Stuck On You

May 13, 2014

There are events that take place in this chapter that may be uncomfortable for some readers. There is a break in the writing where the situation ends. Thank you. 

Michael and I had been walking home from work together pretty regularly. We never said anything, just walked side by side. We would only start to speak when we got into the elevator.

“I finished the demo album,” Michael stated.

I usually stayed in the studio while Michael worked later into the night. He would record and I would work with files, my laptop usually sitting in my lap as the producers worked on the soundboard. It was a good system, I had an excuse to come in later and I had company on the walk home.

“Really? That’s great.” I insist, moving to hug him.

He accepts, pressing his arms tightly around my torso. When we pull back, he reaches into his guitar case and pulls out a CD sleeve. I can see something written across the front, but can’t make it out until he hands it to me.

“Here, I want you to have the first copy.” He puts the CD in my hand.

“No way,” I shake my head in disbelief.

The elevator doors opened onto the third floor and Michael and I file out. I take his hand in mine, pulling him to my door. I scramble to shove the key in the lock, throwing the door back into the wall. I sprint inside, getting to my stereo as quickly as I can.

Michael pads in after me, shutting the door gently. “I didn’t think it was that exciting.”

“Are you kidding me?” I slide the CD out of the sleeve and gently set it down into the player. “This is amazing! You’ve worked so hard on this for months, I’m so honored that you want me to listen to it.”

Michael shrugs, leaning back into the couch. “Why wouldn’t I want you to listen to it? You’re my best friend.”

My jaw drops a bit, but I pick it back up. “I’m your best friend?”

Michael looks at me as if I had turned blue. “What do you mean? Of course you are; you’re like my only friend.”

I shut the lid to the stereo, watching the CD rotate for a second. “You’ve got to have someone.”

Michael shakes his head. “I have you.”

I try to hide a smile as I walk to sit down next to him on the couch. I pull my knees up to my chest, preparing myself to hear whatever sound was about to come out of the speakers. I wasn’t really sure what I was going to hear.

A guitar riff breaks through the air, followed by a steady, catchy beat. Michael has informed me before that he plays all major guitar parts in every song. I can hear where he begins, settling the tone into a punk rock kind of sound.

I tap my fingers along to the beat, listening to Michael’s crisp voice come through the speakers. It kind of floats through one ear and out the other, I’ll definitely need to listen to it a few times before I know the lyrics.

Michael watches me from across the couch, his eyes intently watching my every reaction. He does this through the first few songs, just watching me. He never says anything either. After I while I just melt into the songs, closing my eyes even to avoid his gaze.

I almost jump when Michael does speak. One of the songs had just ended, and he was cluing into the next one. “This is one of my favorites.”

From the first few chords you could tell it was slower. Michael’s voice was soft, velvety. I pulled him closer to me as the song progressed, even the tone of his voice making me want to hold him. He accepted my embrace, letting my lean onto his shoulder.