the girl on the bench

Chapter 27

I'm sitting in G's living room and listening to her strum some cords while sketching on my iPad. "Hey baby?" She says getting my attention. "Mmm" I respond not looking up from my drawing. "I finished that song the other day. Do you want to hear it?" She asks me. I smile and nod enthusiastically. I lock my iPad and put it down on the couch to give her my full attention. She blushes and turns to her guitar.

"Forgot to brush my teeth in the morning. Running late as always. And through the day I'm yawning. But you still think I'm OK" I smile at the lyrics I've heard before remembering how she said the song was about me.

"I don't know why you love me. My heart's trashed in this life. And I wouldn't trade you for nobody. One day I'll make you my wife"

"Though apart I would I say you're mine. And you never left my mind. We fell back in the nick of time. Now I can't see life apart. I would never lie. Now that you are mine. I'll never cross the line. It's just you and I. You and I"

My heart races and I melt into a puddle. My eyes well up with tears.

"'Cause you know I'd never touch nobody. I know it plays on your mind. But Miss, you know I got you. All these odds we'll defy"

"And I will always pull through. As long as I am with you. Yeah, I will always pull through
You and I, you and-. And I will always pull through. As long as I am with you. Yeah, I will always pull through. You and I"

When she finishes the song she immediately puts the guitar on the couch and tackles me making me fall backwards. The tears roll down the sides of my face. "I didn't mean to make you cry" she says laughing and wiping my tears away. I laugh as well. "No it was beautiful, I'm just a mess" I say wrapping my arms around her neck. She kisses my face all over fast which makes me squirm.

——

The next morning I can hear her on the phone in the living room talking and laughing with someone. I can't hear the whole conversation but I do hear her say 'bye' with some enthusiasm. She tries to be quiet coming back to the bedroom but it doesn't work. I lift my head from the pillow to glare at her. "Morning, my love" she says beaming at me. I pull the blanket over my head. She jumps on the bed and on top of me and folds the blanket away from my face. "What are you doing today?" She asks excited. "Sleeping!" I say grumpily with my eyes closed which makes her laugh at me. "I don't want you to sleep" she pleads as she rolls off me and under the covers herself. She rests on her side propped up by her left elbow. Her right hand caresses my naked body. I roll into her and nuzzle my head in her neck pulling up her t-shirt so I can rub her bare back. "Mmm yes. Sleep please" I say into her neck. She hums and kisses my cheek. "Come to the studio with me?" She asks me. I lift my head up to look at her face. "Huh?" I say confused. "I asked Char to book the studio today so I can record 'You and I'. She's coming too so you guys can hang together " she says smiling at me and running her thumb over my jaw. I nod and nuzzle back into her neck.

——

Sitting in the studio listening to G play the song she wrote about me over and over again is bliss. She works really hard for one song, laying down not only the vocals but also the guitar, drums, and keyboard. Char is her number one hype girl and gets up to dance when the studio manager is playing back the final track. G sits on the edge of the couch with furrowed brows concentrating on the song being played. When the song finishes, she smiles and high fives with the studio manager. "That's it" she says. She stands up and runs on the spot excitedly. I stand up and she hugs me lifting me off the ground. "My muse" she says putting me back on the ground. I laugh and she kisses me. 

——

Not long after she records the track, she sets a release date. Her fans are so excited since she hasn't released anything since 'Hyperfine' earlier this year. She's nervous and I'm nervous for her. "What if they don't like it?" She asks me out of the blue one night laying on her back in my bed. It's dark in my bedroom but I can imagine her brows furrowing as she worries. "Baby, they're going to love it" I say reassuring her. She sits up "I always get more love for the catchy songs. They like the catchy songs better than the slow songs. And this is a slow song!" she says referring to her fans as she pats the blankets hard with both hands. I lay my head on her lap. "Its a great song. They'll love everything about it. I love it too" I say to her. She lifts my head up and slides down under the covers. "And I love you" she says laughing.