Blood and Magic

Chapter 19 - Adulting 101 (Peyton)

I'm yours by Jason Marz and Take It Easy By The Eagles

I woke up before my alarm,  rolling onto my side, I watched the minutes pass by. I'd stayed up texting Ryker and didn't end up getting much sleep yet I couldn't force myself to go back to bed.

Through the thin walls, I could hear that the rest of my family was already up. Mom was making breakfast, I knew that because Auggie was banging pots and pans together like he was some artist. The news was on full blast which meant dad was getting his dose of reality for the day.

I sighed and just turned off the alarm, there was no hope of going back to sleep.

I pushed the covers off myself and got up. I grabbed the closest sweatshirt and yanked it on. I tied up my hair and went to say good morning when my toes hit something hard.

I hissed curse words under my breath while hopping on one foot till the pain subsided.

I looked down to see what I'd hit. The old guitar case was laying on the floor where I left it weeks ago. I picked it up and set it on my bed. I pulled out the old guitar and gazed over it.

It was as pretty as it was when I first looked at it. I'd completely forgot about it, my parent's birthday gift from forever ago - or what felt like forever ago.

I held it properly against my body and brushed my fingers over the old strings. I cringed as the out of tune strings vibrated. I moved to tune them but a loud clang came from the kitchen followed by the booming voice of a newscaster.

It was loud to even attempt to play, let alone tune.

I was about to put the guitar back when my eyes scanned past my window, and fire escape. I hesitated and shrugged.

Why not.

I crawled out onto the fire escape.

I was grateful for the sweatshirt as the morning chill swarmed around me.

I settled myself on one of the metal stairs and positioned my guitar.

I was too far up to be affected by the traffic below. This was the most bliss I'd felt in awhile, I couldn't believe it took me this long to try playing out here.

Once the instrument was back in tune muscle memory took off and my fingers started to move.

The familiar tune of Jason Marz's, I'm Yours thrummed to life. It was like riding a bike, I didn't even need to think of the notes, my fingers just moved effortlessly.

I stopped when I checked back in with myself and realized I couldn't feel my feet.

Loud, booming claps came from behind me that made me jump and whip my head around.

A man, maybe thirty? Was out on his fire escape one over. He was wearing a plaid button-up and jeans, dark hair, and beard.

"That was pretty, why'd you stop?" He called with a friendly smile.

"I'm sorry - what?" I sputtered out still trying to keep my nerves down.

He laughed and moved his coffee cup from one hand to the other.

"You gotta voice to go with it?" He continued with curiosity.

I squared my shoulds getting more defensive, it was too early to deal with creepy men.

"Maybe, why?" I shot back with narrowed eyes.

"I work at a bar a few blocks down, my manager has been looking for local entertainment to jazz up the place. If you stop by later I'm sure he'd offer you a job," He shrugged.