Page 99 of After All This Time

My eyes bounce over to the album posters that cover the wall over Noah’s bed.

You can definitely tell a teenage boy used to live here.

“I don’t remember all these posters.”

He looks around the room. “Yeah, I had a few of them in middle school, but the collection grew in high school.”

“I have to say you definitely have amazing taste in music.” I sit down on the edge of his bed which faces his closet.

“Really?” he asks, sitting down next to me.

“Yeah,” I say. “My dad introduced me to indie and alternative music, so I listen to a lot of the bands and artists that cover your wall back there.” I point to the wall behind us.

“Dad got me a portable music player as a bar mitzvah gift. It was loaded with songs by Pink Floyd, Guns N’ Roses, Queen, and Alanis Morisette. It led me to the music I listen to now.”

I smile. “My dad loved Pink Floyd so much. He discovered them back in college. He introduced them to me when I was around twelve years old. Back then, I didn’t understand the lyricism and deep meanings behind the songs. As I got older, I fell in love with how atmospheric and meaningful their songs are. The Dark Side of the Moon is an album I’ve been listening to on repeat since Dad passed away. Feels like he’s still here with me when I listen to it.”

He takes a moment to digest what I just told him, taking in a deep gulp. Licking his lips, he smiles at me sweetly. “I totally understand how you feel. Music was one of the things my dad and I bonded over, especially Pink Floyd. And I know both of our dads loved The Dark Side of the Moon almost more than they loved us.” He laughs. “I’m just kidding, but sometimes it felt like they loved that album more than us. Anyways, I-I’m glad we have music to connect with them. Even though they’re not physically here anymore.”

Getting off the bed, I rummage through the drawers of his desk.

“What are you doing?” he asks.

“Do you have earphones with a cord attached to them?”

He nods “Yeah. I’ve been meaning to get rid of them too.”

We sit back down on the bed, inserting the cord into my phone and putting one of the earbuds into my ear.

Noah puts the other earbud into his ear.

I whip out my phone from my back pocket, and open Spotify. The pad of my thumb taps on my playlist, Never Admit Defeat, which is full of Dad’s favorite songs which have now become some of my favorite songs of all time.

Pressing play on Brain Damage by Pink Floyd, our ears are flooded with its atmospheric melody which would sound even better if we were high right now.

At first, we look away from each other, but we eventually meet each other’s gaze.

A smile appears on my lips for a brief moment as I look away from Noah, feeling his ocean eyes burning me from the inside out. Threading his fingers into mine, he rubs my thumb with his in a gentle vertical motion.

My heartbeat speeds up, becoming offbeat with the melody of the song. Gulping hard, I stare at Noah.

Oh God, he’s staring at my lips.

My shoulders tense up and I can’t move the rest of my body. Licking my lips, I prepare myself internally for what could come next.

He starts leaning into me just enough that our lips lightly brush against each other. His hand is resting on my neck and our foreheads are leaning against one another.

I close my eyes.

My phone vibrates through the bed, putting this intimate moment between us on hold.

I pick up my phone and see a text from Mom light up my lock screen. I barely read the preview, tapping on it right away.

MOM

MOM

Hey Sweet Girl, I want to update you and Noah about what’s been going on

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