Beautifully Knight (Jordan Knight Fanfic, Liadan #5)

Strawberries and Safety

-NICK-

"Nick?...Nick?...Nicky?"

The tinkling sound of piano music reverberated through my earbuds and stirred my soul as I pulled an itty bitty, worn down Dixon Ticonderoga pencil from between my teeth and struck out a series of lyrics.

I'd been trying my hand at writing a ballad according to Papa's suggestion for days, but while the music had flowed freely, the lyrics were proving to be trickier.

I knew what I wanted to say, but I didn't know how to say it. I was stuck at the end of the opening line and nothing I tried sounded quite right. After all, how could I possibly put my feelings into words when I couldn't even explain them to myself in my head?

Outside the door...Nope.

Out the door...No.

At the door...I will leave my heart at the door? That might work.

"Nicholas!"

My heart jumped in my chest as I felt my bed move and I bolted upright to find Kayla's green eyes gazing at me as she plopped down on my mattress with a bowl of strawberries in hand. I breathed out.

"Damnit, Kay, don't sneak up on me like that. You scared me," I tugged out my earbuds and hung them around my neck.

She raised her eyebrows as she crossed her legs and picked up a strawberry, "I kept calling your name and you didn't answer." she leaned forward slightly as if she was trying to see my notebook full of sheet music, but I subconsciously tilted it back into my chest. "I knocked too, but then I figured I'd just come on in and make sure you were still breathing. I thought you'd be back downstairs by now."

"Sorry," I gave her a sheepish smile. "I got distracted. What's going on? Are my parents ready to head out?"

Her gaze lingered on the notebook as she swiped a strand of hair from falling in her mouth and bit into the berry, "Yeah, they left. Your mom wanted to know if you were planning on riding the Harley over to the ballpark or if you wanted the keys to her sedan. I told her I figured you'd take the Harley, but she told me to tell you that if you decide to take the car, you'll need to leave out shortly because it's running low on gas," She moved her eyes from the notebook, down to my tattered shorts, back up to my topless torso and finally to meet mine.

"I'm fine with taking my bike if you are?"

"Yeah," she blinked. "That's fine with me."

"Okay," I tried to pretend I didn't feel the heat building in my body as I sat the notebook on my side table and plopped my phone, earbuds, and tiny pencil on top.

"Can I hear the new song?"

"Huh?" I glanced back over at her and she used a strawberry to point.

"That you were working on. Can I hear it? You seem to be really into it."

"It's a work-in-progress," I fidgeted with the curled end of the notebook cover and shrugged. "I'm still floating a few ideas around. I know you don't think today was successful, but in an odd way, I think going through the auditions really clarified for me that I don't want our music to sound like everybody else. I'm trying something a little different."

"I didn't say today wasn't a success," she shook her head. "Just that you're a perfectionist. That's not necessarily a bad thing. I'm one too."

"You? A perfectionist?" I feigned shock as I hung my mouth open. "And you're admitting it? Let me get my camera, I need to film this moment." I reached for my phone and she giggled as she grabbed onto my arm.