Ecstasy

Chapter 47

Calla:

  "Where are we going?" I asked Tyson once the train began moving away from our little station.

"You'll see."

It was the same answer he'd given me three to four times now, since leaving Mitchie's house. I knew Mum would never let me go out on a Friday night so I convinced her to let me stay over at Mitchie's. Once Mitchie's Mum turned in for the night I was free to hop out the window, wave and give an air kiss to Mitchie goodbye. Of course it wasn't that simple; Mitchie and I spent the evening wondering where I was going as Tyson's text was very ambiguous.

Dress comfortable. I'll pick you up at nine.

Even after I pushed he wouldn't give me any more answers. What does dress comfortable mean anyway? Some girls could be comfortable in slippers! Was I going to wear slippers? No. I didn't know where we would be going but I tried to follow his instructions and opted for some old jeans and a light crochet pullover, which now as we were walking through the dark streetlamp lighted streets, I was finding was not the best choice, as it's fashionable holiness did not protect me from the chill of the early autumn air.

"Where are you taking me?" I whispered again as I followed him down a back lot of the city's public gardens. "You're not going to kill me and bury my body here are you?"

He looked back at me, "What?"

"I would prefer a more flowered garden thanks."

He looked at me for a moment before bursting into laughter. I just smiled.

"Come on, we're nearly there," He was still smiling when he took my hand and led me through the jungle of a park. As we gradually went deeper into the trees and bushes we began to hear live music and cheering of a crowd. I couldn't make out what the song was but the melody was very familiar. We finally came to a very tall wall about ten feet from ground to top.

"What now?" I said, looking up.

"Here's the tricky part," He began, dropping my hand he went to a tree almost growing against the wall and hoisted himself up onto one of the low lying branches. I watched with my mouth open as he climbed up the tree as if he was a professional. He'd done it before.

"Oh no. I can't climb up that!"

He finally made it to the coping of the wall and I realised it was wide as he stepped a few steps back from the edge.

"Sure you can. I'll help you up," I couldn't see his face as the light coming behind him turned his features into shadow and I was suddenly unsure.

What was I doing? Nine thirty at night. No one knew where I was. This could be potentially dangerous. But then Tyson kneeled down and looked over the edge and His face was thrown into the light again and I could see his ear and cheek and mouth and finally his blue eyes.

His voice was low and gentle as he reached a warm hand down to me. "Come on Calla. Trust me."

So I did. I took his hand and he helped and guided me up the tree and finally to the wall topping. As I was navigating the branches he was talking the entire way, which was totally distracting but made me curious to climb higher and faster.

"I'm sorry it's like this," He said directing me onto a thick arm of the tree. "But I only found out they were playing the other day and I saw the record in your room and," I finally got a footing on the wall topping and he gave me one more extra pull and I was up, "all the tickets were sold out. I hope you don't disapprove."

I looked out onto an outdoor concert ground and spotted the stage a few hundred metres away. It was so big and with the crowd of sweaty teenagers pulsing around it, it looked closer than it was. I instantly recognised the beautiful low drawl of the woman singing and the bright colours of the band's banner and squealed.

I turned to Tyson and almost jumped on him, engulfing him in a hug. "Oh my god! I didn't even know they were in Australia! Thank you!"

He gave me a sweet smile and brushed my hair back from my face, so he could see my eyes.

"So you're okay with sponging off a giant wall to see your favourite band?"

"You said there were no tickets right?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

He smiled and shook his head, "Sold out."

I gave him a broad grin before turning back to the concert. I would have given anything to be in that front row, but now that we were above the wall, the sound had improved and I could hear every lyric coming out of the high tec sound system. This was even better.

Tyson took hold of my elbows and carefully shuffled me around to reveal a picnic blanket laid out against the tree we just climbed. He pulled his backpack of his shoulders and motioned for me to take a seat. The wall coping was wide enough to sit with my legs stretched out in front of me, but when Tyson tried his feet dangled over the edge.

Tyson was leaning against the tree trunk and I was sitting beside him when he began digging through his backpack. I had almost forgotten my shivers until I was sitting and the cold night air seeped back in under my skin.

"Popcorn?" He offered passing me a bag of pre-popped stuff. I let out a giggle; he seemed to have thought of everything.

"What?" He asked turning to me.

I grinned at him like a child in a candy shop, "Nothing." I was so excited and happy I couldn't contain myself. My favourite band and I didn't even know they were in the country! How could Tyson have known?

"You're shivering. Come here."

I gratefully leant back in his arms and rested my head against his chest. I instantly felt the warmth from his body through his t-shirt and he pulled the large blanket over top of us.

"Thank you." I sighed.

"Hmm?" the sound reverberated in his chest and he vibrated against my back.

"For this." I answered.

I could hear the smile in his voice and his lips move against my hair, "You're welcome."

***

I watched as the last of the crowd dispersed and the stage crew began to flood onto the stage and begin to disassemble the elaborate set up. The show had finished a few minutes ago and I was still speechless. I hadn't moved yet because I was sure Tyson was asleep, his deep breathing a dead giveaway and the fact his hands were limp around my waist, and I just so desperately hoped there would be an encore. Taking Tyson's hands gently from my waist I turned slowly on my knees to face him.

His eyes were closed and his chin had dipped to rest on his chest. I smiled – I didn't blame him for falling asleep, if I didn't love the band so much I'm sure the songstress's crooning voice would have lulled me into sleep land too. There was a crease between his eyebrows and I reached up to smooth the frown away. The large football lights surrounding the stage were suddenly switched off, throwing us into darkness. I became aware of Tyson's hands tightening around my waist as he shifted in his sleep. I bit my lip from laughing out loud. I let my fingers trace his face, over the curve of his brow, across his cheekbones and eventually to his mouth. I wondered how I should wake him. It was then I thought how he'd react to being woken by a kiss. Fairytale style.