Page 41 of See Her

“No. I got it,” he says, catching my hand and leaning in to lick the corner of my mouth, making my ovaries want to combust for a split second.But just as quickly, I realize I probably had brownie batter on my face.He leans back and looks at me with a cocky smile, still not releasing me.

“Okay, I might’ve licked the spoon,” I say, indignantly.

“Sexy,” he says, leaning down to give me an actual kiss. “I missed you.”

“You’ve been busy,” I say, stepping away to put bowls in the sink to rinse them.

“Being busy doesn’t mean I can’t I miss you anyway.And speaking of being busy; is your laptop running?”

“Yeah, here,” I say, turning it towards him on the island counter.

“So we just updated the demo. It’s got a new song, and I want to know what you think.” He glances at me almost nervously as he fishes a flash drive out of his back pocket.

“Okay,” I say, excitedly. I had no idea they were working on something new. He plugs the USB into my laptop and loads the music.He clicks the mouse pad a couple of times, and after a few seconds, we are greeted by Chris playing a hard, steady, ominous drum beat, followed by some seriously electrifying guitar chords by Josh.

I can tell Jack is using the acoustic in this, strumming in time with the bass drum, while Matt’s bass guitar gives it a foundation. The music comes together and builds just enough anticipation for when Jack’s low, raspy voice comes in, passionate as ever. You can almost hear how hard he’s working his diaphragm to push the words out with such force.

As always, it reaches in and grabs hold of something deep inside me, and it’s instantaneous.Once I get past that initial hit, the lyrics pull me in another direction. And then my heart stops. It stills in my chest as I hang on to the words, each one sending a jolt deeper into my chest.

I can’t do anything else. The words have robbed me of my ability to move, talk, or breathe. Although I try, I can’t seem to retain every single word, and my focus transitions from the words themselves to the feelings they’re invoking inside me. I feel like my entire body is in a vice grip, while feelings of home, love, realization, clarity, and elation, penetrate my every pore.

I’m so overwhelmed by the variety of emotions I almost can’t take it. In fact, I grab hold of the countertop to steady myself, willing the breath that’s stuck in my throat to go out or in.

This song is about a girl, but… no way.

Jack

I’m seeing somany changes dance across Mayzie’s face as she listens to the song that she doesn’t know she inspired. Staring at seemingly nothing but the stony grey island countertop, even after the song ends, she doesn’t move for a few seconds.

“Mayzie?” I have to prod her. “What did you think?”

She looks up and right into my eyes. Hers are shimmering like she’s about to cry. Her expression is a mixture of disbelief, amazement, and something else I can’t put my finger on.

“Who?”

“You,” I cut her off, understanding immediately what must be flying though her head. “It’s about you.”

She expels a shaky breath before quickly drawing in another one, and I’m sure she’s going back into herself; drifting towards athis is too much good happening all at oncespiral.

“It’s you.” I reach out a hand to her and gently grab on to her wrist, brushing my thumb back and forth across it.I’m not sure what’s going on, but I feel like she needs an anchor. “Do you not like it?” I chance the question while holding my breath. “Did I get it wrong?”

“No, that’s not it at all,” she rushes to assure me, swallowing hard. “It’s just, I spent most of my life being what I thought other people wanted me to be,” she starts to explain. “And when I grew older and wised up, I had no clue who I was and have been trying all this time to figure it out. And then you come along and figure it out in a matter of weeks,” she marvels as her eyes turn glassy.

“It’s who you are to me,” I say, inching closer to her, leaning one arm on the counter in front of her and running my other hand down the back of her hair.

“You see me,” she chuckles on an exhale. “Like the song.” She draws in a long breath and lets it out in a puff, before turning to me with an affirmation settling in her grey eyes and the corners of her mouth pulling upwards in a sweet smile.

I know what she’s doing.She’s allowed herself to have a moment of weakness in front of me and now she’s reeling it in.She’s quickly composing herself. One day, I hope she’ll no longer feel the need to hide that part of herself; that she’ll realize she can cry, scream, whatever in front of me, because I’m not goinganywhere. For now, I’m letting it slide because she’s disarming me with that smile of hers.

“Are you okay?” I ask as I put my hand on her hip and draw her just a little bit closer. I want to hold her close, but still give her space if she needs it.

She drapes one arm around my neck, and puts her other hand over mine on her hip. “I am so incredibly okay,” she answers. “And that song…” she shakes her head, “…It’s unbelievable. Not just the words, all of it. That beat is so heavy, and the music is so charged.”

I can’t help grinning as I press my lips to her cheek. “It’s going to move people,” she finishes.

I’m floored at the words coming out of my girl’s mouth. She truly loves it, and my heart feels like it’s going to grow too big for my chest.

“Yeah, if I get to play it,” I say against her temple.

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