Camp Red Lake

Chapter 42. Goodnight

About two months passed since I first met Nathan at the shelter, and we had gotten remarkably close. We'd gone on several outings together and always managed to have fun, even if our plans didn't go as expected. Our trip to the guitar center in Hollywood was one of those instances. The day had started with blinding rays of sunlight. Nathan invited me early in the morning to tag along. He said he needed to get a few accessories for his guitar but wasn't too comfortable taking the train by himself yet. Apparently the last time he tried, he'd ended up by city walk instead.

I had no plans since Sundays were my days off. Plus I was already getting tired of being cooped up at the house all week. I took the weather into consideration when choosing my outfit. It looked like a warm day, so I put on some denim shorts and a baggy t-shirt to go along with it. I took a thin jacket with me in case I got chilly. Nathan and I took a bus to the station. His roommate had borrowed his car for work again. I personally didn't mind, but he seemed embarrassed by the situation.

The train ride was long but enjoyable. I took the window seat and Nathan sat beside me with his headphones in hand.

"Shit. I forgot mine." I grumbled when I realized the trip would seem a lot longer without music.

"Here, we can share mine." He offered and held out one of the wireless buds for me to take.

"Thanks." I told him as I slipped it into my ear. It turned out that we liked a lot of the same music. By the time we arrived at the station an hour later, we were both rapping along to one of our favorite songs. We probably looked like a bunch of crazies to the other people on the train, but for the first time in my life...I didn't care. I was having fun.

"Watch your step." He reminded as we got off the subway and made our way downhill towards the walk of fame.

"Damn, I haven't been here since I was a kid." I enthused as I looked at all the celebrity names that dyed the sidewalk.

"Funny, right? People assume that because you live near all these attractions and famous places, that you're there every weekend, but the truth is we probably come out here less than a tourist would." He chuckled as he led the way.

"For real! People assume that because you live in Cali, you're always at Disneyland!"

"Right!? It's like, I'm not made of money Susan. I can't be at a theme park every single day!" I laughed. It was funny. I thought I was the only one that felt that way.

"Looks like we're here." His voice interrupted my thoughts. Sure enough, we were standing by the entrance of the building. The glass doors automatically opened when someone walked near. "You don't have to come inside if you don't want to. I can just run in and..."

"Hey, shut up and let's go." I urged, already on my way in. A brilliant smile spread across his face then.

"After you."

Once we were inside, Nathan made his way directly towards the racks where the guitar strings were kept. I took advantage and wandered towards the back where the electric guitars hung. I picked a cherry red one off its hook and took a seat by one of the amps that were plugged in nearby. I started strumming softly, not really interested in making too much noise. I knew my guitar skills weren't something to show off — they were mediocre at best. Still, I did know my way around a fret board. I allowed my mind to drift as I plucked the strings, the song Croy had played so long ago in that music room, swirled in my mind.

After he passed, I had made it my mission to learn it in its entirety. The song was "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd but played in a slower tempo. I got carried away by the melancholic notes and failed to realize that a small crowd had formed as people watched. When I finished playing, a small round of applause filled the store. I looked up and saw Nathan at the front, also clapping. He had his pack of strings tucked under his arm.