The Reality of Now

Eleven

The songs were incredible.

I spent quite a while up in the attic, searching tirelessly for the old CD player. When I found it, it was bulky and dusty, but I brought it down to my room where it now sat on my dresser.

My favourite was the Led Zeppelin album IV. I lost count of how many times I replayed it.

I never stopped playing the songs. They danced through my house as I slowly memorized the words. Sometimes while I was reading, sometimes as I just lay on the carpet, eyes closed and listening.

Every track reminded me of Jules. Whether it be how I felt about him, who he was, or what he wanted out of life, I could find bits and pieces of him in every song.

The look on his face was so ecstatic when he recognized a tune that I was humming under my breath one evening.

"That's Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds!" Jules practically squealed. Dog the german shepard looked up in alarm from the floor of Jules' room.

I looked over my shoulder– I had been studying the pictures all over his wall. Some were of trees or sunrises or still rivers, others group pictures. One showed everyone standing with Dan, who was blowing out the twelve candles of a birthday cake. The best thing about that picture was how young and innocent Cash appeared, laughing next to Isir, and I couldn't help wondering for the umpteenth time what his first name actually was. My favourite picture, though, was one of Jules where he couldn't have been more than six years old, holding in his arms the smallest puppy you'd ever seen. His eyes were scrunched up and he had on a wide smile, a few teeth missing. The puppy was licking his cheek, and I realized it had to have been Dog.

"It is," I smiled at my boyfriend. "This music is incredible. I can't believe I haven't listened to classic rock until now."

Jules flopped down on the bed and looked up at me. "I can give you more CD's. We literally have hundreds. Hours and hours of the best music you've ever heard."

I crouched in front of him so he was looking at me upside down. "I don't doubt it for a second."

Jules smiled, then his eyes widened. He practically flew to his feet, smacking my head with his in the process. "Woah, head rush." He stumbled. "Ouch. Oh god, are you okay, Saya?"

I laughed, the sharp pain subsiding quickly. I had become used to how quickly Jules existed. I had to run to catch up with him and his way of life. "Yeah, I'm fine. What are you doing, anyway?"

He looked puzzled for a moment, then remembered. "Oh, yeah. I want to take you on an adventure."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Where to?"

Jules held out his hand to me. "You'll just have to trust me."

I grabbed his hand and he helped me to my feet. His skin was warm, like there was a fire burning inside of him that seeped out whenever he touched me.

Jules proceeded to lead me through the house. We passed through the living room where his parents were snuggled on the couch, a blanket draped across their legs, appearing to be watching Spider-Man. "Hey you two," Jules' dad, Joel, said absently.

"Hey dad," Jules called as he brought me up the stairs. I hadn't been through this part of the house before, and we emerged in what appeared to be a large home office. Though with just an ancient computer sitting in one corner, gathering dust, it didn't make much of an office. Mostly the room had books in it, along with five guitars (four acoustic, one electric), an organ piano, a violin, and two ukuleles.

"Woah," I murmured. "Do you play all of these?"

"Some." Jules sat on the floor and pulled one of the acoustic guitars into his lap, its wood a dark and gorgeous brownish red. He strummed a few chords. "I play guitar and piano. Ruby plays piano and ukulele. Mom plays guitar, violin, and piano, and Dad plays everything. Saf sings, though she wishes she could play guitar. The prosthetic gets in the way."