The Gods of Song and Poetry

Chapter 53 - Memories

Chapter 53 - Memories

I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She was elegant and relaxed, angled in my direction as she sat on the red settee, but looking away from me. I wished she was looking at me.

A simple, tasteful white dress hugged her curves in all the right ways. My belief that everything looked better on her was once again reinforced. Her silky black hair was falling over her shoulders in waves, framing her radiant face. She had kept her makeup light for the evening, and wore small diamond earrings that matched a small diamond pendant. Long, smooth legs crossed in a comfortable looking position and her hands rested on her knee, cradling a cup with rising steam that wandered into the air above it and got lost in its depths.

I watched her smile and banter with the people in our little group. Perfect white teeth showed when she laughed. The usual garish lights of the comic book/coffee shop were dimmed for the evening, but her eyes caught the light even in this darkened room. They sparkled more brightly than her jewelry. At least, it seemed like it to me. Every time she spoke, I found myself jealous of the person receiving attention from her. The crowd murmured around me, but she was so beautiful tonight, such a pure avatar of everything feminine and wonderful, that I couldn't tear my thoughts away from her for long. I didn't want to.

As I stroked the woman in front of me with my eyes, I was reminded of being a child and sitting in our living room with the lights off while staring at an illuminated Christmas tree. I would sit there mesmerized by the glimmering tinsel, colorful lights that didn't completely break the darkness, the scent of evergreen, and music that was both familiar yet mysterious playing softly in the background. The rest of the world seemed out of focus compared to the shimmering vision of a better world in front of me. The awe, magic, and wonder I felt now as I looked at her was similar. I was experiencing a moment outside of time. The earth and all its problems fell away, and I was so full of emotion that I could cry, but didn't need to.

Then, Tara kicked me on the side of my calf.

"Ow!" With effort, I tore my eyes off of Kala and swiveled to face my assailant. I was sitting on my bass amp since they hadn't given us a place to store our equipment while waiting for our turn. Tara gave a quick nod, indicating that my attention needed to be somewhere it wasn't.

I turned to Isis on my other side. "I'm sorry, did you say something? I must have the jitters. I can't focus tonight."

"I asked you if you were nervous!" She gave a short, nasally laugh. "I guess I have my answer. You used to be in a band in high school, right? You must have experience performing for an audience."

"Yeah, but I never got used to it."

"Oh you will." She made a dismissive hand gesture. "Don't worry. Take it from me, it'll get easier."

"Do you perform?" It was Theodore.

"Sort of, yeah." She nodded her head, making her high-anxiety-yellow beanie flop a little, her short purple bangs poking out from underneath. "I work as an unclad model for the art department." Like she always did when telling someone about her job, probably unconsciously, she straightened up and moved her shoulders back. "It took a couple of times posing in front of classes before I felt totally comfortable. You know, raised with Midwestern, uptight values and all."

Theodore just responded with a blank stare, but this was game-changing information to Max. He froze. Tara didn't miss a beat, though.

"You're an unclad model for the art department?" she asked Isis with an oh-so-sincere tone.

"Yep! Didn't I tell you that before?" She looked at Tara with a curious squint in her eyes.

"Oh, that's right. Come to think of it, you did." Tara sat back in her seat. "I remember now. Three times, in fact."