The Things I Love About You Part 2 (Completed)

C h a p t e r N i n e

After Scott and I come out of the movie, I ask, "Can I teach you to sing?"

"Only if I can teach you to play the piano."

"We could become a famous duet like that. I'm sure you have an even better singing voice that I do." He stops abruptly and turns toward me.

"That's completely impossible when you have the best voice in the whole world."

"Maybe you have the best one in the whole universe, then." He rolls his eyes and pecks my lips before continuing toward the car. "So is that a yes?"

"Sure, why not."

****

Scott and I sit side by side at the piano bench.

"Play a song." I say, smiling in amusement when his hands fly over the keys in a way that somehow constructs a recognizable song. I start to sing along to All of Me, stopping to say, "Just sing what I sing. It's like talking, but more drawn out and you move your voice up and down." I start singing again at the second verse and he tries to do the same, but he is off key and his voice cracks.

"See, I told you." He stops playing and looks up at me.

"You just need practice. Let's start with some vocal exercises."

"Can I teach you how to play first?"

"Let me do a song I already know, and you sing with it."

"You already know a song?"

"I learned it for the 10th grade talent show, back when I was too scared to sing." We switch spots and I start to play stay with me. "Come on, you have to know this one." He starts at the right point and when I hear his voice, my jaw drops to the floor.

"What?" I stop playing.

"You have an amazing voice, just like I thought." He blushes and smiles at the ground.

"I have to tell you something." he whispers, motioning for me to lean closer. I do, and when he speaks, his lips brush against my ear, making it hard to concentrate on anything other than that. "I'm taking singing lessons for you. I was going to surprise you at our wedding." I lean back to look at him.

"Really?"

"Mhm. You're just too impatient, aren't you?"

"I guess so."

"I want to teach you a song now." He stands up and moves behind me, leaning against my back and looking over my shoulder. He guides his arms under mine and says, "Put your hands on mine and follow my movements." He puts his hands over the keys and I lay mine gently on top of his.

"This is really cliché, Scott."

"Since when has that bothered me? Just play the song with me." Somehow, when he starts to play the song, my hands move with his. When the song ends, he kisses a spot behind my ear, and then my neck, and then my shoulder. "I love you." He murmurs against my shirt.

"I love you, too. So much." For a second, we remain that way in a serene silence, and then the phone goes off in the kitchen. Scott jumps nearly to the ceiling and I do the same.

"I-I'll go check that." he says, laughing hard.

"I'll miss you." From my spot at the piano, I can hear his end of the conversation. "What the hell do you want?" A pause. "No. You can't. You know why, don't even pretend you don't. If it's so important, why can't you tell me?" I knit my eyebrows together. "For the last time, no, you cannot talk to him." My heart leaps into my throat and I go into the kitchen. Scott has the phone propped between his ear and his shoulder and he is hunched over the counter.

"Scott, put it on speaker." He looks up with pleading eyes, but I cross my arms and tap my foot. He sighs and says, "Hang on, I'm putting you on speaker. Mitch is here." He puts the phone on the counter and presses a button.

"Mitch?" It's Travis. His voice sounds strained.

"Yeah, I'm here."

"I'm so sorry." My stomach sinks and Scott grabs my hand, like he already knows what Travis is talking about. His expression is sad.

"About what?" I ask, almost not wanting to know the answer.

"You know how traffic is this time of year. It wasn't anyone's fault, just a freak accident. You know how it i-"

"Travis, tell me what the hell happened." There is a pause, like he is holding his breath the same way I am.

"Your parents were taking your sisters somewhere, and they, uh, well..."

"Travis. What. Happened?"

"They were in a wreck. A really bad one. I think a semi was involved. There were a few other cars, too. It was at a four way intersection."

"Are they okay?" My heart is racing as Scott secures me against his chest, and I immediately know the answer. "Oh."

"I'm sorry, Mitch. They, uh, none of them survived."

****

Merry Christmas? Please don't hate me because I love you all