It's Complicated.

Chapter 5

"Ash, you wanna sit in the practice room with me?" I looked up to see Dan beaming down at me.

"Yes. Then you can show me what you've got and inspire me." I rose, picking up my book and guitar case. He led me down a hall and into a small square room. On the walls were pictures of different bands and artists - The Smiths, Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, The All American Rejects."I like this room." I gasped.

"Yeah, me too." He smiled at me. "I decorated it."

"You listen to good music." I nodded and sat on an empty chair next to a small wooden piano. He dropped into a chair across from me. "I have no idea what I'm doing." I groaned.

"Not a writer?" He quizzed.

"It's not that. I write my own songs and stuff, but, I don't know what I want to write." I paused. "No. Scrap that. I don't know what he wants me to write about." I frowned deeply.

"What do you feel right now?" He asked.

"Confused?" 

He laughed lightly. "No, I mean, what do you feel? Deep down."

I looked him straight in the eye, "I don't want to write about that."

A puzzled look crossed his face. "Is there something wrong Ashleigh?"

"No, I just..." I brushed my fingers through my hair.

"What are you worrying about?"

"What makes you think I'm worried?" My eyebrows knitted together tightly.

"You do that thing with your hair. You always did." He gave me a small smile. "You don't have to tell me. I just want you to know that you can."

"Deep down Daniel, I feel, empty." I sighed and closed my eyes. "Ah shit, that sounded so depressing. Oh god! Why did I just say that?!" I rolled my eyes and slapped my face.

"Ash, everyone gets like that sometimes. Don't worry. You can tell me anything. We were best friends once." He smiled softly and placed his hand on my arm. As it always was, his smile was infectious, I felt my lips turn upwards and spread into a smile. 

"Yeah, we were." I stated.

"I'd like to be again?" He asked.

"So would I Danny." I smiled and he opened his arms to me. I folded into them perfectly. 

After a minute or so, I sat back on my chair and unzipped my guitar case, retrieving my Electro-Acoustic guitar and a pen. "Best get started 'ay?" I flicked pen my note book to a fresh page, wrote, 'Music' in a circle in a centre. I drew a line and wrote 'Emotions' in a bubble above. I jotted down, emotions such as, happy, sad, love and anger. "That just about covers my ideas." I rolled my eyes in disgust at my obvious lack of ideas and progress. I was basically screwed.

"I'm sure you'll do fine." Dan spoke as he twiddled the pegs tuning his guitar. 

"I hope so." I doubtfully grumbled. "How far are you?" 

"Finishing touches." He smiled, relieved. 

"Seriously?!" I gasped. "I've not started, and you've finished?!"

"We've had longer than you. We all started out the same way you did. Don't you worry." He strummed a few chords and clicked his fingers. "You wanna hear it?" 

I smiled, "Yeah, I do." He slowly strummed a basic chord pattern, and then it morphed into a more intricate set. Then he began singing. His voice drifted around the room, in a calming storm. I felt every note. The soft hum of the chords he was playing in the background was steady as he murmured line after beautiful line. He finished - too quickly. I sat there, eyes wide.