"Nice guitar mate," Michael grinned as I removed my acoustic guitar from its case, placing it on the couch in Ashton's basement.
"Thanks. It's nice to know a guy who appreciates guitars," I laughed and shut the case again. Both he and Calum had arrived before me, leaving me to make an awkward, late entrance.
"So. What kinds of music do you guys listen to?" Calum asked as I turned to face them. Ashton sat behind a pretty large drum kit and a black bass hung from Cal's shoulder.
"Good Charlotte, Blink-182, Green Day, Nirvana, All Time Low, stuff like that," I shrugged. "What about you guys?"
"Good taste. All very good bands. What about stuff like Joy Division, the Ramones, and Jawbreaker?" Ashton twirled a drum stick expertly between his fingers.
"We have the best music taste ever. Just putting that out in the open..." Michael said deadpan. At that, we all broke into laughter. "Seriously though, I love all of those bands. I can play a lot of songs by a lot of them too."
"What do you say we play some then?" I grinned and picked up my guitar, sitting on the arm of the couch.
"Sounds good." Calum nodded.
For the next six and a half hours we played along to our favorite songs by our favorite bands. I learned that all four of us were pretty damn good at our instruments, especially Ashton. He seemed to take drumming very seriously, and by the end of the day his skin glistened with a coat of sweat.
"I'm wiped guys," he huffed as we ended All Time Low's 'Dear Maria.' I gave a nod of agreement, as did Michael and Calum.
"I think that's the most fun I've had in a while," I admitted. And to be honest, other than the time I spent with Kara that was the most fun if had in a long, long time.
"Me too," Mikey sighed. "We should do this more often."
"I think we should make it a weekly thing. Maybe we could even do some videos and put them up online," Cal suggested with a shrug and a grin.
"That sounds like a great idea!" I agreed enthusiastically. Then something popped into my mind. "Can I play a song for you guys? I wrote it for Kara and I just had the idea to run it past you since you all obviously know a lot about music..." I explained slowly.
"Sure mate," Ash grinned and stood, walking around his drum kit to plop down in the middle of the couch. "Play away."
"Okay. Here goes then," I nodded, taking a deep breath and placing my fingers on the right chords.
She sits at home with the lights out,
Seein' life in different colors.
I think it's time that we wake up
So let me take you away.
We could run down the street
With the stars in our eyes
We could tear down this town
In the dark of the night.
Just open the door
We've got time on our side
We can make it out alive.
Hey we're takin on the world,
I'll take you where you want to go.
Pick you up if you fall to pieces
Let me be the one to save you.
Break the plans we had before
Let's be unpredictable
Pick you up if you fall to pieces
Let me be the one to save you.
I sang the rest of the song, strumming along. As I played the last chord, I looked up to see the others looking at me closely. You could hear a pin drop, and I didn't know whether that was a good or bad thing.
"So...do you think she'll like it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Like it?" Michael quirked an eyebrow. "She's going to love it man."
"Thanks for sharing that with us too," Ashton added. "I can tell it means a lot to you." I simply nodded.
My gaze was drawn to Calum as he let out a small sigh. "What is it Cal?" I asked curiously.
"It's just... This makes me feel awful about how I've treated girls in the past. Kara just seems to mean so much to you and I-I just... I've never felt that with anyone. And I really want to have that with someone, you know?" He shrugged and glanced at his feet.
It was Michael who stood up and walked to Cal's side, clapping him on the back. "Keep your head up mate. The right girl will come around eventually and she'll change everything. You've just gotta be patient."
"Thanks Mikey," he smiled.
"I feel like something is missing from the song," I admitted after a moment.
"Like a band?" Ashton grinned.
"Yeah. Like a band." I nodded and idly plucked at my guitar strings.
"We could probably help you with that." Michael turned and grinned.
••••••••••••••••••••
I stood on the metro platform later, after we had finished working on the song. I'd decided before going to Ashton's that it would be easier to take the train than driving and having to figure out all the directions as his place was across the city.
My guitar sat in its case on my lap, and I sat on a bench against a wall. I still had about an hour until the next train, as I had just missed the last one. So I just sat there, watching as trains stopped and boarded passengers, or simply whizzed past. Then an idea struck me.
