Beyond The Sky

57

Spencer, Evynne, Mom and I all talked for an hour until Lance finally arrived with a knock on the door.

"There's Lance!" I exclaim, instantly getting to my feet to get the door. "Stay here, guys, I figured it'll be easier for him to see everyone."

They all nod as I walk to the door and open it. Lance hugs me, and then walks in.

"Everyone, I'd like you all to meet Lance." He follows me into the living room. Everyone looks at him and says hello. "So, from left to right -- I'd like you, Lance, to meet Evynne, my best friend--"

She'd wave, and say, "I've heard a lot about you," and then she smiled.

"--Spencer, my brother--" he'd wave.

"--And my mom, Kate." She waves again. "Great to meet you, Lance."

"Good to meet you all." He looks around the room. "I'm totally not overwhelmed right now," he laughs.

"Sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable," I say, looking at him. "That was totally not my intention."

"It's all right, Serena." He smiles at me.

"So, Lance..." Evynne starts, looking over at the both of us, "I heard you've got a song to perform."

He nods. "Yeah. We have a duet we'd like to perform." He looks at me. "I'm ready to if you are."

I smile and go up to my room to grab my stuff. He follows me. "I thought you told me it was just for Evynne?"

"Just pretend it is. It's not my fault the rest of my family wanted to hear it too."

"Okay, okay, I can do that. I'm not mad about it."

"Oh, good... It sounded like you were."

He shrugs. "Just wasn't prepared for two other people."
"I'm going to be putting that video we recorded yesterday out on the Internet for millions, possibly billions to see."

"Touché."

I laugh. "Did you need my laptop for the lyrics still?"

"It'd be nice, just in case I forget."

I grab my laptop. "Can you get the chairs for me? They're just in the hallway."

"Sure." He leaves my room to grab the chairs while I sling my guitar over my shoulder and grab my laptop. I followed him down the stairs and we both set up.

I would set up my laptop to be on the website with our lyrics after sitting down. I smile at Lance, quickly making sure my strings on my guitar are still intact and tuned. Wouldn't wanna pop a string right now. That would be awful. "Ready?"

He nods and I start the first set of chords. He starts to sing moments later.

"The day that we met, I'll never forget

I knew from the moment she spoke

That she, was destined to be,

My favorite regret

And all through the years,

The joy and the tears

We shared as the greatest of friends

But she, was destined to be,

My favorite regret..."

I swing myself back and forth gently as I listen to him. I somehow tuned him out for a verse, because the next thing I know it's almost my turn to sing.

"But a part of me mourns

What will never be born

She's forever my favorite regret..."

I smile, taking a breath to prepare for my verses.

"He's gentle and kind

And totally blind

To not see the life we could lead

And he, is destined to be

My favorite regret

In bad times and good

I've steadfastly stood

My passion just waits to be freed

But he, is destined to be

My favorite regret..."

Lance watches my hands on my guitar as I strum the little bit of instrumental break in between the next verses. It's very short, so we both start singing the next verse. After that one, there's a longer instrumental, and I would play that one too. We'd continue to sing verse after verse up until the end of the song. There's a moment of silence as both Lance and I take a breath, and suddenly, there's a bit of applause. And then more. I look up from my guitar to see the three people in our living room cheering us on.

"Serena, that was so pretty! You didn't tell me you had such a good voice!" Evynne blurted, smiling brightly.

I blush a little bit at her response. "Thank you, Ev," I say, shying away as much as I can while seated in the chair.

"And the same goes for you, too, Lance, your voice is really nice!"

"Thanks," he smiles at Evynne and then looks at me. I stand up and take a bow, grabbing my chair to take it back upstairs. Lance would do the same.

"You did so good!!" I squeal. "I'm so proud of you!" I would put my guitar down for a second and hug him tightly, the chair in my arms falling to the ground with a thud.

"It was all thanks to you, Serena." He'd hug me back, squeezing me a little tighter. "You were the one that really stole the show."

"Oh, stop." I say, letting go of him and picking my chair back up. I take it out into the hallway and lean it up against the wall.
"It's true, though."

"I guess. But you still blew me away."

"'Kay. Good talk." He laughs.

I laugh with him and we head back downstairs. Spencer looks at me. "You've been working hard on that, huh?"
"So many sleepless nights because of that song, just because it wasn't coming out the way I wanted it."

"I've heard you playing really late a lot of days. That's why I thought I'd ask."

I nod. "Yeah. Surprised?"

"No, actually, because I knew you had something in mind."
I laugh a bit. "I did. And that was it."

"I'm proud of the both of you."

I smile. "Thank you."

"I'm your brother, aren't I supposed to say things like that?"

"No, actually, you don't, but I appreciate the compliment anyway." He would laugh at my response.

"I was just teasing anyway."

I shrug. "Figured."