Ecstasy

Chapter 31

Call:

The song that influenced me to write this chapter is by a very talented musician that I recommend you check him out. The song I'm talking about is called "Kings, Queens, Beggars and Thieves Here's a link: https://youtu.be/ovLAt4xEMAI

  I wish I'd spent the effort to read it now as he let loose a few swear words and clenched his jaw. It was almost like he shut down – closed the doors and locked me out. I stared up at him from the floor, his eyes were emotionless, a muscle in his jaw twitched.

"Tyson?" I asked wary.

He looked up and his eyes met mine. They softened for almost a millisecond before he scrunched the ball of paper up aggressively and threw it over the other side of the room, aiming for the waste basket.

We sat in silence for a moment, staring at the ball of paper sitting next to the bin. I looked back at him, his fists were clenched and he was frowning as if he was trying to hold something in. I scooted over to the window seat, a sudden burst of bravery coursing through me.

He jumped when I touched his arm, looking down at me his obvious tension melted away. "Play it for me?" I asked. I knew it was a song. I knew it was lyrics written on that page. And I knew he wouldn't resist the opportunity to perform something.

His eyes searched mine for a moment, looking for I don't know what. But he found it. Turning, he placed his feet on the floor and pulled the guitar into a comfortable playing position. I pushed back away from him and lent against the bed, giving him space to play.

Wrapping my arms around my legs I could hear my heart beating in anticipation.
His fingers hovered over the chords and he hesitated before strumming the strings, he gave me once last glance before looking down and plucking the music out of the guitar.

The tune it vibrated was more than heartbreaking, it's melody simple and yet breathtaking, when he began to sing I almost had to remind myself to breathe.

I felt a field of goosebumps bloom along my arms making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. The lyrics, now sung out from the page, were so emotionally raw in that voice of his. The voice that would induce shivers.

He paused before he sang the chorus. The silence enough to take a single breath but heavy enough to suck it straight back from my lungs.

"To be a star you need the darkness. But the dark's too dark, I can't see. I need your help. Please rescue me, oh please give me more than this fake ecstasy..."

That moment in life where something is so beautiful you want to just bottle it up and keep it forever, but it slips through your hands and is lost. Like witnessing an amazing sunset when you don't have a camera. Or that moment of stillness before a storm, a buzzing electricity. That was that moment. And as the last note faded and he plucked the last string, I knew he had shared something with me that he hadn't with anyone else in a long time. Through that one song I realised so much more about the boy sitting across from me, although I didn't understand all of it. I got that he was just a scared kid when he started taking drugs and now he was stuck. Trapped in a moment of bad decisions.

We were silent for a few seconds before Tyson looked up and met my eyes. I managed a smile and whispered, "That was beautiful."

He gave me one of the most genuine smiles I've seen on his face. But it was brief.

Suddenly my bedroom door burst open and my mother walked in.

"Calla I was going to ask you this morning –" She began but stuttered off when she noticed that Tyson was in the room. We both froze under her eyes.

"Hi." I looked sharply at Tyson as the greeting left his mouth.

"Hi," She replied unsure. Not taking her eyes off him she spoke, "Calla? Can I talk to you in the hall?"

I looked back at Tyson and shared an unsure glance before following my mother out the door.

The moment she was sure we were out of sight she turned on me. "Why is he here? I thought I told you to stay away from him!"

She crossed her arms and stuck out a hip as if expecting a good explanation.

I lifted my hands and fidgeted, "Relax Mum, we were just paired to do a music assignment together."

She frowned, "A group assignment? Why were you paired with him?"

She said it in an accusing tone as if it was something I did wrong and my voice raised an octave to protest. But before I could Tyson appeared. He walked through the door shifting his ripped backpack over his shoulder, in his hand his guitar neck was gripped.

"Um, I better go," he stated to anyone but his eyes were on mine.

I stepped forward, "wait Tyson, you don't hav –"

But he interrupted me before I could continue, "No it's okay. I'll see you at school."

My mother and I watched as he skipped down the stairs and let himself out. The banging of the front door brought Mum back to life and she turned back to me looking even more concerned. I just rolled my eyes and treaded back into my room.

"Wait Calla! Don't you walk away from me!"