Hockey Rivalry

Chapter 25

Lia

Ellie and I are in the music store at the mall. A good amount of people are here but not a lot.

Ellie made me wear decent clothes. Blue jeans and a tight fitting long sleeve. She did my hair pulling the pieces in the front and tying them behind my head.

"I don't know how to play any of these instruments." I look around.

"You do know how to play this." She says handing me a ukulele.

I strum it and find that it is not tuned. I scrunch up my nose at the horrid sound it makes.

Ellie and I walk over to a couch sitting in the center of the store and I tune it.

I look up at Ellie.

"I'm not singing with you." She says.

"I'm scared." I say my heart beating hard against my chest.

"Just do it." She says.

"Not if you don't sing with me."

"I'll sing." She says.I smile. "Quietly."

Better than nothing.

I start strumming Good Life by One Republic. A feel good song.

"Woke up in London yesterday. Found myself in the city near Picadilly."I sing quietly.

"C'mon Lia. Louder. You can do it." Ellie whispers.

"Don't Really Know how I got here. I got some pictures on my phone." I sing a little louder.

Just let the music take you Lia. Like dancing. Let the music control you.

I start to tap my foot.

"New names and numbers that I don't know. Address to places like Abbey road." I smile. I feel good.

People are starting to look and my heart starts pounding.

Let the music control you.

"Day turns to night. Night turns to whatever we want." My body starts to sway. I notice that Ellie has stopped singing. But I don't care.

The small group of people in the store start to gather. They're smiling at me.

"We're young enough to say. Oh, this has gotta be the good life. This has gotta be a good life. This could really be a good life, good life."

People start pulling out their phones and record me. I become scared again. My smile drops.

"Go Lia!" Ellie yells cheering me on. The small group of people follows.

"Say oh, this feeling that you can't fight. Like this city is on fire tonight. This could really be a good life. A good, good life." I look up at Ellie and she's smiling back at me.

I end it there and I feel jumpy inside. I can't help the smile on my face. It feels bittersweet. This song is definitely a happy song but I thought of my friends the whole time.

The small group claps for me.

"Good Job." Ellie says smiling at me.

"That felt really nice." I sigh. "I loved it." But I don't know if I can do it again.

"Hey what's your name?" A lady in what looks like her mid thirties ask. She has blonde hair and hazel eyes.

"Merlia. Merlia Johnson." I immediately put my hand out for her to shake which she takes.

"I'm Izzy. That was really good!" She says, "I own a coffee shop and I would love to have you come and sing on some nights." She hands me her business card.