The Songs of Leslie Orange

Leslie Orange stood on the large wooden stage. She counted about a hundred people in the audience. She only knew about three of them though. Her Epiphone was in her hands. She took her pick out of her back pocket.
“Um, this is a song I wrote last week,” she said, “It’s about…well, I don’t really know what it’s about, it just came out of me,” she said. There were a few laughs in the crowd. She gave a weak smile. Benjamin, a local violinist who had volunteered to play Leslie’s song with her, walked up behind her.
“I’m ready when you are,” he said. She turned to him and nodded. He grabbed his violin, stood waiting.
“Okay, we’re ready,” she said, “this song is called “Don’t You Worry about My Broken Heart”,”. She tapped her foot, making her own beat.

Where’d you go? Where’d you go?
Left this home so broken and cold.
We fought so hard. Oh so hard.
But don’t you worry about my broken heart.

The days go by, one by one.
Can’t we forget what the other has done?
You took my soul and broke it apart.
But don’t you worry about my broken heart.
Don’t you worry about my broken heart.

Do you remember that warm night in Peru?
You held me close and that’s when I said to you:
That if the end of this should ever start,
Don’t you worry about my broken heart.

The scene changes, and now its pouring rain.
And you left in fit of anger and pain.
What I did was wrong and not smart.
So don’t you worry about my broken heart.
Don’t worry about my broken heart.

Don’t you worry about my tear-filled nights.
Don’t you worry about our anger-ridden fights.
Don’t you worry about my hardened soul.
Don’t you worry about our pain and its toll.

Where’d you go? Where’d you go?
I love you, but you say you didn’t know.
And I know what I said at the start,
But don’t you worry about my broken heart?
Don’t you worry about my broken heart?

The crowd cheered when she finished. There a few whistles too. She smiled, and gave a light laugh. Ben bowed, and clapped for Leslie. She placed her guitar in a stand to the right of her, and made her way off the stage. Ben followed.
“Nice job,” he said, “my father wanted to see you tonight, but he had a prior engagement.” Ben said. Leslie nodded.
“Thank him for me,” she said, “and make sure you ask me about the check later so I don’t forget.” Ben nodded and walked into the crowd. A man and his daughter approached Leslie.
“Hi, my name is Carl, and this is my daughter Stephanie,” he said.
“Hi,” Leslie said. Stephanie, who was about six or so, waved at Leslie. Leslie waved back.
“I was just hoping you could pose for a picture,” he said. It was obvious he was nervous. Leslie walked next to the little girl and knelt down for the picture. They smiled as the camera clicked. Carl thanked Leslie and walked away. Leslie sighed. Ben came from nowhere with two Popsicles. He handed one to Leslie.
“Thank you,” she said. He nodded. They found a table to sit at and sat down. Ben did most of the speaking.
“So, where are you from?” He asked. Leslie shrugged.
“Somewhere else,” she said. She made sure her tone was emotionless as she said it. She didn’t want to give Ben the impression that she was being rude. He laughed.
“Hmm, somewhere else huh?” He said.
“Yeah, I travel a lot,” Leslie said.
“Wow. That must be fun,” he said, not trying to hide his disinterest. Leslie’s lips turned red because of the Popsicle.
“It use to,” she said. Ben nodded.
“Do you have anyone to travel with?” He asked. Leslie let him hang there for a while. She finished her Popsicle.
“I had a boyfriend, once,” she said. Ben nodded.
“What happened?” He asked.
“We broke up,” Leslies said, “I went on a date with someone while we were still together.” Ben nodded again.
“Is that what your song was about?” He asked. Leslie nodded.
“Yes. I wrote it a week ago, when we broke up,” she said. Ben said nothing. Leslie noticed the look on his face. “I’m over it now though.” Ben smiled. Leslie stood up and walked to the backroom. Ben followed. When he got there, he found her with her backpack over her shoulder. “I think you owe me some money,” she said smiling. Ben smiled too. He took out the profits from the ticket sales for that night, which were in a metal box nearby, and split it evenly in half. He gave one half to Leslie, and then took his half and split that. He placed a quarter of the total money in a safe in the room. Leslie placed hers in her backpack. Ben stood up from the safe and placed his money in his own backpack. He looked at her.
“Where are you headed to now?” He asked, though he knew the answer already. Leslie shrugged.
“Who knows?” She said. She gave Ben a hug and left the room. She walked past the crowd, onto the stage where her Epiphone was, and grabbed it. Ben walked out of the backroom. As Leslie placed her guitar in its case, Ben started clapping for her. The crowd looked around at first, and then started clapping too once they saw Leslie on stage. She waved at them as she stepped off the stage. She sighed, and walked across Benjamin and Son’s Ice Cream Bar. The last Ben saw of her was her black guitar. She walked out into the cool night air. She stood at the entrance, and looked around the street. No one was out at this time of night. A leaf, which stood out in the large concrete city, blew past Leslie. She watched it as it swirled into the air, higher and higher, until the wind whipped it around a corner. Leslie smiled. “Right behind you,” she said. She walked into the dark night.