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"Good afternoon, Grace Baker," Isaac chirps, running to my side as I walk out the door of the school building a few days later.
"Hello," I reply, pulling my scarf down and offering a smile. Isaac and I are becoming better and better friends, and I can't to tell wait to Jane about it. Although she wouldn't understand we were just friends. It'd be hard to convince her of that. Isaac makes me happier, he lifts my spirits and gives me something to look forward to. It's been a while since I have been happy.
"How about some food before our intense study session?" He proposes as I pick up my skateboard and we walk to his car.
"I don't have much money," I say, paying for my clothes and food was hard with the small amount I make at the diner.
"Grace Baker! I am the man in this relationship! Can't I treat a beautiful lady to pizza?"
"Gentleman," I laugh, rolling my eyes.
"And proud!" He adds, opening the car door for me. I thank him and slide in.
"So, Grace Baker, what are the good pizza places?" He asks me, hopping behind the wheel.
"Buddy's has always been my favorite. Best Chicago pizza there is,"
"We aren't in Chicago,"
"When you take a bite, you're transported there," I say dreamily.
"I love you and your whimsical nature, Grace Baker." Isaac states.
"And I love your flirty-ness," I respond, taking off my gloves, tucking them into my purse.
"Then you won't mind me saying that green looks beautiful on you."
I roll my eyes, cracking a smile as Isaac cranks the car and turns the heater on. He switched the station to 90's Rock and I mindlessly hum along to Smells like Teen Spirit; one of the choices from that genre I actually know the words too.
"Nirvana eh?" Isaac grins as he pulls out of the parking lot and turns on to the road. "Never saw you as a rocker chick."
"I have a few tricks up my sleeve," I wink to myself. "Don't get too comfortable, I might surprise you."
He lets out a chuckle. "Love it." He looks at me for a brief moment before focusing back on the road. "What other music do you like?"
I shrug. "Everything, I guess. I'll listen to whatever I can get my hands on," I reply, watching as the scenery whizzes past us.
"Even rap?"
I smile. "Sometimes, I'll listen to Wiz Khalifa, or Lecrae." He nods. "Personally, my favorites are R&B, or classical, but I can enjoy a good rock song if I want,"
"Appreciate." He says.
"Really, it's the lyrics that matter to me. So many beautiful songs, not enough time." I sigh, continuing to mouth the lyrics bursting from the radio.
"Grace Baker, you're officially too deep for words. I give up." Isaac slaps the steering wheel, making me giggle a little bit.
"What can I say?" I retreat, leaning back against the warm seat and closing my eyes, letting my fingers tap to the music. I can feel Isaac's eyes on me, making my lips curl into a small smile.
~
After a few missed turns and me having to use the GPS on my phone, we finally arrive at the restaurant. It's a fairly elegant place, a small fountain next to the entry doors, and beautiful stone floors, but the food isn't crazy expensive.
Cold air rushes through my ears as we enter, Isaac holding the door open for me. We step into the dark building and choose our table meant for two. I slither out of my jacket and take a seat in the chair.
"I was gonna get that for you," Isaac pouts, looking at my chair.
"I'm a woman, I can handle myself," I say playfully as he sits down, smiling as he picks up the menu.
"What to eat, what to eat, so many delicious options!" He broadcasts. "The shrimp salad looks nice, or maybe the three cheese ravioli?"
"Oh shut up, we're getting pizza." I laugh.
"Apparently I don't even have a say in things!" Isaac huffs, grinning as the waiter comes by. "One large cheese pizza please."
I practically bounce up and down in my chair with excitement, doing a small clap as the waitress walks away with our menus. "You'll thank me later." I say, gazing around the restaurant.
I spot the grand piano sitting not too far off, it's keys seeming to beg to be played.
"Grace Baker, where are you off to? Did I ruin this already?" Isaac asks as I stand up. I laugh and continue over to the piano, sliding onto the bench and lifting the key cover off.
I think off one of my favorite songs off the top of my head and press a key delicately, testing out the sound. It's not the first time I've played this piano, in fact I spend more time sitting on this bench than at my table.
I start playing, softly singing the first lyrics.
A shot in the dark, a past, lost in space.
Where do I start, the past, or the chase?
You once took me down, like a wolf, a predator.
I felt like a deer in love lights.
My fingers gracefully glide across the piano, the tune ringing out through the quiet restaurant. I play the notes for a few more seconds, glancing over at Isaac, his hands folded in his lap, eyes gently watching me, a smile on his face. I can feel the states of other customers, but I focus on my fingers, and my voice, escaping through the music.
You loved me and I froze in time.
