Something Rather Than Nothing

Chapter 6 (Sparrow)

What was the second song in your set, and what did it mean?

My stomach twists around as I see a text from an unknown number. Paxton really was a curious one. A warm smile forms across my face as I think of how to respond.

Don't you know curiosity killed the cat?

I'd much rather educate her on the inner depths of my soul in person.

Oops.. good thing I'm not a pussy! Wanna get coffee?

She's very gutsy, and it's like she read my mind. Is she asking me on a date or does she really just want to satisfy the questions in her mind?

Well that depends...

I decide to tease her, but my mind is screaming "Yes!"

On...?

If you're paying or not :P

Since the plan is to pick your brain apart, I guess it's only fair that I pay. Dunkin' at 9?

I check the time, which reads 8:30 am.

Starbucks is better, but I will see you there.

I put my phone down so I can hurry up and get ready. I decide to wear my favorite pair of distressed skinny blue jeans and a tank top that is open in the back. I put my hair up in a messy bun and apply some mascara. I realize it's time for me to leave, so I quickly rush out of the door and into my car. Once I start my car, I can feel my heart skip a beat.

*****

I must be the first one here because I look around and don't see a familiar face. I sit down and wait for an astonishing woman to walk through the door.

I'm here.

Soon after I hit send, I look up to see Paxton walking towards me. She had already noticed me, and she had the brightest smile on her face that made my face tingle. She is wearing a very flattering and tight black t-shirt and short khaki shorts. I couldn't help but give her a toothy grin. I stand up, not sure if I should hug her or not. Instead, she initiates the embrace, and I can feel her soft hair against my face and toned body against my own.

"Hey Sparrow! It's so good to see you again." She looks me up and down and says, "You look really good today. Are you ready to order?"

I take in her glowing demeanor, which leaves me rather speechless. "H-hey Paxton. I'm ready if you are."

She smirks at me before walking up to the counter.

"Paxton! You're back! Long time no see!" The very energetic man behind the counter obviously knows Paxton. He seems to have had too many cups of coffee this morning.

"Hey Steve. I know, it has been a whole day. I'll take my usual and..." She looks at me to place my order. "And I'll have a small iced macchiato please."

"Make it a medium Steve-o." She looks at me and says quietly, "You'll need it for all the questions I'm going to bombarde you with."

This brings a grin to my face. The way she speaks is so smooth, yet so lighthearted.

We pick up our drinks and head back to the table I was sitting at. She pulls out a chair for me, causing heat to rise to my cheeks.

"Thank you. So... what is it you wanted to ask me?"

"The second song in your last set has been stuck in my head. It goes like,

The light that's in your eyes
Is keeping me from the darkness
The kindness in your heart
Wipes away all the tarnish
That has encased my soul
And left me feeling so cold
And I don't know why you choose
To see me for what I'm feeling
Not what I'm thinking

Which one is that?"

I'm shocked that she knows my lyrics by heart after only hearing the song once. "That one is called Renew. How do you know the lyrics?"

She looks down nervously. "I may have taken videos of some of the songs." She looks up to see how I respond.

I smirk before saying, "And I thought you were just a good listener."

She grins sheepishly, "I am! I just wanted to be able to go back and listen. But, what does it mean?"

"It's about being seen for something we feel instead of something we think because our thoughts can be deceiving, but our feelings are involuntary. Our thoughts can easily be corrupted by our own demons, but our feelings are genuine and show our true nature."

She gives me a warm smile, making my face tingle at the sight of her natural beauty. "I love that, it's very eloquent and relatable. I also like how the title has a deeper meaning than simply just a repeated word or phrase in the chorus."

"Thank you. I try to make my songs unique and powerful." I look into her eyes, watching the light bounce off of her irises.

I'm starting to get lost in their beauty when she says, "Also, is your band named after the beer?"

I giggle before answering, "No, corona refers to the glow around the moon due to diffraction by water droplets, which I find very graceful."

"You sound like an even bigger dork than me, which is saying a lot!"

I gasp and drop my jaw, pretending to be offended. She laughs in response, making me realize how contagious her laugh is. "I'll have you know people find me really cool."

"Yeah, I'm sure they do." She has a flirtatious look on her face. I realize I'm blushing, which makes me blush even harder. I am acting like a dork, but I'm normally much more glorious than this. She makes me weak in the knees and blank in the head, like I'm back in high school flirting with the head cheerleader.

"What are your plans for today?" She must be able to tell I'm lost in thought.

"I have work this afternoon and rehearsal later tonight. What are your plans?"

"I have class all day, starting at 10:30. Where do you work?"

"I'm a waitress at a fine-dining country club." I look down at my phone to see it's 10:00. "I guess you need to be leaving soon then?"

She looks down at her phone too. "Yes, I suppose I should start walking back now."

"Would you rather me drop you off?"

A small smirk forms at the corner of her mouth. "Okay, but only because you made me pay for your coffee."

There is that flirtatious look again. I lightly nudge her shoulder and say, "You said it was only fair."

She stands up to leave and as I walk behind her, I catch a glimpse of her ass in those tight shorts. Lord have mercy on my soul.

She turns around and says, "What?"

Shoot! Did I say that out loud?

I open the passenger door for her, causing her to blush like I did earlier. She gives me directions to the building where her class is, and we say our goodbyes.

"Thank you for inviting me, it was a lot of fun."

She gets out of my car and bends down through the open window. "It was fun! We should do it again sometime. I hope you have a good day at work."

The words roll off of her tongue so smoothly, her voice giving me chills. "Definitely! I hope you have a good day at school, nerd." I wanted payback for earlier, which made her chuckle. That laugh will never get old. I watch her walk towards the building, trying to withdraw my eyes from her perfect figure.