DayDream

Sophia Gomez sat on the floor in the basement of her parent’s home and plucked a few strings on the guitar in her lap. She was seventeen and bored out of her mind. Her brothers were both at band practice and her parents were out on date night. She was senior in high school and on a typical Saturday like this, she was stuck at the house alone.

She could only blame the isolation on herself, honestly. There was only one year between the three Gomez’ siblings so it was no surprise that they were very close. Stephen, the oldest, was out of school already but that didn’t really separate them. John was the youngest and somehow managed to be just as mature as his nineteen year old brother.

Because she was always around her two brothers, she didn’t make many other friends. That was why she was sitting alone on a Saturday night. The one thing the boys had, that she didn’t, was the band. Music had always been played around the Gomez household, and all three children fell in love with it. Stephen and John had decided, recently, to pursue music to the most extent that they could. Sophia had decided she wasn’t good enough to pursue music seriously.

She shook her head to push away the thoughts of loneliness and self pity. Her fingers stopped plucking random chords and started playing the soothing melody she’d grown fond of recently. It was something that had been stuck in her head for weeks. The words were something she’d written months ago, to express her feelings. She’d never put the two together but she figured sitting on the basement floor with the house to herself was the best time she’d ever have to hear the two together.

She bit her lip nervously before she began.

“I wish you could see your face right now
'Cause you're grinning like a fool
And we're sitting on your kitchen floor
On a Tuesday afternoon
Doesn't matter when we get back
To doing what we do
'Cause right now could last forever
Just as long as I'm with you

You're just a daydream away
I wouldn't know what to say if I had you
And I'll keep you a daydream away
Just watch from a safe place so I never have to lose

We would go out on the weekend
To escape our busy lives
And we'd laugh at all the douche-bag guys
Chasing down their desperate wives
I would drink a little too much
And you'd offer me a ride
I would offer you a t-shirt
And you would stay another night

You're just a daydream away
I wouldn't know what to say if I had you
And I'll keep you a daydream away
Just watch from a safe place so I never have to lose”

Sophia smiled. Though she’d lied to herself countless times and tried to believe the lies countless more times, the same feelings still overwhelmed her. She was in love and it was as simple as that. But to put icing on the cupcake, she was in love with her brother’s best friend. Her over protective, older brother’s best friend to be more exact. Her smile faded and finally she sighed.

Clapping started behind her, slow but loud. She jumped slightly and turned her head, fear seeping into her veins quickly. Standing at the top of the stairs of the basement was a grinning boy. He started down the stairs as he chuckled. Sophia blushed furiously as she dropped her eyes to the floor.

“That’s really impressive, Soph.” Her cheeks felt like they were on fire as did the back of her neck as he came and sat down beside her on the basement floor. “Don’t tell me you wrote that all on your own.” He joked and she gave a short nod. “Jesus,” he muttered and ran a hand through his hair. “I apologize for ever saying Stephen got the talent in the family, cause you not only wrote one hell of a song, you also sound like an angel.”

Justin Godsey had never been anything but nice to her. He thought it was neat that she was so close to her brothers and he was even a bit jealous since he was an only child. He opened up to her just about as easy as he opened up to Stephen. He even stood up for her and protected her, just like her brothers. The only real issue Sophia Gomez had with Justin Godsey was that he acted just like a brother to her, when all she really wanted was for him to see her as just a girl, maybe even a pretty girl.

“Thanks.” She mumbled and went back to plucking at the chords. Normally, she was never nervous around him, and that was one of the reason she liked him so much, but since he had walked in and heard her singing a song she’d written about him, she was nervous.

“No thanks needed.” He scrunched his nose up and shook his head. “You deserve a lot more. You know, I don’t think you give yourself half the credit you actually deserve.”

She cut her eyes at him curiously. “What do you mean?”

“Stephen told me you backed out of making a band with the guys because ‘you weren’t good enough’.” He air quoted the words and she rolled her eyes. Her nerves disappeared as she relaxed into talking about her brothers.

“Figures he’d tell you.” She grumbled and then pouted. “I’m not really good. Not like John.” She shrugged.

He snorted. “That’s what I’m talking about, Soph! You don’t give yourself credit. John’s a good guitar player, yeah. He’s a pretty good singer too. But Soph, your voice is beautiful and your skills on that guitar are definitely going to surpass John’s. It’s only a matter of time, doll.” Her stomach fluttered, just like it always did when he called her doll.

“You’re full of shit, Godsey.” She mumbled the curse and couldn’t help but smile as he grinned.

“Why don’t you play me that song again and then I’ll tell you how not full of shit I am.” He nudged her and grinned wider as she giggled.

She shook her head fiercely. “Um, no.”

“Come on, just one more time. It was so great!” He nudged her again but this time when she shook her head, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “Please, Soph? Just for me?” She giggled some more, but still protested. “I’ll buy you dinner if you play it for me.” He tried bargaining and she pouted. Her parents hadn’t prepared dinner before they left and her brothers wouldn’t be home for a few hours. Take out with Justin sounded pretty ideal.

“I could play you the ending.” She tried to bargain back as he sat up and arched his eyebrows.

“There’s more?”

“Just a little more.” She bit her bottom lip as he grinned.

“Okay. You play me the end and then we’ll go out for dinner.” He nodded toward the guitar. “Now get to playing, Gomez.”

She giggled and turned her focus to the guitar again. It wasn’t like he’d be able to tell the song was about him if she only played the last verse anyway.

