Beyond The Music

Chapter Twenty Two - Steven

"Steven? Are you out there?" I closed my eyes and sighed softly as Uncle Henry called from inside my bedroom as he headed towards the double doors leading out onto the balcony.

"Yeah," I slid down in the chair slightly and leaned my head back against the wall when I heard the balcony doors open quietly.

"Dinner's ready. You gonna come inside or stay out here?" I opened my eyes and forced a smile, I looked to Uncle Henry as he stood just outside the doors watching me with a sad smile.

"Have to eat some time. Might as well be now," I slowly stood up and stretched when he laughed softly and headed back inside. I looked over at Mika's balcony and frowned when I noticed that she hasn't kept her curtains open for more than a few hours since she stopped talking or even looking at me about three weeks ago after the whole kissing another girl thing at the club on Saturday night. Apart from her little anger session during Science class last week after Stacey and her friend riled her up again, she hasn't even looked at me. It's like I'm not even there in her eyes. Although seeing her walk into my class covered in paint to talk to Keira about Max was quite satisfying, she hasn't even glanced at me since she walked out of that room.

I blew out a long breath and sighed softly as I turned around and followed my uncle into the house, I stopped at the door and took one final look towards Mika's balcony before closing the door behind me, and heading downstairs into the kitchen.

As soon as I'd finished my food, I headed upstairs and grabbed out my guitar from my closet before sitting down on the edge of my messy bed. I held my guitar in both hands as I tried to think of something to play but as I placed my fingers on the strings, my mind went blank. I cleared my throat and tried again but still got the same result as before.

After about half an hour of trying to play something, I'd finally given up and lied it across my knees as I stared down at it while I held it by the neck gently and ran my fingers down the strings a couple of times before I'd finally let my hands fall into my lap and frowned as I stared at it. The first time Uncle Henry came up to my room, he looked in the door and sighed softly before heading back downstairs but every 30 minutes, he'd repeat the same thing over and over until he'd finally knocked on my door and watched me silently.

"You look a little down, mate. What's wrong?" I turned around as I heard Uncle Henry behind me and frowned as he watched me with sad eyes. Or was that pity?

"Nothing. I'm fine. What are you doing up here?" I turned back to my guitar and sighed softly as I held it in my hands and stared down at it.

"You've been staring at that thing for over two hours, either play it or put it away," I sighed softly and carefully placed the guitar behind me on the bed.

"What do you want, Henry?" he sighed softly and took a step into my room and frowned.

"I'm going out. I'll be home soon. Don't stay up too late because you still have school tomorrow whether you like it or not," I nodded slightly and sighed softly before lowering my head. I closed my eyes.

"I was planning on heading to bed soon anyway. Night Henry," he sighed softly and smiled before turning around and started towards the door but stopped for a second when he turned towards me.

"Night bud," I sighed softly as I stood up and walked over to the door before shutting it softly. I leaned my head against the door lightly. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before standing up straight and walking over to my bed slowly, I pulled my shirt over my head and frowned as I fell onto my back on my bed. I closed my eyes and sighed loudly as I sat up and grabbed the guitar before putting it under my bed so I wouldn't step on it when I got up in the morning before closing my eyes and falling back again. I buried my head under the pillows and grunted softly before turning off the light and falling to sleep although every few hours, I'd wake up because the same scene of that night at the club would run though my head a million times until I'd finally had to get up in order to be ready for another Monday at school.