A waft of springtime flooded the air, the nights were longer and daffodils were blossoming in abundance, even little lambs had been birthed in the field behind us. Spring was always joyous, it was as if Summer were teasing you, reminding you of how much fun it'll all be in a couple of months, and this was the build up.
I sat on the cliff, sketching with a biro this evening as I didn't realise that this sunset would be so beautiful. I would've prepared otherwise. However, I hated the turn out, the paleness of the sky and cold eve were not apparent through this piece, I had to explain that through words.
A sudden flash of white and whirring sound startled me, as I swung around and noticed Reece hiding behind the Polaroid camera.
"My dad found this in a charity shop and gave it to me, look how cool!" he pointed out, flashing this old fashioned Polaroid camera around. He began shaking the Polaroid film, a mistake.
"Don't shake it!" I called out, placing my hand on his to make him stop. "It makes the photo blurred because it's still developing," I stated. I knew this because both River and Misty did photography at college, I chose not to follow their route. I would often model for their photos and show a great interest in learning about the different methods of developing film, learning about shutter speed, different ISO settings and white balance. Both of their projects were quite dreaming, and would often having me posing as a blurred white silhouette, I don't know where they took inspiration from or what I was trying to portray, but I liked to think I was partly the reason they both passed.
"Not just a pretty face then?" he laughed, placing it in the back of his jean pocket to develop further.
"Can I see it?" I asked, I hoped he picked up the pastel sky and how it contrasted against my all black attire, like how I was some dark moody soul and the sky was the good in the picture, telling me to brighten up and be happy, much like Reece would.
He pulled it out, and but it was still developing, giving a white tinge to the image, but it looked like it had worked.
"I want a Polaroid wall, or maybe just a photo album filled with them, so I can just flick through and remember these moments," he explained, taking a seat beside me. It's time like these that I wish I had a camera where I could capture images, especially today, Reece looked especially handsome in a beige corduroy shirt, unbuttoned at the top, his black skinny jeans and brown Chelsea boots.
Today we were in opposite colours.
"How are you?" He asked with clammy hands, rubbing them vigorously as if it were cold, but it wasn't, it was mild, there was no breeze, just the leftover sun glowing and supplying us with just enough warmth.
"good," I said softly with a nod, "how about you?" I asked, he seemed okay but it was always polite to ask.
"Pretty anxious actually, it's finally settling in that I'm going to be singing in front of a couple hundred people." he nodded, as if he were trying to remind himself to stay calm. Reece also had an overly calm ambiance about him, someone you could feel safe around. Seeing him nervous wasn't unsettling, but it just help to remind you that he was also human and going through the same emotions.
"Nerves and excitement are the same feeling, it's just how you perceive it in your eyes," I spoke, a quote that my father use to tell me, however, nerves always seemed to win the mighty battle over excitement for me.
"that's very wise," he spoke, this Polaroid still in his hand, he looked down at it with a smile. "You know you could be the inspiration for my next song," he looked up at me, a smile on his face, catching me off guard completely as I brushed the hair away from my eyes.
"W-what?" I spluttered, laughing at myself, wondering if I heard him correctly. He wanted to write a song about me?
"You see in the Open Mic it says a cover and an original, and I've failed to write a song. Maybe you could be my inspiration." He continued, I hadn't misheard him at all.
I watched him in shock as he continued to stare back at me, his smile growing bigger by the second, before he too began laughing.
"I take it no one has ever written a song about you?" He asked for clarification.
"Reece, no one has even taken a Polaroid of me, let alone write a song about me." I practically choked at him. It made me uneasy that he was going to then sing this said song about me in front of everyone in that audience, how was I suppose to react?
"I can't write a song in three days. Not one I'm going to be proud to sing." He began reconsidering and I was a touch disheartened but mostly relieved.
"What songs are you thinking of performing?" I asked him, watching as he delicately slid this Polaroid into his pocket, the one that lay directly above his heart.
"Well, I might have to perform the one you liked on Facebook, just to see your reaction first hand," he laughed, his dimple showing on his left cheek. I flushed as pink as the sky, embarrassed by my ridiculousness. At least he saw the funnier side to it. "In all honesty, I have no idea. I guess I should be home singing and trying to pick out my favourites, but I just can't seem to stay away from the beach," he said, looking up at me again.
"What do you win?" I asked, intrigued. Maybe it was just for people to come to and sign people to their agency or maybe it was a little less fun than that.
"You basically get a month in some studio and its all paid for. It's great if you're into writing your own songs and producing music, but I'm mainly doing it to prove to myself that I can." He admitted, which was sweet, I wish he knew how talented he really was, I hope he sees that in a couple of days with people cheering for him and making it all worthwhile.
"Well, you'll have me screaming from front row," I joked, he smiled as he looked at his hands.
"Thank you for doing that for me Shiloh, you're a good egg." He beamed, but I shook my head, it was the least I could do to show that I was grateful.
I crossed my arms over my body as the tide shifted closer to us, picking up a salty and swift breeze. Reece must be frozen in that shirt of his.
"There's an after party at a mate of mines. I can't remember if I asked you to come along, but I'd really like you to be my plus one," he gazed over, his eyes squinting and his teeth chattering due to the coldness, he needed to get home and be in the warmth.
"I don't know, parties aren't really my thing," I shrugged. I went to a couple and quite honestly hated every second, I'd rather be nose down in a book, than be in amongst sweaty drunk people in a crowded room.
"I'll make it your thing," he laughed, a lame attempt to string me along.
"Ill see how I feel on the night," I sighed, that was as close to a yes as he was getting today. If River agreed to come that would likely sway my answer more, but I knew he'd be hard to please, and I didn't want to ditch him for some party.
"I'll take that as a yes then,"
"It's a school night," I remembered and there was no way I would miss school because I was too hungover, "I wouldn't be allowed,"
"I'll convince your parents," he tried, with every excuse that dropped from my mouth he always had a response, no matter how daft or extraordinary they'd be.
"They'll have none of it, even the teachers will start to realise if all the girls that attended the open mic after party call in sick. I'm sorry Reece," I exhaled, I was pretty proud of myself for that comeback, but I knew Reece would retaliate.
"Remember when we said we'd celebrate doing something for the first time? Well this is my first time performing live, and that's a pretty big deal," and it's true, it was and I guess that qualifies me as the bad guy for not wanting to celebrate an achievement that was far better than mine.
"Well if that's the case, I guess we should celebrate a couple of other things," i mumbled under my breath, but Reece's gaze landed on the side of my face, he looked at me quizzically, wondering if he had heard correctly and I hoped he hadn't, but he for sure had.
"I like where your head is at, Shiloh," his blue eyes lighting up like fireworks in the night sky.
YOU ARE READING
beach//reece bibby
Romance"You're like a daisy; you've been trod on and become so closed up with every gloomy day that passes, you need to focus on the brighter ones so you can bloom," he spoke as he twiddled a daisy between his fingers. "A daisy?" I questioned, my voice hoa...
