She plays on the corner of St. Monica Boulevard and Ocean Avenue every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoon. She captures the attention of many beach dwellers and those who stumble across The Georgian Hotel. I happened to be the latter.
At first...
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Niall Horan;
The pier. I remember that I went to the Santa Monica Pier Monday night, it was on my 'to do' list. And if my mind wasn't playing tricks on me, I had seen Piper there. So, ignoring my regular routine of piecing Piper's story together based on her song choices, I solely focused on what exactly I did on the pier and wrote it down as I went.
I recall getting there just before dark, my eyes drawn to the giant rides and various booths even more so when they lit up. I also remember wanting to try some of the fried foods that I had heard were to die for when coming across a figure crouched over on one of the many benches. I was drawn in at the instant, even more so when I noticed that she was crying. So, ignoring my stomach's yearn for the tasty food, I went to her.
Then that's it – no more comes to mind.
- - - - -
"When the visions around you, bring tears to your eyes and all that surround you, are secrets and lies. I'll be your strength, I'll give you hope, keeping your faith when it's gone. The one you should call, was standing here all along..." My mind is still reeling even though she was singing. "And I will take you in my arms and hold you right where you belong till the day my life is through, this I promise you, this I promise you."
My finger subconsciously taps the beat against my thigh, eyes still focused on Piper even though it's clear that she's avoiding my gaze. I was the first person to arrive as she got ready to sing, I sent her a smile but she didn't even glance at me.
It confused me, how Piper could go from acting like we're friends to completely ignoring my presence. To be honest, I thought I had gotten to her – that I had finally broken through the Great Wall of Piper but to no avail, it still stands tall. I sigh and shut my eyes, somehow thinking that it would stop from giving myself a headache. God, thinking sucks.
"Just close your eyes each loving day, I know this feeling won't go away till the day my life is through, this I promise you, this I promise you... Over and over I fall when I hear you call; without you in my life baby, I just wouldn't be living at all..."
When I open my eyes, her eyes immediately lock with mine and that's when everything comes back to me, well, not everything but a general idea of what happened between Piper and I. My finger stops tapping and immediately I look away from her towards the cement below my feet. Her singing just becomes background music as it floods back to me; it was like one of those cheesy montage moments in romance films. (But to be honest, those were my guilty pleasure.)
My fists tighten and my eyebrows furrow as everything pieces together.
"Just close your eyes each loving day, I know this feeling won't go away. Every word is true, this I promise you..."
I'm jerked out of my flashback when the people around me begin to clap. I look back up towards Piper to see her smiling tightly at the crowd, nothing like the beautiful smile I wanted to see, the neck of her guitar gripped tightly by her hands that I'm scared that she's going to decapitate the poor thing.
As people begin to go about their day, Piper literally drops her guitar in her case and kneels down to quickly lock it, her movements being so quick that I figured she was trying to get away from me as fast as she could.
"You were crying about him, at the pier, weren't you?" I say the minute everyone is gone. This causes her movements still for a second before she continues to bend down to pick up her case, refusing to answer my question. "And then I tried to get your mind off of him by going on rides and winning you prizes but in the end, you still cried over him. You came over because you didn't want to be alone, you told me all about him and got me drunk just so I wouldn't remember, right?"
"Leave me alone, Niall."
"No," I say before stepping closer to her. She stands to her full height but doesn't meet my eyes she merely stares at my chin which she's eye level with. "And then you fell asleep in my arms as I comforted you, right?" I don't wait for her answer. "Piper, I'm so sorry that you got your heart broken by some stupid lad but – "
"But what?" She snaps, now meeting my eyes. "I should get over him? I may have opened up to you in a moment of weakness, Niall but that doesn't mean you can have a say in what I do – that doesn't mean you know me. Nothing has changed. So f*ck off."
I take a step back, hurt. "I'm just trying to help you."
"Well, I don't want or need your help. I'm not some damsel in distress." She huffs and picks up her case, ready to march away from me for the second time.
"No, you do not get you walk away from me again when all I want to do is be a friend to you." Piper looks back at me with a look I'm not used to her wearing, a look that I definitely did not want to see again, before she sighs almost a sad sigh. Neither of us say anything for a minute or two before she's turning around toward me but once again not meeting my eyes.
Her voice is monotonous when she speaks, "You don't always get what you ask for."
The next attempt at walking away from me succeeds. I just watch her go, hurt from her words but also angry with her for being so damn stubborn on not letting me in. Being stubborn was supposed to be my thing but she just one-upped me. Huffing, I shove my hands into my pockets and decide that I was not fit to be left alone in my thoughts so despite it being early afternoon, I make my way towards the nearest pub or bar or wherever the hell they keep the alcohol in this country. Right now, I just wanted to forget everything that had just happened.
