Ink (6 page)

He rested one foot on the speaker, bellowing out the lyrics. At the end of the song, he simply jumped down, dropping the microphone on the stage. Girls and more girls patted his back and cheered. I couldn’t stop smiling, it was contagious. Slade slowly managed to make it through the crowd of fans.

“
Does that answer your question?” he asked, taking me by the wrist again. I could only nod my head as we headed back to the bus. I was sure I was getting the most evil looks from everyone around me right now.

Again he grabbed my hands and easily lifted me to the rooftop. It was as if we were in our own world, no one around, the crowd off in the distance waiting for more music.

“
You’re amazing. How long have you been singing like that?” I asked, wanting to know everything and anything he wanted to share with me.

He brought his knees up, resting his arm. “Fifteen. My parents were always traveling around playing music all across the country. When we finally settled here that’s when I started taking it seriously.”

I imagined his life was fantastic, a life only I could dream about. One filled with music that was the life I wanted. Music and dancing, they went hand in hand.

“
Do your parents still sing?” I asked him.

“
No,” was all he said. He started moving to the music again, turning away from me and the conversation.

I turned, facing the stage again, taking it all in. It was a drastic difference between his voice and the hard rock down below now. The crowd bumped and gyrated to the music, hair swaying back and forth like a slowmo music video. It was astonishing.

I had a million thoughts running through my head. I wanted to say more to him but I wasn’t sure what to even say. He wasn’t the most talkative. I almost felt he didn’t want to converse at all with me.

I dropped my head, picking at my nail polish, at a loss. I wasn’t the girl who knew how to do any of this stuff. But I knew when I found someone interesting. And Slade was interesting.

“
You could be a really famous singer someday. Well, I actually can’t believe you’re not already.” I admitted, looking away. I was sure I looked like some silly fan.

“
I’m happy right here,” he said, his body moving quicker to the music as it picked up.

“
I thought someone like you would love tours and girls going crazy for you.”

“
I’m happy right here. I get to sing and do what I love,” he said again. I sighed, going back to the music below us.

“
Do you do what you love?” he asked, turning to look at me now, his lip ring flashing in the moonlight.

“
I try,” I answered, trying to give a short explanation, one as short as his. If he wasn’t willing to divulge any more information I wasn’t going to either.

“
Well, let’s hear,” he said, turning to face me now.

I touched my face, feeling bashful. After hearing him sing I really didn’t feel too confident.

“
I wouldn’t even know what to sing about,” I told him, my face on fire.

“
Whatever you want. It can be what you sing in the shower. I just want to hear your voice.” He waited again, his hands gripping his knees.

I stared at him. He seemed serious, but maybe too serious. Finally, after a long silence, he jumped up. “Give me two seconds.”

I swallowed, watching him hop back off of the roof. I waited patiently, wondering what it was he was doing now. He had already impressed me with his voice. What more could he do?

“
Hope!” Slade called out from below. Seconds later the head of a guitar popped up. “Grab that.”

I did as he asked, bringing the guitar on the rooftop. Slade did a quick shimmy coming up. He took the guitar from me, taking a seat, his legs crossed Indian style. I sat down in front of him, my stomach in knots. He slowly plucked at each string, looking at me now. “Fast or slow?”

I bit at my lip. “Slow,” I told him, clearing my voice. I took a giant breath, praying I didn’t mess it up. I didn’t want to look like a fool in front of him.

“
In all the skies that touch her eyes, in all the seven seas, in all that planets that aligned, she was meant for me. And if the moment passed to soon, she will always be, my little girl, my whole world, she was meant for me.”

I stopped singing. My heart pounded a mile a minute, hitting in my chest so hard I could feel it in my ears.

Slade set the guitar next to him. He gave a big grin, showing his beautiful teeth, ones that I hadn’t even laid eyes on until just now.

“
Where did that come from?” he asked.

I shook my head, feeling a bit silly now. “It was a made up song my dad always sang to me when I was younger. I still remember it.” I rubbed at my arm nervously. He still hadn’t said what he thought.

“
You’re amazing.” He stared at me.

“
Thank you,” I said sheepishly, my smile escaping.

“
I mean it, your voice is beautiful,” he told me again. “Ashwilder, right?”

I nodded, scooting a little closer to him as we listened to the next song. “My dad says I’ll love it, but I’m not so sure,” I admitted.

“
You should be okay. Just focus on what you love,” he told me, and it was the most genuine thing he had said yet. “Ashwilder is a bit overpriced and stuffy, but it won’t matter if you love music. Just don’t let them dictate what you want for yourself.”

I pushed my hair behind my ear, turning to look at him, our hands nearly touching on the roof. “You sound like you know about Ashwilder personally.”

He shrugged. “I went there for a year, but was kicked out.”

I simply shook my head, not trying to pry. If he wanted to say anymore I would let him. But he didn’t. Instead we continued to listen to the band, the moonlight dropping a soft glow on everything around us. There was an eerie silence amongst all the music that really put everything going on in my life into perspective.

S
lade helped me down off of the tour bus. I wiped at the back of my shorts as we started our way through the crowd. This was the only part that ever made me nervous. There was never any telling what would happen with the crowd.

“
I wish there was some sort of shortcut!” I yelled as he cut easily through. I dug my heels in the sand, pushing and fighting to squeeze past the chests of giant men, my nose grazing an open beer in one guy’s hand.

Slade stopped moving, waiting on me. “This is a piece of cake.”

I laughed dryly as I was nearly elbowed in the temple. He pushed back through, making it to me. “Maybe its cake for regular sized people,” he amended.
He looked me over, and then crouched down.

