feels like morning in your eyes

i. well the sun is surely sinking down

As her last sweetly high-pitched note rang out, Lindsey lowered his guitar, almost dazed from the shock of her voice so suddenly and seamlessly blending with his. He heard scattered applause from some of other teenagers in the room, but his eyes remained on the talented stranger, knees curled up under her long skirt as she grinned shyly at his awkwardly awestruck stare.

"Hi," she greeted him, her teeth appearing between smiling lips as she tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear.

"Hey." He finally managed to respond, rubbing his jaw with one hand where it had been hanging open in appreciation a moment ago.

"I'm Stevie," she elaborated further.

"Lindsey."

"It's nice to meet you, Lindsey."

"You too." She looked down at the floor for a moment before moving to get up when he spoke again.

"You've got a great voice."

She immediately met his eyes, cheeks flushing at the compliment as her fingers twisted the fabric of her skirt.

"Thanks." She said before leaning closer, adding quietly "I've never really done anything like that before."

"What? Sang like that?" He asked doubtfully.

"No, no," she shook her head, explaining, "just walked up to someone or- well, you- like that."

"What made you do it?" He asked, eyes never moving from her face.

"I'm not sure really...only, it didn't sound right, you know? Without the harmony...I mean, that isn't to say-" she protested quickly, realizing her mistake, "you have a lovely voice."

"Thanks," he grinned. "I'm okay, you're the one that's really something— it's the playing that's more my thing," he explained, gesturing at the guitar beside him.

"Not true! I noticed your voice before I noticed the song," she told him, emphatic in the face of his clear doubt, "I did! I liked what you were playing earlier too, The Beach Boys are great." She added, glancing at him like she was revealing a secret.

She had been watching him for awhile then. God knew the room had stopped earlier when he noticed her beside him.

He started strumming the first few chords of Don't Worry Baby, something clenching strangely in his chest when she smiled sweetly in acknowledgement.

Moving his hand to rest against the body of the guitar, he looked around, noticing some people had already started to head off. "So, uh, you wanna get out of here?"

Stevie's brows raised in shock and he hastened to correct himself.

"No, that's not- I meant maybe I could walk you home or something? It's gonna be pretty dark out there by now." He explained bashfully, one hand coming up to rub against the back of his neck.

Stevie wanted so badly to say yes even though she knew that Dave had to be waiting for her around here somewhere.You're crazy, Stevie thought to herself. She was a senior and her boyfriend was on the football team, yet she was still somehow so drawn to this sweet underclassman and his bright blue eyes. Looking around, she couldn't spot her boyfriend anywhere, figuring he probably stepped out back to go drink with some friends.

"Sure," she finally responded, "I'd like that."

Lindsey turned back from where he had been packing up his guitar case, unable to hide the pleased shock on his face. When she hadn't replied immediately, he had taken her silence as refusal.

"Well then," he said, case in hand as he gestured toward the door, "after you."

***

They made their way down the sidewalk, Stevie's hands clasped in front of her as Lindsey's guitar case hung between them.