my best friends brother || h.s ✔

chapter forty one

I watch carefully.

"Finger, 1, 2, 3 and 4," he points to his fingers and I nod. "Finger one, first fret, second string," he places it on there. The string presses onto my fingertip harshly which makes me wince a little bit. "Don't move it," he says.

I don't.

"Second finger, sending fret, 4th string," he moves it. "And then it's third finger, third fret, 5th string,"

My fingers were stretched out, but I furrow my brows. "Wouldn't this string be the first one?" I point to the thinnest with my free hand.

"No, you count down, 6, 5, 4, 3 and so on,"

"Okay," I nod.

"Strum it," he says. I run my finger down the strings so it plays a different tune to it being open. "Good, next is a E minor, take your fingers off and put your first and second finger on the first and second string, second fret," he says but doesn't help me this time.

I follow his instructions, squeezing my fingers into place and strum it. "Good, now a F, you're gonna use four fingers now,"

I nod.

"First finger, first fret, second string," he says, I place my finger tip on it which makes it hurt but I ignore it. "Second finger, second fret, third string,"

I follow along, nodding. "And your third and fourth finger, third fret, 5th and 6th string," he says, I do as said and my fingers were again, stretched out. I strum it and it makes another noise.

"Good, G is an easy note, a beginner note as they say,"

"Okay," I nod.

"First finger, second fret, 5th string, second finger third fret, 6th string and third finger, third fret, 1st string," he says, fixing my finger that I put on the wrong fret. I strum it and he nods. "And last, a A minor. First finger, first fret 2nd string, second finger, 4th string and your 3rd finger is the same, just the third string,"

I strum it again, smiling.

"They're the chords, it's gonna take a while to switch between them quickly,"

I nod, he told me that.

"Now the strumming pattern," he says. "Can I have it?"

I hand him the guitar and he quickly plays the notes, quickly strumming them. "Okay, just watch," he says.

He strums it down, then down, up, down again. "Easy,"

I take it back off him, strumming it openly, saying words in my head.

Down,
Down,
Up,
Down.

"Good," he says.

"Then you start with a C," he says, not helping. I whack my brain for memory and know one finger goes on the first fret, one on the second and third, I can't remember which strings. He sigh, helping me move my fingers into the shape. "Strum that in the pattern,"

Down,
Down,
Up,
Down.

"Faster,"

I do it quicker as he said and then stop. "Great, switch to a E minor,"

"Harry, I don't remember," I whine. He clicks his tongue in annoyance and yanks my hand, then forming my fingers into it.

"E minor,"

He quickly moves my hand around, doing it like he's done it a million times. "F,"

"Basic chord, G," he does it quickly, using his hands to do it and it makes me widen my eyes. "A minor, not that hard?"