About a Girl

“I’ve just seen a face I can’t forget, the time and place where we just met, she’s just the girl for me, and I want all the world to see we met.” – The Beatles

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Michael

“Who are we going to see?” I ask, if only to start up conversation once we’re in the car.

“You ever heard of Paint Me Perfect?” she asks, giving me a sideways glance.

“No,” I admit. “Are they good?”

“I might be biased,” she replies.

“How so?”

“You’ll see,” she answers vaguely, smiling lightly to herself. “So…I noticed something.”

“What?” I ask, glancing at her in slight confusion.

“You must be the new guitarist.”

“How did you know?” She shrugs.

“I can tell. I mean, you’re staying at William’s, I haven’t met you until now, you’re Australian…you’re not Tom…should I go on?”

“I think that covers it all,” I agree. She smiles.

She hums a few notes as she parks the car. I briefly prepare myself for the burst of cold air as I open the car door and follow her down the streets. I jam my hands into my pockets and grit my teeth against the wind. “Bet it doesn’t get this cold in Australia,” she remarks, noticing.

“Would you believe that I thought it was cold when I came here in October?” I laugh.

“I’m sorry the guys didn’t warn you,” she laughs back.

My immediate thought is I like the sound and I want her to laugh again.

Then I realize she’s leading me into the venue through a door on the side that opens up into the crowd.

I’m startled when I feel her small hand in mine, and my heart skips a few beats, but then I realize it’s because she doesn’t want to lose me in the crowd. I force my heart rate to return to normal.

She stands on tiptoe and looks around, frowning as if searching for something.

Had it been another day, I might have looked the other way, and I’d have never been aware-

“There you are!” a black-haired girl seemingly pops out of nowhere and tugs on Rae’s arm. “You’re late!”

“I know, I’m sorry,” she apologizes, letting go of my hand. They exchange a few more hurried words before she turns to me again. “Wait here, and I’ll find you after.” She gives an apologetic smile and her friend drags her off into the growing crowd before I can respond.

Not that I’d been expecting her to babysit me, but I also didn’t expect her to ditch me at the first opportunity.

I turn to face the stage, hoping that at least I’ll enjoy the set and the band is decent.

“How is everyone tonight?” a recently familiar voice resonates from the microphone and the crowd answers enthusiastically.

I should have known.

There she is, on stage, looking at home with her three bandmates, and I notice she’s happier when she’s up there.

That, and she and William definitely share the same stage presence.

The crowd starts to move as their set begins, and I can feel the energy in the small room.
I smile.

But as it is, I’ll dream of her tonight…

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Rae

“That guy is staring at you,” Suzie informs me as she packs up her bass.

“What?” I ask distractedly, glancing around. The room is emptying, but one person is standing still.

Michael gives a small smile from near where I originally left him. I smile back then turn back to packing up after signaling to him that I’ll be a few minutes.

“I say you jump on that,” Suzie adds, noticing him smiling at me, and me smiling back.
I roll my eyes at her.

As if I’m in any state to ‘jump’ anything these days.

“Don’t be stupid; that’s Michael. I brought him with. He’s the guys’ new guitarist,” I clarify.

“I still say you jump on that,” she shrugs indifferently, to which I only sigh.

“I’m not looking for a rebound, Suze,” I inform her, before heading for the stairs on the side of the stage so I can apologize to Michael for ditching him.

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“Sorry for just…” she begins to apologize, but I interrupt.

“You were…great up there,” I say, for lack of better words in my limited vocabulary.

“No worse than usual,” she replies, looking relieved.

“I mean it. It was packed in here.” She shrugs.

“It’s a small venue,” she points out. I laugh.

“Won’t you accept a compliment?” I find myself asking.

“Only when I feel like I deserve them,” she admits, smiling stubbornly. I’m about to question her further when she abruptly changes the subject. “I know this all-night restaurant,” she suggests. “It’s only a few blocks away. It’s called Clarke’s? They have pretty much everything. We can go after we’re done packing up, this venue always kicks us out right after, anyway. But, I mean, if you’re not hungry…” she hesitantly trails off.

“I’m starving,” I assure her. “I’ll help,” I volunteer, and I follow her to the stage where she introduces me to her bandmates and we move their instruments and equipment to the trailer attached to a van just outside.

We say goodbye and then start walking to the next block over to Bill’s car, and even though I’m freezing my limbs off, I can’t stop smiling while she talks, or the whole short drive to the restaurant.

I’m half-watching the enthusiasm play about her face, and I’m half-comprehending the things she’s telling me.

“…so, how long will you be in town?” she asks, just as we’re seated at a table near the window and have ordered pancakes.

Her cheeks are red with the cold, but her eyes are bright and green, sparkling like they were on stage.

I hadn’t really thought about how long I’d be staying, but I find myself deciding as I answer her.

“Until we have to tour and promote, most likely,” I decide. “Probably a month or two, up until Santi comes out.”

“We have plenty of time to get to know each other, then,” she smiles.

I smile back.

Falling, yes I am falling…