Opening my guitar case, I retrieved the instrument and placed the case on the ground in front of me. Picking up my pick, I placed my hands on the strings and began strumming the song I'd written for Kara. As the lyrics came, I took a breath and started singing along.
At first my playing and singing went unnoticed. I kept my eyes on my fingers as they shifted on the frets. What few people were still out at this time simply walked past without a backward glance at me, which I honestly didn't mind. Because right there in that train station, I was playing a song I had written for the girl I couldn't live without. If people weren't willing to listen to me, then I didn't want them to.
As I played the last few notes I noticed a pair of legs a little distance away. Looking up I found a girl who looked only a little younger than me looking at me carefully. She wore a black v-neck, a bright purple skirt, and black tights that looked like they were put in a washing machine full of razors. Her studded boots came up to her shins, and her bag had an anarchy symbol on the front. Her short, spiky hair was streaked with red, and black lipstick covered her mouth, which was shaped into a small smile. Her green eyes were trained on me , and we just looked at one another for a long time before she spoke.
"That song must be for someone very special," she began in a soft voice that I wasn't expecting to come out of a person like her. "I can tell by the way you were singing. You sang every word as if it could save the world, as if you might break from all those emotions you probably feel about whomever they're written for. Am I right?"
I nodded, the corner of my mouth quirking up into a half smile. "Couldn't be more correct," I chuckled. "I wrote it for my girlfriend. She means the world to me," I admitted. "I'd give up or do anything for her. So yes. It was written for someone very special."
"She's lucky then. To have a boyfriend that writes you songs must be pretty awesome. You sounded really good by the way. I'd buy your song if I could. But I'm guessing since you aren't being mobbed by crazy girls you haven't been discovered yet, which is a shame." She stepped forward, coming to stand next to me. She removed her bag, placing it on the bench and looking through it. She then pulled out a few dollars and placed them in my guitar case, which still lay open at my feet. "It's all I've got at the moment but I think you deserve it."
I looked at her for a moment, shocked that she just did that. "Th-thank you," I smiled. "What's your name?"
"That doesn't matter. But what's yours? I want to keep an eye out for the day you become famous. Then I'll be able to say I gave you some cash in the subway before you got big," she grinned.
"Well you're actually the first person to every do this, so that's extra bragging rights as well. That's assuming I ever get signed too," I chuckled. "Anyway, my name is Luke Hemmings."
"Well, Luke Hemmings, I look forward to the day I can buy that song," the girl smiled once more before turning and walking away, leaving me to ponder what just happened.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N
IT'S FINALLY UP!!!!!!!!!!! CHAPTER FOURTY-ONE IS FINALLY DONE. IT TOOK ME FOREVER BUT HERE YOU GO. IM SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW. I JUST HOSBAOSBAKDBKS. AND WHAT MAKES THIS MOMENT EVEN BETTER IS THE FACT THAT THE WHOLE TIME I WAS WRITING THIS I WAS LISTENING TO THE NEW ALBUM. I'M GOING TO TAKE OFF CAps lock now because I felt like I was yelling and it wasn't all that necessary.
So. How's it going? Long time no update. I really really hope you guys liked that chapter. It kinda sucked and was kinda random at the end there, but it still had a ton of meaning and importance to it. And that girl at the end wasn't just some random thing I added in for no reason. At least I don't plan on that. I kinda started that part off that way then got an idea of how to incorporate her into the story so yeah. That part was mainly based off the picture.
I really do feel awful about taking so long on this. It's just been really busy for me lately and yeah. I just had no time. I'm going to work faster from here on now though. I promise.
I love you all, thank you all so so so so so so so so so so much for over 42,400 reads (I seriously don't know how this got so big but I guess I won't complain XD), thank you to everyone who spammed me or added this story to their reading list(s) or made me laugh/smile/almost cry because of your comments. I seriously love you all and I know I always say it but to prove it just know that if I could I would buy Sounds Good Feels Good for every one of you (if you don't already have it ;p). That's how much I love you.
See you in the next update which should hopefully be this upcoming week depending on my schedule.
~CC <3 <3 <3