“
What are you doing?” I asked him. He patted his shoulder, looking back for me to catch on. I hesitated. I didn’t want to climb on him. But as a burly kid shoved another burly guy at me, I finally took off, jumping onto Slade’s shoulders. I felt like a little kid towering above the massive crowd. Slade rested his hands on my thighs, his fingers smooth against my skin, making it easily and quickly to the gate.

“
Tell me if I’m crushing you,” I shouted down to him. He squeezed my leg, saying nothing.

The noise of the crowd died down, leaving the crashing of the waves against the shore as our evening symphony. Slade stopped, taking my hands in his. Very carefully, he kneeled again, letting me off.

“
Thanks, I don’t know how you get used to that,” I told him, straightening out my shorts.

“
I’ve been around crowds my whole life. You get used to it,” he told me as we passed the giant boulders.

I stared curiously at the boulders, slowing my pace. “Why are these even here? I can’t see them always being in this location.” I ran my hand across them. Slade backtracked, coming to stand next to me.

“
That’s because the town voted to barricade the park from the neighborhood. It used to run all the way up, until a bunch of kids tore it down to be able to make it to the park for the concerts.” He sat down against the boulder.

I nodded, realizing he was willing to talk and I was willing to listen. I took a seat, pulling my feet up.

“
Years ago Henry park was the heart and soul of Cherry. It was something special back in the day. Some people even compared it to Woodstock,” Slade explained. “And it wasn’t just one type of music. Everyone gathered around to enjoy music all kinds.”

I imagined it was rather amazing, and it made me wonder why something so amazing would just end.

“
I get the feeling a lot of people aren’t fans of the park anymore.” I remembered back to the day I arrived. The way Jesse’s mood shifted from nice and friendly to dark and angry at the mention of what was beyond the boulders. I was sure there was a reason and now it seemed Slade was proving my theory right.

“
Music changed over the years, bands broke up. People like to tell tales of Henry being evil. That bad things happen here all the time. It’s a lot of nonsense.” Slade shrugged.

“
The crowd is rather abrasive, I could understand that,” I reasoned. “I’m sure you know firsthand.”

“
I know a lot of things firsthand,” he remarked, standing back up.

“
Well, thanks,” I said, standing. I started away from him and his mood.

“
What are you doing?” Slade asked, catching up with me.

“
Aren’t you like some big shot around here? Don’t you have another song to sing? You don’t need to walk me back,” I said, watching my feet sift through the sand as I hurried to get home. I was sure it was past midnight.

“
I asked you to come out tonight. It would be disrespectful to make you walk home alone and fend for yourself.
And I’m sure that dad of yours is passed out. It’s not like he’d hear you if you needed any help.” He moved in closer, almost protectively.

“
Don’t talk about him like he is horrible, he’s not.” I shot him an angry glare, my emotions reeling. I wasn’t this helpless girl with a pathetic alcoholic father.

Slade threw up his hands in desperation to avoid an argument with me. “I’m sorry, that came out wrong. I just mean you’re new here and vulnerable,” he stammered.

I let out a puff of air. “I am not vulnerable. I’m just really having a hard time swallowing all that life has thrown at me lately. My dad has a hard time coping with the loss of my mother and I am also having a hard time juggling your hot and cold personality. I really am a happy girl who has her head on her shoulders most days.” I put my hand over my mouth to stop the barrage of words flooding out. It was pent up stress and it was really doing a number on me tonight.

I came to a stop at my fence. “I really thought you sounded amazing, and I mean it. And I’m sorry if I irritate you or make you mad. Goodnight, Slade.” I turned, fumbling with the gate.

Slade moved my hand away from the gate, shaking the fence open. “You were good company. I apologize if I was grouchy. Maybe I should nap more often.”

I smiled, feeling a little more at ease. “Naps are all the rage.”

He nodded his head, giving a wave as I headed up the porch steps.

“
Maybe I could talk you into another singing session sometime,” he called out, heading down the beach.

I smiled at him, shaking my head. Anything was possible. “It’s not like I have anything better to do. I’m the new girl with no friends,” I said dryly.

Slade kept walking, but did so backwards now, a grin on his face. “You’ll have friends in no time.”

I shut the door, walking through the darkness to my room. The house was
silent. The only sound was the running of the jittery refrigerator and a wall clock.

I found my bedroom door quickly, slipping quietly into my room. Crawford stirred, rattling his dog tags. Once he knew it was me, he fell silent. I slipped my flip-flops off of my feet, pulling my hair back in a ponytail, and then hopped into bed. I let out a sigh of dread. It wouldn’t be that much longer before school started and I was pulled into something that I had no idea about. I wished for the best.

Pulling the covers up to my face, I snuggled into my pillow. It still smelled like our old house, all the great memories that would soon enough fade away. I squeezed my eyes tighter and started crying silently into the dark.

I tried not to be angry with my parents for causing such a change in my life, but it was really hard to do. I wanted to be happy, but it was hard when they took everything away.

My mind told me to forget about it and get some sleep. I forced the dreadful anxiety away for the night, thinking about Slade’s voice, how flawlessly beautiful it was and how it made me feel. And before I knew it, I was asleep.

I
t was morning. I was two days away from starting Ashwilder. My stomach crawled with nerves, ones that were so strong I barely could stomach my toast. Dad came from his room dressed in a green shirt, a tie in his hand. He did his best to straighten out his pants that were a bit wrinkled.

“
Good morning munchkin,” he said, snagging a banana off the countertop.

I looked him over. There was no way I was letting him leave the house looking so messy. “Dad give me your pants, I’ll go iron them.”