Page 34 of Five Summers

“Show me,” I add, jutting my chin toward the keyboard.

“No.” She shakes her head. “Absolutely not.”

“Why not? I’ve already heard you sing. Now I want to see you play.”

She locks eyes with me, and I can see the hint of unease as she nervously licks her bottom lip. I’ve never seen this side of her before. She's always composed, never breaking a sweat, even when dealing with the mean bitches at school when they give her a hard time.

“Come on, Princess. I played for you last night.”

She ponders for a few seconds, then gets up and heads towards the keyboard. Her face is pale as if she’s on the verge of vomiting. She goes around to the front of the keyboard, takes a big breath, and powers it on.

I flop onto the bed, lying on my side, resting my head on my hand to watch her.

“I haven’t played it for some time, so I might be a bit out of practice.”

When I don't say anything, she returns her attention back to the keyboard. I know I can be insensitive sometimes, but I'm not the type to offer comforting words.

With her eyes fixed on the keyboard, her fingers move gracefully, creating a beautiful melody that fills the room. As if in a trance, I sit up, utterly captivated by her mere presence. And then, she starts to sing.

Her seductive tone resonates, blending with the slow, enchanting melody. Damn, this girl and that damn fucking voice. Her mother is really a despicable woman, trying to keep her from pursuing her passion when she has this much talent. I’m sure her father recognized it. Just like me as I sit here, watching her infuse every ounce of her being into the song. Her energy is palpable in every breath that she takes. It's like her music has come to life.

I don't move a muscle, just keep my eyes locked on her until she hits that final note.

As the room falls silent, the sound of her voice lingers in my ear like a haunting melody.

The way she sings gives each note so much life, filling the room with a magnetic vibe. Poppy has the power to make any song come alive with that voice.

She hasn't looked my way once since finishing the song, and I haven't said shit because I'm fucking blown away by what I just witnessed. She turns off the keyboard, and with her head down, eyes glued to the floor, she walks back to the bed.

Like some creepy stalker, I can’t take my eyes off her. Her performance has left me breathless and craving for more. Poppy fucking Reeves is a mystery I wanna unravel. Why isn't she sharing this talent with the world?

As she sits on the side of the bed, I sit up and simply gaze at her.

“Poppy…” I pause, unsure of what to say. I yearn to tell her that Ace and I frequent the nearby music scene, checking out the competition. But no one can top how she loses herself in her lyrics.

Yet, I refrain from mentioning it, because she probably won’t believe me, anyway. How can I give Poppy a compliment without it getting awkward? Maybe those mean bitches at school make her doubt herself. Plus, I'm not the kind of person who goes gaga over telling someone how amazing they are.

“Don't utter a single word. I told you I’m out of practice.” Her eyes lift, and I see the sense of doubt that lingers within.

“It wasn’t rusty at all, Princess.”

Even if I wanted to sing her praises, I wouldn't know how to articulate the awe-inspiring spectacle I had just witnessed. So instead I go with, “Did you find out if your dad completed that song? Like have you looked online?”

“Yeah, I’ve looked online, but nothing has turned up. We were so close to it being finished, just needed one more verse and it would've been done.”

I'm looking at her and inching closer. This chick has touched my black heart in a way that no one else ever has, and I can't help but wonder if it’s because of our shared love for music.

Is that the reason Poppy makes me go against all the rules I’ve vowed to follow, but now I want to abandon them in a heartbeat? The girl who lives two doors down from me, and I just found out about her. This girl's singing always hits me right in the feels. Without thinking, I reach out and softly caress her face with my hand.

At my touch, she leans in and closes her eyes. It’s as if there’s a touch of magic in the way she responds to me. Out of all the girls I've fucked over the years, she's the only one who ignites such a powerful response within me. This girl has really gotten under my skin. She's able to bring out emotions I never even knew I had.

Just as I lean in to kiss her, my phone vibrates and snaps me back to reality before our lips meet. I quickly sit up, thankful for the interruption that reminds me I keep breaking my no-kissing rule. I reach into my pocket to grab my phone.

Ace: I’m out the front of your house.

As I'm typing my reply, I notice Poppy leaving the bedroom.

Xander: Be out in a sec.

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