Apartment No.4

Part 67: Strings of my Heart

Hey guys, so this is a short chapter but it's like a little prelude to the next one :)

I literally can't stop with the updates 😂 I think it's been one everyday for four days now, oh my lord I need to take a break hahaha!
Enjoy this little prelude!

I lay in bed with a book in my face and Mason beside me quietly picking at his guitar.

It occurred to me then, he'd never told me about his guitar and I'd never thought to ask.

"When did you learn to play?" I asked, resting my book on my chest and staring up at him. A nostalgic smile adorned his face as he continued to pick at strings and a soothing rhythm.

"On my 8th birthday things had started to go downhill with Mum and dad, hey we're always arguing and stuff but for one day, just that one day they didn't argue - they didn't talk to each other neither but it was better than arguing. So, when we sat down in the afternoon Mum pulled out a present from the hallway cupboard. It was huge and I thought 'wicked!' Cause you know, the younger you are, the bigger the present, the better it will be," he continued his rhythmic tune and I felt so calm that I could almost fall asleep.

"So I'm really excited and I unwrap the present, Mum, dad and Claire sitting on the couch opposite me and it's a guitar. This guitar."

My brows crinkled at the thought, an adults guitar for an 8 year old boy? That can't be right.

"You're right in what you're thinking," he nodded, looking down at me while his fingers continued working, "it was practically the size of me. I told Mum that it wouldn't fit me cause I was too small and that just set everything up for argument again. Mum and dad were screaming at each other so I took Claire up to my room with the guitar and a book that had come with it. It was a training book. I studied it backwards and forwards, inside and out and practiced and practiced until I could play with my eyes shut and behind my back." He chuckled.

He paused as I watched his hands continue.

"I wanted to be the lead guitarist of a band," he smirked down at me, his fingers slowing as the song came to a close. "Stupid dream,"

"It's not stupid, you're really good!"

"Thanks," he laughed, setting the guitar to the side of the bed and scooting down on the bed and wrapping his around around me as I snuggled into his chest.

"What were you playing? I don't think I've heard it,"

He sighed softly, brushing a bit of hair from my forehead as I looked up at him.

"I wrote it, never gave it a name though..."

"You wrote it? When? When you were younger?"

"The day I opened the apartment door and found a beautiful brunette whose eyes were daring me not to fall in love with her."

I opened my mouth to reply but was cut off by my phone ringing. I hastily picked it up and accidentally threw it across the room - I know, I know - and scurried to pick it up.

"Hello?" I asked, my voice a little higher pitched.

"Hello, is this Mason Murphy?"

"No sorry, this is Ashley Mur- Ashley Anderson," what the hell was that about.

I flicked my eyes to Mason to see him smirking in surprise.

Shit.

"Oh sorry, I must've gotten the numbers mixed up, I'll give him a call," the voice on the phone replied.

"Oh no, no! He's here I'll pass him over," I all but pegged the phone at him and ran into the kitchen where I made myself a large coffee and hid from Mason until he was off the phone."

He surprised me by sliding across the floorboard into the kitchen with a massive smile on his face.

"What? What happened?"

"Claire got the go ahead for her surgery! They've made the booking for three months time today!" He picked me up and swung me around the kitchen before putting me down and kissing me in excitement.

"That's so great! Oh my god I can't believe it!" I squealed. Finally what we'd been working towards was actually just around the corner! Hallelujah!

"Me neither," he sighed, his smile still
lighting up his face. "I'm gonna go take a shower and visit Claire to tell her."

He jogged off to our bedroom and I leaned against the counter to take it all in.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw him poke his head around the door frame.

"I heard you by the way... interested in become a Murphy are we?" He sniggered, as I sank to the ground in embarrassment.

He chuckled, walking over to me to pull me up by my hand.

"You coming?" He asked.