Heart Shaped Keys

Chapter 4

Tom

The truth is, I had my credit card, I make it a point to keep track of such things. Ever since I met Della, I had also made it a point to find every excuse to be with her. Never in my life had I felt this way about someone, not even when I was dating my ex-girlfriend, Alex. Every time someone mentions the EP cover with the picture of her and me on it I get the urge to give them a well-deserved blow to the jaw. Then again, my hands've been broken one too many times for me to do such a thing.
Della emerges from her room in a baggy sweater the color of autumn leaves, holding an Elton John song book in her dainty hands.
"Follow me." She said sweetly, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. I smiled back and strolled over to her. We walked together into the back portion of her apartment, into a den type room closed off by a sheer red curtain. She pushed the fabric back and told me to close my eyes; of course I obeyed. I could feel her fingers slipping into the palm of my hand and pulling me along with her, then telling me to sit down. Her hand was still in mine, soft and warm; perfect. But then the tips of my fingers felt a different surface, cold and slick....almost like keys.
"Open your eyes."
I slowly peeled my eyelids apart, and I laid my eyes to rest on my hands which were placed on beautiful black and white ivory piano keys. They were a bit warn, but this was proof that there was a story behind this.
"This isn't your piano, is it?" I asked, running my fingers up and down the A minor scale. Della became solemn after I asked; clearly I was right.
"This was my sisters piano; she left us not too long ago. In her will, she left me this piano claiming that 'she just had to give it to me.' We used to play together a lot, but I'm the only one who touches it now, well I mean, that's the only possible thing, but, you know what I mean." She stuttered off. The Elton John book she had brought with her was set on the top of the piano, a single page flagged.
"Can I?" I said, nodding towards the book, "I'll play, we both sing?"
She giggled as if she were a teenage girl that just had her very first kiss, and nodded 'yes.' I grinned as I felt my cheeks turning an embarrassingly red colour, and pulled the book off of the top. As most would do, I immediately flipped to the flagged page and placed the book on the sheet music stand. The title read 'Your Song.' She likes Elton John, my biggest inspiration, and she bookmarked the most romantic song in this book. Could this get any better?
I looked at her to make sure she was ready, and then began playing. Her voice shortly filled my head with the sweetest sounds known to man.

"It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside. I'm not one of those who can easily hide. I don't have much money, but if I did I'd buy a big house where we both could live." She sang

"I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind, that I put down in words."

Just then, her eyes met mine, so vulnerable, so gentle, so beautiful, oh god so beautify I wanted to cry. As I held my gaze, I sang:

"How wonderful life is, when you're in the world."

She began to lean closer.
I leaned closer.
She wrapped her arms around my neck.
I held her waist.
We closed our eyes,
And I pressed my lips onto hers.