thin white lines | l. hemmings

04

"Have you listened to it yet?" Willow asked, twisting herself on the island stool which was sat in front of her laptop, where she was supposed to be working on an essay. Which is what Delaney was doing from the other side of the counter.

"Not yet," she said. She hadn't mentioned her bad feelings about that day. Even she was starting to think her feelings were crazy, she didn't want Willow to think the same. She knew that the day went well yet there was no way to shake the suspicions she had.

"Please just listen to it, it's driving me crazy. I couldn't find anything online! He gave you no last name or the band's name. Is it on the record?"

"I haven't even touched it since Saturday."

"Why won't you listen to it?" She said, shutting her computer to bring her full attention to Delaney and leaning closer to her.

Delaney pursed her lips before letting out a sigh and nodding towards the stairs. "It's downstairs. I'll go get it."

"Yes! Bring it up here!" She motioned to an old record player attached to a stereo system in the sitting area, it was mostly sat there as decoration. Delaney had her own in her room, and even if her father liked using it, he was never home enough to enjoy it. Delaney grabbed it from the untouched bag in her bedroom and bringing it back up to her best friend who was waiting quite anxiously to hear the music. "So I assume you haven't texted or called him either."

"No, I wanted to listen first. Who knows, if it's terrible I might not at all."

"He's too hot to be turned away by horrible music," she said, shaking her head. "Just put it on."

Delaney snickered and pulled the circle out of its sleeve. In the center of the black, there was a solid, light red circle. "5 Seconds of Summer."

"Huh?" Willow cocked her eyebrow at the random words.

"It's the band's name I think, 5 Seconds of Summer." She flipped the record to show her. "Or the album name."

"Play it then, Lane!" Willow urged again, and so she finally placed it on the player, pulling the needle onto the grooves.

Delaney found herself holding her breath as the static turned suddenly into a guitar tune until someone started singing over it.

"I don't wanna think about a moment with you, I'm kinda hoping for forever."

The girls looked at each other and began to laugh over the music, "I don't know what I was expecting but I don't think it was that."

"It's kind of good though, isn't it?" Willow replied, turning the volume up slightly.

"I like it," she said over the music.

"I've been dreaming 'bout a knitted sweater for two, god damnit we look good together."

Delaney looked up from the spinning record to Willow, who seemed to shake her head in disbelief.

"Is that really him?" She asked, even though she knew just as much as Delaney.

"I think so," she said, trying to hold back her smile.

Delaney went back to her computer as he sang again, "Would you wait a moment? They're ringing the bell for last call. Would you wait, a moment? Just give me a second that's all."

They continued listening to the music as they actually got through their work. She couldn't help but be amazed by the voice he had. And in the midst of listening to their music, a chirp sounded to alarm whoever was in the house that someone was coming through the front door. Delaney furrowed her brows and checked around the corner to see who it was, and it was her dad.