Painted Lyrics
Ryley
I play a quick scale on my guitar, humming a song quietly. I ignore the music on the stand ahead of me and close my eyes. I hear the door click open, but I don't pay attention. My fingers roam over the strings, plucking them quickly.
"How are you doing, Ryley?" Chistopher, my instructer, greets. I open my eyes, taking in the old mans appearence. He looks even older today. His grey hair cut short and his face clean shaven. His glasses sit on the tip of his pointy nose. His wrinkles cut deep into his skin.
I stop playing and shrug.
"I'm doing better. You, Christopher?" I ask. Christopher shrugs in response, flipping through sheet music.
"I've been doing well, thank you. You look healthier. How's your mother?" He questions, setting down the papers on the table next to him. He sits across from me, crossing his legs and folding his arms across his chest.
"How do you think she's doing?" I snap, plucking a few strings on my guitar. I hang my head down. Chistopher clears his throat, shifting in his seat. He knows that's a sore subject with me.
"Ryley, please." Christopher says. I roll my eyes and sit back in my chair, setting my guitar next to me.
"This isn't therapy." I mutter. Christopher clenches his jaw and stands up.
"I'm going to help the new girl out with everything. Maria isn't much for warm welcomes. Look through that sheet music to see if you want to play any. The recital is coming up, you know. And I want you to be fully prepared." Christopher says. He opens the door of the room and walks out.
I sit in silence for a few minutes, then start to play my guitar again. I don't pay attention to the pile of papers. I just play what's written inside my head.
I put my guitar back into my case. My finger tips ache from so much playing and my ears ring. I strap my guitar onto my back and walk out of the room. When I get into the front of the store, My grandmother is showing a little girl a mini-guitar. The girl looks happy with it and the mother is digging through her purse, most likely to find her wallet.
"Oh, there you are Ryley." I turn around and see Christopher and a girl standing in front of me. My eyes widen and my heart rate goes up about twenty notches. Her beauty stunning me. I push away the weird feelings and put on a frown.
"What, Christopher?" I ask. My voice isn't very warm. Christopher shoots me a look.
"This is Vanessa. She's the new worker since Vince got fired. Since you worked here for a few years, maybe you could help out Vanessa." Christopher suggests. I shrug.
"If I have time." I say, looking over my shoulder at the door. I want to leave. Christopher shoots me an annoyed glance, telling me to be nice.
"Thanks." She whispers. Her eyes barely meeting mine. I give a stiff nod and turn on my heels. I walk over to Maria who is waving the little girl and her mother goodbye.
"Ryley, how are you?" She asks. Maria wraps her frail arms around me and I the same.
"I'm great, Grandma. How are you?" Maria chuckles, taking a step back.
"Tired. I couldn't fall asleep last night. Sugar wouldn't stop barking." She says with a sigh. Sugar is her five month old, black pug puppy.
"Maybe mom was right about you not getting a dog. You need your sleep." I say. Maria rolls her eyes.
"Ryley, don't you go on about that. But, you know how I'm going on that trip to Florida?" She asks. I nod, "Well, I want you to watch Sugar. I know it's last minute, but my neighbors won't do it."
I smile and nod.
"Yeah, of course." Maria sighs in relief and pats my arm.
"Thanks, Ryley. Why don't you pick her up on your way home?" She asks. I nod.
"Oh, okay. Can I use your key and just leave it under your door mat?" I ask. Maria nods and pulls her key chain from her pocket. She twists her house key on the lock and sets it on the counter in front of her.
"Thank you, Ryley." My grandmother says. I give her a smile and turn around on my heels once again.
"Bye, Grandma." I say, giving her a wave with the back of my hand.
"Bye, Ryley. Love you." She calls as I push open the door. The bell above me rings.
"Love you, too."
"How are you doing, Ryley?" Chistopher, my instructer, greets. I open my eyes, taking in the old mans appearence. He looks even older today. His grey hair cut short and his face clean shaven. His glasses sit on the tip of his pointy nose. His wrinkles cut deep into his skin.
I stop playing and shrug.
"I'm doing better. You, Christopher?" I ask. Christopher shrugs in response, flipping through sheet music.
"I've been doing well, thank you. You look healthier. How's your mother?" He questions, setting down the papers on the table next to him. He sits across from me, crossing his legs and folding his arms across his chest.
"How do you think she's doing?" I snap, plucking a few strings on my guitar. I hang my head down. Chistopher clears his throat, shifting in his seat. He knows that's a sore subject with me.
"Ryley, please." Christopher says. I roll my eyes and sit back in my chair, setting my guitar next to me.
"This isn't therapy." I mutter. Christopher clenches his jaw and stands up.
"I'm going to help the new girl out with everything. Maria isn't much for warm welcomes. Look through that sheet music to see if you want to play any. The recital is coming up, you know. And I want you to be fully prepared." Christopher says. He opens the door of the room and walks out.
I sit in silence for a few minutes, then start to play my guitar again. I don't pay attention to the pile of papers. I just play what's written inside my head.
I put my guitar back into my case. My finger tips ache from so much playing and my ears ring. I strap my guitar onto my back and walk out of the room. When I get into the front of the store, My grandmother is showing a little girl a mini-guitar. The girl looks happy with it and the mother is digging through her purse, most likely to find her wallet.
"Oh, there you are Ryley." I turn around and see Christopher and a girl standing in front of me. My eyes widen and my heart rate goes up about twenty notches. Her beauty stunning me. I push away the weird feelings and put on a frown.
"What, Christopher?" I ask. My voice isn't very warm. Christopher shoots me a look.
"This is Vanessa. She's the new worker since Vince got fired. Since you worked here for a few years, maybe you could help out Vanessa." Christopher suggests. I shrug.
"If I have time." I say, looking over my shoulder at the door. I want to leave. Christopher shoots me an annoyed glance, telling me to be nice.
"Thanks." She whispers. Her eyes barely meeting mine. I give a stiff nod and turn on my heels. I walk over to Maria who is waving the little girl and her mother goodbye.
"Ryley, how are you?" She asks. Maria wraps her frail arms around me and I the same.
"I'm great, Grandma. How are you?" Maria chuckles, taking a step back.
"Tired. I couldn't fall asleep last night. Sugar wouldn't stop barking." She says with a sigh. Sugar is her five month old, black pug puppy.
"Maybe mom was right about you not getting a dog. You need your sleep." I say. Maria rolls her eyes.
"Ryley, don't you go on about that. But, you know how I'm going on that trip to Florida?" She asks. I nod, "Well, I want you to watch Sugar. I know it's last minute, but my neighbors won't do it."
I smile and nod.
"Yeah, of course." Maria sighs in relief and pats my arm.
"Thanks, Ryley. Why don't you pick her up on your way home?" She asks. I nod.
"Oh, okay. Can I use your key and just leave it under your door mat?" I ask. Maria nods and pulls her key chain from her pocket. She twists her house key on the lock and sets it on the counter in front of her.
"Thank you, Ryley." My grandmother says. I give her a smile and turn around on my heels once again.
"Bye, Grandma." I say, giving her a wave with the back of my hand.
"Bye, Ryley. Love you." She calls as I push open the door. The bell above me rings.
"Love you, too."
♠ ♠ ♠
This is what I picturedSugar looking like. Even though you weren't introduced to her yet(:
Sorry for the delay. I really, really am.
Elli, you're up.(:
I promise to update ASAP once you do.