Behind The Verses [[ Ed Sheeran ]]

Where We Land

Chapter - Where We Land   

My lazy best friend fell on the floor and yawned wide. She yelled “I can’t do it anymore, I need a break”.  I started to feel butterflies in my belly when I lied next her in the tree house we were building that summer. I was a metre away from her but it seemed I could feel her pulse. 

Sara had a huge backyard, not that I was surprised. She was an heiress, more like a royalty. A perfect princess. She had been my neighbour for a couple of years and we went to the same middle school. Well she was not really perfect because she had bullied me a lot in those two years because I could not hear from a ear, but always apologized when nobody was looking. She did not want anybody to know that a poor ugly ginger like me is a friend of an heiress who lives in a mansion. I understood that, but sometimes I want to hate her. Then she appears before my eyes, with that strawberry smile of hers. Her beautiful blonde hair burning down my rage like sunshine melts the ice. She was breath taking. I could not make up my mind whether to hate her or love her. She loved to listen to music, well my music. Giving me her allowance for the month to buy a second-hand guitar was the evident.

 I do everything she asks me to. Camping every month; Bonfire by the beach; Sneaking in her mansion when she can’t fall asleep. And now the tree house.

The sun had set in and the stars appeared. I got up and was about to wake her from the land of dreams when I heard her baby brother calling her name. She got up and we both headed down. I was on the porch when I realised she was not around. I looked around and saw her hugging a tree. She was practically hanging from the branch. I chuckled at the sight. I waved her goodbye and walked to my home which was a few streets away. She loved to do weird things. She was goofy just like me, but everyone liked her as much as they hated me.

I opened the doors of my house which sized about 1/3rds of her mansion. I greeted my mother respectfully as I had to ask her to buy me a yo-yo I had always wanted. When I did that with all my courage, she handed me a lid with a taped elastic string, saying we could not afford a yo-yo. I gave her a smile to not break her heart and went straight to my room. I shared my room with my elder brother Matthew and my ginger cat Billy Ruskin.

I opened my diary and wrote down few verses. It took me a day to complete it. And when I was done I sneaked out of my house and ran to The Uber’s Mansion. I saw the creamy curtains of Sara’s room and pelted a pebble. Within seconds she let down a rope, I jumped over the hedge and climbed to her balcony. Breathless I sat on her couch. Her room was a massive place. She had a couple of couches, a plasma television, a giant walk-in closet, a royal study table and luxurious queen-sized bed beneath a chandelier.

 I took my guitar which I usually leave it in her room and said, “I wrote another song”. She grinned eagerly and her sleepy eyes shined brightly in the dim light. I started playing the guitar and sang accordingly.

Treat me beneath this clear night sky

And I will lie with you

I start to feel those butterflies

When I’m next to you

Tell me your secrets

Give me a friend

Let all the good times flood in

Do I love you?

Do I hate you?

I can’t make up my mind

So let’s freefall

See where we land

It’s been this way since we were young

We’ll fight and then make up

I’ll breathe your air into my lungs

When I feel your touch

Tell me your secrets

Give me a friend

Let all the good times flood in

Do I love you?

Do I hate you?

I can’t make up my mind

So let’s freefall

And see where we land

The second I finished, there was a knock on her door.

“Mistress won’t be happy if she found you awake at this hour madam”, a maid warned politely and walked away.

We both let out a sigh and giggled. She got up from the couch opposite mine and came to me and fell in a hug. I heard her whisper, “That was a great song Ed!”

She then let go of me and jumped on her bed and fell asleep, while I was stunned and sat there like a statue. Her scent, her soft hair and the cosy feeling made me blush and I could not move. I was wide awake on her couch and saw her lying peacefully like an angel.

Breathless I lay on the couch. What just happened? I’m over-reacting, I thought to myself. I took few deep breaths and looked at her. She was in deep sleep. I smiled and shut my eyes. I was almost asleep when I heard her mumble something. Confused I got up and looked at her, she was talking in her sleep! I have missed out on this for a year! With excitement I jumped off the couch and walked to her pillow laden bed. I bent on my knees by the bed and leaned near her.

She mumbled, “No Billy Ruskin, you may not eat Jerry. Tom caught him first!”

I fell on the floor controlling my laughter, but before I could go back to my couch, I stumbled over the silver tea set. Damn, she had another tea before bed. She got up in shock and gave me a dreadful sleepy look.

She whispered in rage, “Edward, you idiot! You will get us killed! Go away dumbo!”

She flung a pillow on my face. I chuckled hard and said, “I’m not the idiot here. You are the one who drinks tea in the night and not in the mornings.”

She gasped and flung few more pillows. I giggled and fell on the sofa.

I am never going to tell her that she talks in her sleep. I am gonna enjoy this now. I smiled myself to sleep.

I woke up by the sun peering through the balcony. I pulled myself together and thought I should leave before the maids discovered the rope hanging. I looked at Sara. My heart skipped a beat. ‘Wow’, I gasped.

The sun rays were falling on her like a spotlight. Her beautiful blonde hair was flowing down her perfectly sculpted shoulders like a river of gold. Her eyelids shut. Her lashes long and lustrous. Her strawberry lips looking soft and sweet. And her skin gleaming like diamonds.

I would stare at her forever but my thoughts went back to the maids. I tried to wake her, but she groaned and twisted in the sheets. My cheeks were feeling hot. I snapped back and woke her up by pushing her off the bed.

She groaned, “Dude, what on earth are you trying to do?” She got up from the rug and realised that I need to go. I smiled and whispered that I will be back around the evening and crept down the rope. She walked over like a zombie and pulled the rope up without saying anything. I jumped over the hedge and ran back to my house.

I was not worried of my parents finding out, as Matt will always cover up for me. He is the best brother!