Hungry for that flesh of mine.
But I can't compete with a she wolf
Who has brought me to my knees.
What do you see in those yellow eyes,
'Cause I'm falling to pieces.
I sing the last line a few more times as Isaac sits down next to me at the bench, continuing to watch my fingers and my eyes.
I'm falling to pieces.
I end with one last note before brushing my hair out of my face and closing the piano, just as claps sound from behind me.
I turn over my shoulder to see a man in a fancy suit approaching, slowly clapping as he takes steps closer and closer to us. I stand up.
"Bravo, bravo," He nods once he is close enough for me to talk to him.
I gulp. "Sorry sir, I didn't mean to disrupt the diners." I apologize.
"Oh, sweetie, that's not why I am here," He grins and extends his hand towards me. "Rick Brown. I own this place," I shake his hand hesitantly, unsure of what is unfolding in front of me.
"Grace Baker." I introduce myself, giving a small squeeze to his hand.
"See, Grace, I know you come here a lot. And every time, you sit down and you play. I can tell you that my customers enjoy hearing you, I mean just look at their faces! But this is the first time I've heard you sing..."
I furrow my eyebrows. "Thank you, sir, but I'm not sure that I follow,"
He chuckles. "Let me just get to the point. How would you like to, as a real, paying job, sing up on that stage?" He gestures to the small stage at the other side of the restaurant where a small speaker sits, classical music quietly erupting from it. There's never been an actual live singer or band up there.
But he wants me to be the first.
"Wait, what?" I ask, eyes widening.
"I say, you come in every Saturday night, perhaps, and I'll pay you to sing for our guests. Even if it's just one song, our ratings would shoot up tremendously."
"She'll do it." Isaac says from my side.
I snap around. "What?" I mutter under my breath.
"C'mon Grace, you love this place! And you're great at singing. Don't you think it'd be fun?" He suggest, giddy with excitement.
"I don't know..." I trail off, turning to Rick.
"Three hundred bucks for every song."
My mouth hangs open.
"She'll do it!" Isaac butts in. He gives me a side look as if to say, And that's final.
I sigh and nod my head.
"Fantastic," The man says, pulling out a contract. "Basically this just says that you'll attend every Saturday with at least one perfected song." He smiles and hands me the paper, which I quickly sign and put down my contact information. "I'll let you know when your first day is." He says finally, before walking away, leaving me in shock.
What just happened.
"I can't believe you made me do that," I say, looking at Isaac.
We walk back over to our table, where our fresh pizza sits in the middle, steam rising from it.
I watch Isaac carefully as he cuts pieces for us, waiting for his reaction.
"You're making me nervous," He laughs, picking up his slice.
"Wait!" I interrupt, fumbling through my purse, pulling out my phone. "I need to record this. Okay, and, go!"
He smiles and waves at the camera. "This is Isaac Richards. Date is October 12th. Jason's Pizza," He winks at the phone before raising the pizza to his lips and taking a bite. Instantly, his eyes flutter closed and he lets out a small moan. "Wow," He mumbles.
"I know right." I agree, tucking my phone away to start on my own slice. I bite into the pizza, gooey cheese and warm tomato sauce filling my mouth.
"You should see your face," Isaac laughs at my expression. God, I want to make love to this pizza.
"Oh yeah? You should your own," I challenge. "Pizza sauce on the corner of your mouth."
His eyes widen and he instantly covers his mouth with his napkin, wiping away vigorously. He looks at the napkin, realizing nothing's there.
"Liar." He accuses, a smile hidden behind his stern face.
~
We finish our pizza and head back to the car. No matter how much I begged to help pay, he refused, even daring to swipe the bill out of my hands. It's not like I had any money anyway, but I felt bad that he was paying for everything, especially since this wasn't a date or anything.
Before we start driving off, I pull out my phone and show Isaac the video of him eating the pizza, his eyes fluttering closed and his body collapsing as he chews. I can't help but laugh.
"Very funny," He says, pulling his own cellphone out. "I have something of my own to show you."
He opens his photo library, clicking on the most recent media file and pressing play on the video. I instantly perk up.
He's filming me singing at the piano, from when he sat next to me. I watch as my eyes shift closed, my fingers instinctively gliding up and down the piano, my voice softly ringing out as the restraint goes quiet.
"That's why they hired you," Isaac says as the playback stops. "Your singing is absolutely-" He looks up, eyes meeting mine, our faces only inches apart from leaning over to watch the scene. His eyes graze over my face, a small tingle running through my cheeks. He squints his eyes and sits back, just as I do too. He looks at me one last time.
"Beautiful."
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Heyyyy! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!!!!!