Seven

Chapter 7

He's almost finished showing me around and then he shows me his room. "Wow." I say, but it's not messy, it's just as beautiful as him and as his painting. There's just something about him that makes me feel so comfortable and protected. "Wow what?" He says. I laugh, "it's just as beautiful as your painting." He laughs, "for a bedroom". He looks at me. There's something about the way he looks at me. Completely indescribable. It's just perfect.

Our eye connection breaks as I spot the guitar in the corner. "Woah, is that a 1967 Gibson!?" He looks surprised I know, "Yeah, how'd you know?" He starts to walk over. "Mum used to have heaps of guitars. She told me all about them. I love them too. Do you play? "Only a little. I play more piano" I look at him, "You have a piano?"

He takes me to the study room where there is a black grand piano. I run over to it. And sit down. "This is amazing. I've never seen one look this good. It's huge. This room is huge!" He chuckles and walks over and sits down as well. "Do you play?" He asks, I politely say no. He opens it up and starts to play. It's perfect. Being here is perfect. It's so surreal. I feel so protected and secure. Like everything's okay. Like everything is meant to be. Then Ben runs in. James stops playing. "I probably should feed him, and you two if you'd like" he does that smile. Oh god. So dreamy. I do the worst giggle imaginable. Was really embarrassing. As we are walking towards the kitchen, I look up. The ceiling is glass. Not many old houses like these have glass as the roof. "Wow" I say out loud. He looks at me looking up. "Yeah. Dad searched for a house like this for ages. He finally found it." "My dad just found a house" he laughs. "So where is your dad?" I ask. "He's not around much. He has a lot of.., business to attend to. I'm okay with it though because I know he's doing it to protect me." "Protect you?" "Oh, yeah, like money.." He looks away. "Don't you ever get lonely?" "I don't really mind being alone." He dumps a pile of dog food in a tray labelled Ben. He looks at me. "Ben's fierce you know. He's only sweet to people he likes. He's a protracadtore." The way he said it sounded almost Scottish. Or Russian, which he isn't. "A what?" I ask. "Nothing." He mumbles. "What would you like to eat?" He opens the fridge. "I have... not much.." I laugh. "Do you have any water?" He gets a bottle of water out and places it on the bench. "Thanks." He smiles.

He walks over to the glass window and looks outside into his yard. "Peaceful. Isn't it?" It's almost 7. I spin around in the counter chair. "Yeah. It is." "It got dark pretty quick" James said. I look up as he turns around. "We should probably get you back" "Yeah okay. Dad said he was coming home at 7." He looks at me, then walks away. I go over to the window and look outside. I whisper to myself something mum would always say to me;

One day you'll fly.

One day you'll look up to the sky.

You'll push away the light.

And bring me back down.

Bring me back down.

"You coming?" James says popping his head out from the doorway.

"Yes."

It's almost seven now. James is driving me home. With Ben in the back seat. Guess he didn't want to risk it would rain. It's quiet. Until James says something. "What were you whispering back at the house?" "What?" "When you were standing by the window?" "Oh, I was just whispering something my mother always use to say to me." Things go quiet.

We get to my house. He turns the car engine off and steps out. He comes over to my side and opens my door for me. He's getting cuter every time. "I thought our second date I should at least walk you to your door" he smiles. "Thank you" I laugh. "I can see your number 7 too?" "Oh yeah. What a weird coincidence hey." He goes quiet again.

We get to my door. "Be safe Gemma." He's writing something on my hand. "Here is my number. So you don't have to walk you can just ring. Be careful" he smiles. "See you soon" "Thank you James, for everything." He smiles and walks down the steps. I'm sure to lock all four locks again. I turn all the lights on and turn up the thermos stat. I need to call dad.