Blake and Aimee

Chapter 28: Blake

She's amazing. Beyond incredible. I mean, she practically took me in so I wouldn't be alone. Gave me friends. And yet she goes above it all to do something like this. Instead of trying to make me feel normal like everyone else, she tried to put herself in my shoes and act like someone like me- a cancer patient. Attracting attention to herself even when I know she is very self-conscious, all for me. What have I ever done to deserve that? We arrive back at my house, and head upstairs to start practising. I set my guitar up, Ma brings in snacks.

"Have fun practising dears, I'll be downstairs if you need me."

"Oh, try not listen, I can't sing that well..." Ma laughs at Aimee as she heads downstairs. I turn towards Aimee, guitar in hand.

"You ready?" Aimee laughs nervously.

"Nope." I laugh and begin to play the intro, Aimee closes her eyes and begins to sing the first verse.

Today is gonna be the day, that they're gonna throw it back to you...

"Blake what's wrong? Did that sound bad?" I wasn't until she spoke that I realised I had stopped playing. Her voice, it wasn't high or low. Not soft or loud. Just a constant state of the in-between, like her really. She's never quite one end of the scale, she's constantly in between a variety of phases, of categories. She's is the opposite of stereotypical. And like her voice, she's beautiful. She raised her eyebrows, great now I have been staring for too long. I clear my throat.

"No, um no no that was great. You are incredible Aimee." She laughs

"Oh, please please no pictures," She drapes her arm across her face dramatically, "Oh, alright if you must." She doesn't believe me, thinks I'm making a joke.

"No really Aimee, you are pretty good." She rolls her eyes.

"Yeah whatever."

I lost track of how many times we went through the song, but each time was more perfect than the last.

I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me

you're gonna be the one that saves me

you're gonna be the one that saves me

She finishes the song and opens her eyes. They stare right into mine and she smiles. There is still a good 30 seconds of instrumental left but I stop playing. I don't know what comes over me but I lose control of all direction and gravity and logic. In that moment nothing makes sense except her. Her. My guitar drops to the ground as my hand move to her face and kiss her. Her face is soft, her lips sweet. It was a quick kiss, just a peck, but it felt like it could have lasted an eternity. As I pull away I am left with a shocked expression staring back at me.

"What did you do that for?" Aimee asks, staring at the ground and still shocked. I shrug my shoulders trying to play casual.

"I don't know."

"People don't just kiss for no reason, I mean-" She swallows hard and blinks a few times, as if trying to figure out what to say.

"Don't look at me like that." Aimee look up, confused.

"Like what?" I lean slightly and speak quietly.

"Like you've never kissed a boy before." Suddenly she stops, and whispers ever so softly.

"That's because I haven't," She stands up and grabs her bag as she checks the time on her phone. "Oh, wow is that the time. Ah, thanks for the practise. Um, I guess I'll see you tomorrow." She speaks quickly and under her breathe as if in a rush.

"I forget to tell you, I've got medical tests all day tomorrow so I won't be at school, but I will be there at the library afterwards- just maybe a little late." She nods without speaking as she heads out the door and rushes down the stairs. She'd never kissed a boy before. And now she has had her first kiss with a sickly, scrawny cancer kid. You just fucked up big Blake.

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