smiled and the rest of the group applauded. I smiled looking down. When I looked back up I realized Dan was standing beside me. He gestured for Adam and Baylee to scoot over so they did. Dan sat beside me. He had a big smile on his face. "May I have a turn?" He joked.

I stared into his big brown eyes that were lit up by the fire and couldn't help but smile uncontrollably. "Yea..." I grinned handing him the guitar. Dan puts the capo onto the second fret. He starts strumming away at the strings with his fingers. Almost instantly I knew the song. "Wonderwall" I whispered with a smirk. He just stared down at his fingers smirking. He looked up right around when the first verse was about to start.

Dan raised his eyebrows and I could tell that meant he wanted me to sing. "Today is gonna be the day, that they're gonna throw it back to you...

By now you should've somehow, realized what you gotta do... I don't believe that anybody. Feels the way I do about you now" I sang nervously.

"Backbeat the word was on the street, that the fire in your heart is out... I'm sure you've heard it all before, but you never really had a doubt... I don't believe that anybody feels the way I do about you now..." I added singing along as Dan played the guitar. I could tell he was very focused.

"And all the roads we have to walk are winding... And all the lights that lead us there are blinding... There are many things that I would, like to say to you...But I don't know how" I paused.

"Because maybe... You're gonna be the one that saves me... And after all... You're my wonderwall..." I sang. I looked up at Dan and we both stared at each other playing our hearts out as the song continued. I payed attention deeply to the lyrics and wondered whether Dan picked the song purposely. Maybe he was trying to remember.

The song finally came to an end. Me and Dan just smiled at each other. Dan moved the guitar off to the side. I wanted to kiss him so bad. Or at least hug him in a tight embrace and never let him go. I felt myself falling in love with him all over again. But then again I never stooped.