Keep Our Secrets

27

"So I finished Heat Above, but I have another song idea." I sit on the couch, Danny and Sam sits on the floor in front of me. Josh on my left, Bailey on my right. "So. We need a song that brings a lot of emotion."

"I thought that what Black Flag was for?" Josh asks.

"Well. Yes." I nod. "I also changed that song a little too." They all cock their heads to the side, but I'm too lazy to explain. "So. Tears of rain." I pass out the copies of music to the boys, and Bailey leans over to read the one in my hands.

"Jake.." she whispers.

"Hm?" I turn and look at her.

"This is incredible!" She throws her head up with a bright grin.

"It doesn't have any lyrics, which is why I was hoping you would help." I smile at her.

"Of course." She hold up her hand, and i high five her, letting our fingers intertwine for a brief second. I turn my head and see Josh staring at us confused. I forget that we haven't told him anything yet. But just being around her feels normal. Any interaction between us is just second nature.

"What?" I ask him.

"Nothing." He just shakes his head and looks down back at the paper. I look over at Sam and Danny, seeing the smirks on their faces.

"Alright. Let's get playing." I stand.

Hours have gone by, what was early morning is now late evening. The sun is nearly gone, and Sam is complaining about his hands.

"I think that's enough for today." Bailey sighs.

"Thank god someone called it." Sam grunts.

"I'm starving." Danny stands, cracking his back.

"That's disgusting." Josh squirms. "I don't know how anyone can just crack their body like a glow stick." He shivers. I sneak my way behind him and crack my fingers close to his ear. "Gah!" He flys away, covering his ears. "Jake!" He rolls his eyes, stomping out of the room.

"Jake." Bailey shakes her head at me.

"What?" I smile walking over to her.

"You know he hates that." She crosses her arms.

"Meh." I shrug. She rolls her eyes but smiles, walking back to the key board.

"You wanna get some food?" Sam asks Danny.

"Sure." He answers, packing away his sticks.

"You two wanna join?" He turns to me and Bailey.

"I'm down." She smiles over her shoulder. Sam turns to me, pointing the usual finger guns in my direction.

"I guess." I answer.

"Sweet." He runs out of the garage, Danny following close behind. I turn and watch Bailey as she sorts her music away.

Her little mannerisms always make me feel something. How she tucks her hair behind her ear, how she bites her bottom lip when thinking. Shes always tapping something, a pen or her foot. The little doodles on her shoes and the cuffs of her jeans. How she runs her fingers along the hem of her shirt, or how she fidgets with her earrings, spinning them around in her ears. The more I spend time with her the more I notice. She ties her shoes, right one before the left. She messes with the little clip on her car keys, and how she clips them to her belt loop on her pants. The necklace with the sun charm she runs her finger on, occasionally placing the charm between her lips. I notice how she closes her eyes when she pulls the metal clasp to the back, making a wish every time she does.

She now uses me a little fidget, running her finger along the lines on my palms. She spins the rings on my fingers, or messes with the bracelets on my arms. When we are outside on a picnic, she scribbles little stuff on the bottom of my shoes, or plays with my hair as my head rests in her lap.

"You ready to go?" She stands in front of me. I just stare down at her, those familiar green eyes looking into mine. It's fun to watch them grow with size when she looks at me. They change color sometimes too. Darker green when she's angry or upset. But lighter when she's happy and looking at me. I nod, feeling my chest grow tight. "Okay." She softly smiles.

I hold her face, running my thumb across her bottom lip, feeling how soft they are. I've always wanted to know what they felt like on mine. And even though we can't go a day without a small kiss, I still crave to remember how they feel, how they taste. Vanilla and peppermint. It's funny, anytime our lips touch, or even when she kisses my cheek, little traces of her chapstick are left where her lips touched my skin. A little reminder of how our relationship has grown.

"Jake?" She furrows her brows at me. I love the little line that shows between her brows when she's confused, and how her nose scrunches. I pull her in, just leaving a small gentle kiss on her lips. Feeling the days stress melt away, feeling life flood back in me. Her touch, even if it's a small brush of her hand, sends so much calm and peace into my body. My soul even. As I pull back away, her face softens, relaxes. If that's what effect I have on her, I wonder if she knows what effect she has on me.

"I'm ready now." I smile.

"Okay." She giggles.