Page 40 of See Her

No one’s ever going to see her like I see her.

Do you see her?

Because I see her.

She’s gentle as a spring rain,

And she likes to hide her pain

Way deep down inside her,

Raging like a hurricane.

She’s soft and sweet

Between the sheets,

But she hides granite underneath.

She thinks she’s lost

But I can see,

She is right where she needs to be…

Do you see her?

“Damn, Jack,” says Matt, as the song fades out.

The four of us are sitting around, listening to the song we just laid down on the demo. We’ve had to get together to write hooks, melodies, drum beats, all that. Then we practiced and rehearsed until we got it just right. It isn’t perfect. It isn’t what you’d be able to create in a real studio, but on a demo for an unknown band… it’s something.

See Heris the song I’ve been writing like crazy since the night I watched Mayzie dancing. Every day I’ve spent with her since, a little more has been added. From that first kiss to her passionate support of me and the music, to the most recent time we made love, it’s all added to it.

Matt and I did a writing session, putting the bones together. Then we brought in Chris and Josh to give it flesh and blood. After practicing to the point of knowing we had it nailed, we took the plunge, shelled out the recording money, and now it’s part of our music résumé.

This was the first time we’d gotten to sit back and take it in the way a prospective listener, or God willing, an agent, would.

The melody takes me to Mayzie’s studio where I’ve now watched her dance several times, and she’s sensational. She’s so fucking dynamic in her movement and charisma, and no one sees it but her fellow dancers which she seems fine with, but to me, it almost feels like a crime to keep it hidden in a studio instead of setting it free on some kind of public stage.

I don’t realize I’ve fallen deep into a daydream of her performing to this song until the guys start to speak up when the music fades out.

“Jack,” Josh starts. “Never has all the work we’ve put into a song been so worth it,” he says, shaking his head with what looks like a combo of awe and disbelief on his face.“It’s gold.”

“I want someone to hear it,” Chris says, tapping his drumsticks on his pant legs.He’s having one of his rare serious moments. “I mean it. We throw songs on the demo that never get heard, but I want people to hear this one.”

I take in a deep, shaky breath as I clasp my hands together over my knees and look down at the floor. Turning these lyrics into an actual, powerful, energizing song, was more of a rush than I expected. Of all the songs we’ve come up with before, of all the lyrics we’ve written and put to music… I’ve never felt so satisfied, so accomplished, so proud of my work.Ourwork. I feel shaken, straight down to my bones.

“I do, too.” I finally say.I don’t know if it will ever get heard by the world, but there is definitely one person that needs to hear it…

Mayzie

Jack knocks lightlybefore letting himself in. He hangs his keys on the hook by mine and sets down his guitar case before calming down an excited Penny who’s trying to maul him.I’m in the kitchen and have just set the timer on the oven. I feel like I’ve hardly seen Jack for a few days. The guys have been practicing a lot,so I figured I’d make us brownies.

“Hey,” I say, giving him a cheerful smile as he makes his way to me.

“Hey, baby,” he says, giving me a tired smile. I open my arms wide for him to hug me, and he more than obliges, wrapping me up completely and playfully nibbling my ear. Not sure if he meant for my lady bits to react to that, but they definitely did.“What is this?” he asks, when he leans back just enough to look at me. He’s looking at my mouth.

“What? Have I got something?” I ask, going to wipe my mouth.

---