Bea & the Broken Record

Chapter 8: Secrets

Bea didn't say a word the entire drive to the bar. She had her elbow propped on the window sill and her head on her hand as she stared mindlessly ahead of us. I wanted to reach over and pull her out that trance so she would talk to me, but I knew I wouldn't even be able to get her to do that. I turned the radio up earlier in attempt to get her to maybe even hum.

This time when I reached for the radio, she placed her hand on top of mine and gently put it back on the steering wheel.

"I like this song," she murmured and went back to the same position she had been in. Even when she was mad, she absorbed every little thing around herself.

"Bea," I started. "Do you want to talk about it?" I asked her. I rested my arm on the middle console and glanced over at her. "I don't care what parents said. I mean, it's their opinion."

"I'm just tired of it, Asher. Not just tonight. It's like that every time I have a friend over. Which isn't often, as you can tell. I had a really, really great friend come over once and my parents practically chased her away. I did not want that to happen to you," It was like once she started, she couldn't stop. I was happy she finally talked.

"What happened to her?" I asked curiously. Bea sighed heavily and shook her head.

"I haven't talked to her in a while," was all she said. It was all I needed to tell me what happened. That friend never spoke to Bea again. It amazed me to see how she still acted around kids at school. She was so kind and gentle and just overall the greatest person I have yet to meet. Always smiling, at least, in public. I realized that I had no idea what really went through her mind. I didn't know what she was thinking of now. Maybe her friend? Maybe her parents? Maybe... me? It was farfetched, but I honestly hoped she was. Not because I'm a guy and that's the only thing I think should be on her mind, but because I don't want her stressing.

"Hey, can you do me a favor?" I asked Bea when we pulled into the parking lot at the bar. We unbuckled and she looked at me with her hand on the door handle.

"What?" She raised a perfect eyebrow.

"Can you stop thinking about everything tonight? Just think about the music you hear. Don't worry about your parents, or your friend, or anything whatsoever. Please?" I felt my face drop when I saw her sit back in her seat and shut her eyes for moment. She grabbed the bag she took with her out of the house and clutched it tightly in her hands.

"Yeah, I'll do that for you," she nodded her head and before I realized what was going on, she leaned over and hugged me. Her hair was in my face but I could've cared less. It smelled of coconut and cream.

"Thanks, Asher," she whispered.

"Anytime, Bea," I replied.

With that, we exited the car and made our way into the bar, which I figured out was named The King. It didn't occur to me that it would be named that. I followed Bea inside and helped her get a drink at the bar - a non-alcoholic one - and I practically ran backstage where the guys were waiting for me.

"How was your little meeting?" Grayson smirked at me. I smiled and shook my head as I put my guitar strap over my head. I made sure it was tuned before we went on.

"As good as it could've been, I guess," I told them with a sigh. I didn't really care, though. All I cared about was that girl sitting outside of those curtains.

"Did you get some... food?" Ben made a lame joke that still made Grayson and me laugh. Quentin was too focused on setting up his keyboard. Brody was playing around with his drum sticks and spinning around in his drum chair.