“Mom, how do I look?”
Barbara Nicks frowned slightly. “It’s Wednesday.”
“But that wasn’t exactly my question.”
“Where are you off to?”
“I was invited to this band’s practice. A guy plays in it, Lindsey, remember? I told you about him.”
“You ran into him again?” Stevie noded. “Well, you look beautiful as always. Please don’t come home late, ok?”
“I’ll try, unless it’s a lot fun!”
Her mom smiled at her and kissed her forehead. “Take care, darling.”
~
The house wasn't in Stevie's eyesight, but she could already hear the sound of guitar and it was unmistakably coming from Lindsey's. He was still very young, but he definitely had a distinctive sound. She walked up to the opened garage door and saw only him.
It took a moment until he noticed her. “Stevie!”
“Hey.” She smiled as he gave her a hug.
She noticed another guy and Lindsey introduced them. “This is Bob, Bob this is Stevie.” They awkwardly shook hands, he was the drummer, holding the drumsticks in his hand. “Brian and Javier will come join us shortly. Brian plays guitar and Javier is the keyboard player.”
“Thought you were the guitarist in this band.”
“I play everything you give me.” It’s either just me or he’s suggesting something, Stevie thought to herself.
Brian and Javier joined them soon after and they all took their places, while Stevie was standing in the middle. “What do I do exactly?”
“Sing, maybe?”
“Well… what song?”
“Let’s do California Dreamin’.” Lindsey said.
They did the song as well as some others and she knew that at the end of the night she found herself in a band. Just before she appeared, Fritz's lead singer had just left for college and the guys were desperate.
It was pretty late after they were done and Lindsey insisted on walking Stevie home. They had mindless chatter, but remained silent most of the time. She coulds see her parents'house. “Thanks, you really shouldn’t have walked all the way here with me.”
“Of course I had to. I couldn’t leave a lady on her own.”
She burst out laughing. “Me? A lady? Yeah right!” They took another few steps. “By the way, thanks for asking me in the band.”
“Just for the record, yeah?” He teased.
“Well, I hadn’t expected it, you know!”
“Just kidding. We weren’t going to miss out on a vocalist like yourself. I’ve been thinking about you since our first meeting.”
“You’ve been… thinking about me?”
“Yeah…” He admitted shyly and she felt herself being such a school girl at that moment. “You’re incredibly talented and really beautiful.”
“Oh stop.” She blushed elbowing him.
“I mean it.”
They reached her house too quickly and stopped. “Um… thanks again. Our journey ends here I guess.”
“It’s only just begun, Steves.” Steves? Nobody has ever called her that. Lindsey had his own nickname for her and she found it to be really cute.
This was only the third time they saw each other, but there was a certain connection and chemistry between them. They clicked. She was thinking whether to hug him, hug and kiss him, or just kiss him and she knew he was deciding that as well. They hugged and held onto each other for a moment in the end.
“I will see you tomorrow?”
“Right.” She confirmed standing in the doorway. “Night, Linds.”
“Night, Steves.”
They smiled at each other and then she closed the door, about a million butterflies her belly.
She was startled by her mother's voice as she was passing the living room. "Stevie?"
"Yes, mom, it's me."
"Come sit with me?"
Here we go, she thought. "I'm not too late, am I?"
"No, darling, I wasn't expecting you just yet." Her mother made some space for her on the couch. "How was tonight then?"
"Really good!" Stevie's face lit up, maybe more because of the thought of Lindsey than the rest of the band. "I got to sing all my favorite songs and those guys treated me so well and Lindsey is just brilliant! He's so talented, mom and we have this mutual understanding of each other, it's unreal."
Barbara could only laugh at her daughter's excitement. "Are you a part of them now as well?"
"Yes! They asked me to sing for them, I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am. It's finally happening!"
"Sweetheart, this is wonderful, but I don't want you to get your hopes up too high, then be left disappointed if something goes wrong."
"Please, mom, don't even go there. I can't think about it, I'm happy and I'm excited, that's what's most important at the moment."
"I didn't mean to make you upset, Stevie."
"You didn't." She shook her head and smiled.
"Good." They sat in comfortable silence for a moment before Barbara nudged Stevie. "So, that Lindsey boy..."
"He's a friend, mom."
"Haven't you just met him?"
"Yes, I don't know how to explain it, but it feels as if we've known each other forever."
"I think you like him."
"No, I don't!" Stevie shook her head, her cheeks turning red.
"Oh, is that so?"
"I don't like him, I don't like boys like that!"
"Right, ok, sweetheart I believe you if that's what you believe."
Stevie stood up and ran up the stairs. "I'll be in my room!" She shouted from the top.
"Thinking about Lindsey?"
"Mom!"
