Keep Our Secrets

5

"This is really good Jake." Josh looks over the music. "I like the vibe." He looks over at me and smiles.

"Thank you." I smile back.

"Any lyrics with it?" He asks.

"Uhm. Yeah, actually." I say as I pull out more sheets of paper. "Here." He takes the lyrics and starts reading them over.

"Wow. I didn't know you could be so poetic." He chuckles. I roll my eyes at him, and he just goes back to reading. He grins and walks over to the piano, and starts playing the melody, singing the lyrics along. "Can you hear that dreadful sound, fire still burning on the ground." I sit with him on the bench listening. "Follow the fearsome sound, as we March to battle hear the drums pound." He stops playing.

"What?" I ask.

"There needs to be something there. Something behind the lyrics." He runs his hand over his face.

"Drums." Josh and I turn our heads and see Bailey leaning against the door frame. "Use drums. It will get the emotion out of the song." She walks in and flops onto the couch, perching her feet over the edge of it.

"How though?" Josh asks. She sighs and gets up, and walks over to the drums.

"Start it again." She says. Josh starts playing again and I watch her.

"Follow the fearsome sound, as we March to battle hear-" and as Josh finish the words she bangs on the drums. "The drums pound."

"See?" She smiles and sits back on the couch. "And it literally says, 'drums pound'."

"Your a genius Bales." Josh grins and turns to play again.

"We do not fight for war, but to save the lives of those who do so." I watch as Josh's hands glide over the keys. "Can you hear that dreadful sound, fire still burning on the ground." He stops and looks at me. "The lyrics are really good, and you've got a great start on the sound."

"I don't know what to put in the middle of it though." I sigh. I feel a tap on my shoulder and I look up. Bailey squeezes between josh and I, and our legs touch. I feel my throat tighten up.

"Let's see." She cracks her fingers and starts playing the music. "Fire still burning on the ground." She plays the keys repeating melody, but adding some movement to it. "Ooooooo, ah oo woah oh oo." She slams on the keys. "Can you feel my love? Rising with the heat above. Life's the story of, oh oo woah oh oo oh, ascending to the stars as one." She closes her eyes and just lets the music flow through her. I look over at josh and his mouth is wide open. "Marching across the land, is a peaceful army joining the band, walking hand in hand, to an anthem loudly sung where they stand." She opens her eyes and stops. "I think the drums should hit there again. And Josh, you need to add some runs or something in between the phrases." She looks over at me and grins. "And you, should play acoustic."

"What?" I question.

"Yep." She giggles. "I think since there's keys, you should have a timpani sound, along with a acoustic. It will give it a lighter feeling." She stands up, and lays back down on the couch. Josh walks to the drums and I follow to the guitar.

"From the top?" I ask.

"Yeah. But add something at the beginning." Josh answers. I start playing, making it up as I go. Bailey sits back up and watches me. I look over at Josh and nod so he can start singing. He sings, adding the drums and runs like Bailey said. Sam and Danny walk in, mouth wide and eyes twinkling. Josh and I stop.

"Woah!" Sam yells.

"Hell yeah!" Danny follows.

"What is this song?" Sam asks.

"Jake wrote it." Josh answers.

"Really?" Danny questions. I nod.

"Wow." Sam chuckles. "This is rad."

"There's key music for you, and Josh can explain the drum ideas." I tell Sam and Danny. They run over and start learning parts of the song. While they are occupied, I set my guitar down and walk over to Bailey. "Hey, step outside with me?" I ask. She looks up and nods.

We walk outside and I watch as she turns her face up to the sun. Her hair glows, and her eyes look like emeralds shining in water. She looks back at me and I forget how to speak. "Did you need something?" She asks.

"Uhm yeah. Yeah." I stutter. She smirks at me. "So uhm. How did, how did it go at home?" I ask.

"Fine. They weren't home yet." She answers. "Did you talk to your mom?" I feel my stomach drop.

"I went straight into the garage. So no, but I'm sure she will be fine with it." I nod. Her face drops.

"Jake!" She yells.

"What?" I shrug.

"You were supposed to ask her!" She yells again.

"Sorry! It slipped my mind for a minute." I yell back. I hate it when she yells at me.

"Your an idiot sometimes." She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Well sorry we're all not geniuses like you." I spit back.

"The hell is that supposed to mean?" She grits.

"I'm sorry I can't focus on one thing at a time. I've got a million things going on." I throw my arms up.

"Well that's not my fucking problem, is it?" She screams. "If you would learn what is more important, you wouldn't have these problems."

"Whatever." I shake my head and start to head back inside. I walk past Josh in the hallway, but I keep looking forward. I find mom in the kitchen and she turns to me.

"What's going on? I heard yelling from outside." She says with a concern face.

"Bailey wants to come stay with us a little earlier. I said it was okay, but I wanted to make sure with you." I sigh.

"Of course it's okay." She answers.

"Alright. Thank you." I turn and walk back outside where I see Josh talking to bailey. The both look at me when I walk up to them.

"Mom said it was fine. There. You happy now?" I said. Bailey turns to me red in the face.

"Yes." She crosses her arms. "Thank. You." She dead pans. I fake a smile and walk back inside. God. She gets on my nerves.