Eucalyptus & Honey |H.S.|

Chapter 13 - You're so Golden

A/N: I recommend listening to The Chain by Fleetwood Mac at the beginning of this chapter :)

The midday sun beat down on my warmed cheeks, the wind surrounding me somehow unable to take away from the impenetrable heat. A pair of Harry's sunglasses covered my eyes as the roofless car provided no sense of shade. Harry's phone was plugged into the aux, and the sounds of "The Chain" were slightly muffled by the wind.

I had to take off my leather jacket again due to the unexpectedly warm weather, and I found myself shocked that Harry could possibly still be wearing a sweater.

After Harry asked me if he could take me somewhere, we quickly grabbed the rest of our stuff and left. He told me he was driving, leaving no room for argument, which I guess made sense considering I had no idea where he was taking me.

We had been driving down the PCH for about fifteen minutes already, silent except for the music. I don't think either of us felt stuck on what to say. It was more like, we both felt so content with the open rooftop, the burning sun, and the droning music, that speaking didn't feel like a necessity.

Harry was tapping his fingers to the beat of "The Chain" and singing quietly. He turned up the volume dial as it came to the part where the song sounded like it was coming to an end; chorus coming to a close, music slowing down, nothing but soft instrumentals. But then the bass comes in, and the instrumentals begin backing it, paired with the guitar solo, and you realize that there's still a minute left, and that minute is the best minute of the entire song. Drums crashing, bass thumping, guitar singing in it's shrill voice, and the vocals only add to the euphoric feeling it creates.

This. This was the part where Harry stopped singing under his breath. Where his fingers stopped their gentle rhythm against the soft leather steering wheel.

When I heard the unmistakable plucking of the bass, I couldn't help my smile. It was my favorite part of the song. I knew most people would think of the guitar solo first, and, admittedly, it was one of the best guitar solos of all time. But the bass was what brought it together. The slow plucking of the instrument set the entire tone for the guitar solo. It built the excitement—the anticipation. Because as soon as you heard those simple notes, you knew what was coming, and you couldn't help but smile—heart beating and nerves tingling in anticipation to hear the climactic conclusion to the song. That was what I loved so much about the bass.

I looked to my left to observe Harry as the anticipation built. My smile remained plastered on my face, and a matching smile was etched into Harry's features. He must have set the car on cruise control, because his right knee was jumping persistently to the song's tempo. His head was bobbing up and down gently, and his left elbow was resting on the door, hand raised. His fingers were wiggling, almost as though he were playing the keys of a piano, as each note changed.

I wasn't sure if he realized I was staring at him, but if he did, he didn't seem to care. If anything, I was sure he loved the attention.

As the guitar solo approached, his body language shifted again. He moved his left leg—the one that wasn't bouncing—under the steering wheel as he removed his right hand. He was now driving with his knee, and he brought his hands in front of his torso as his head bobbing increased fractionally.

Normally, I would probably have scolded him for driving with his knee, but at the moment, I found myself mesmerized by the way this song seemed to make him feel. It was a beautiful thing. He was beautiful—even more so when he looked so care free.

The guitar solo picked up, and Harry began moving his hands in what appeared to be his version of an air guitar. Except, of course, he probably actually knew how to play this.