“You're just a daydream away
I wouldn't know what to say if I had you
And I'll keep you a daydream away
Just watch from a safe place so I never have to lose

We never stood a chance out there
Shooting love in real-time
So we'll take it over ice tonight
With a little salt
And a little lime

You're just a daydream away
I wouldn't know what to say if I had you
And I'll keep you a daydream away
Just watch from a safe place so I never have to lose

You're just a daydream away
I wouldn't know what to say if I had you”

Sophia glanced at Justin. His brown eyes were focused on her and that goonish grin hadn’t left his face. She slowly put the guitar done on the ground as they sat in complete silence. It wasn’t until she’d stood up and he followed her that he opened his mouth.

“You are a fucking amazing girl, Sophia. Don’t let anyone tell you any different, kay?”

She smiled a little. “Okay, Justin.” They stood in silence again while he stared at her and she wondered why he was staring at her.

“Can I ask you something?” He was the first to speak again.

“Sure.”

He waited until her brown eyes were connected with his. “Who did you write that song about?”

Her pulse quickened as she blushed again. “It-it’s n-no-th-thing. I mean, it’s not about any-anyone. I just … made it all up.” She stumbled over the words and he frowned.

“You can tell me, Soph.” He brought his hand up to her face, lifting her chin with two of his fingers. “I’m just looking out for you. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Her heart shattered just like that. With all the flirting and the teasing and the niceness. It all just crashed on her. He couldn’t even put together the lyrics in her verses and their real life experiences together. He would never look at her as anything other than his best friend’s sister. He would just be nice. Always.

She took her chin from his touch and dropped her head, whispering the words as her eyes started to water. “You hurt me.”

His eyebrows scrunched together as he cupped her face with both his hands this time and made her look up. His question died in his throat as he noticed her tears. “Oh, Sophia.” He frowned and pulled her closer. His arms wrapped around her and he held her tight, allowing her to cry into his shirt. He rubbed her back as his stomach tied in knots. He hated seeing her so broken up about something as silly as a boy. “I swear, I’ll punch him in the balls for making you feel like this.”

She couldn’t take it anymore. She pushed away from him and wiped at her eyes. “You know what’s really ridiculous?”

He furrowed his eyebrows again as he watched her put up a front. She was acting tough though he could see right through it. “What, Sophia?”

She glared at him. “You’d be punching your own self in the fucking balls.” She spat and the silence settled eerily. His mouth was partly open as he stared at her, slowly processing what she meant. She crossed her arms and continued to glare at his feet.

He sighed. “Soph—,”

“Don’t ‘Soph this’ or ‘Soph that’.” She scoffed. “I don’t want to hear how stupid I am for liking you. I don’t want you to act like my brothers, because guess what Justin. You’re not my brother!” She yelled the last bit and then bit her bottom lip again. She hadn’t really meant to tell him that she liked him, and she certainly didn’t plan on telling him like this, but she was hurt. Her emotions got the better of her and her eyes were starting to water again.

Justin swallowed hard and took a step toward her. “I know a lot of the things I say and do may seem like I’m trying to be a brother to you.” He started and smiled slightly as she rolled her eyes. “But I’m not.”

She eyed him for a moment and then dropped her arms. “What do you mean?”

He chuckled a little. “I mean that generally, I push guys away from you with your brothers because I don’t like guys around you. I get jealous.” He took another step toward her and then he was standing just in front of her. “Because you’ve never really just been Stephen’s little sister to me.”

Her head tilted slightly back and to the side. She frowned at him. “What are you getting at Justin?”

“You’re an amazing girl, Sophia Gomez.” He raised his left hand and gently pressed it against her cheek. “And I’ve had the biggest crush on you since I can remember.” He chuckled again as her eyes widened. “And I’m really flattered you wrote a song about me.” He smirked as he dropped his hand. Her heart thudded hard in her chest. “So, what do you say we go get that dinner I promised you?”

Her mouth fell open. “But,” she paused as he took her hand in his and squeezed it.

“It’ll be like our first date.” He grinned and pleaded with those big brown eyes. “Sound good?”

She shook her head and giggled slightly. She had never imagined she’d hear a sentence like that come from him. “How are you going to tell Stephen about this?”

Justin rolled his eyes as he squeezed her hand again and then started pulling her toward the stairs. “We’ll come to that when he gets home. Let’s just make it through our date first.”

She giggled again. “Do you keep saying date on purpose?” She happily followed him up the stairs. Her insides were all giddy.

“I only said it twice.” He laughed as they reached the top of the stairs. “But I do like saying it. I mean, after all, I get to take Sophia Gomez out on a date.” He raised his eyebrows and grinned as she blushed.

“Stephen is so going to murder you.” She mumbled and tucked her hair behind her ear as she stared at the ground.

“Eh, it’s worth it.” He quickly bent down and kissed her cheek, making her blush increase. “Let’s get some food.” He nodded toward the front door and she smiled.

“Can I ask you something?” He made a faux scared face as he opened the front door for her, making her giggle some more. “I just wanted to know how you managed to get inside when no one was home. I was pretty positive I locked the doors.” She eyes him suspiciously as he also locked the door behind him and then pulled is keys out of his pocket, jingling them.

“I may or may not have an extra house key that your mother gave to me for when Stephen locks himself out.” They both laughed.

“I have such nerds for brothers.” She shook her head and bit her bottom lip as he put an arm around her shoulders. He’d done it a million times before but this was different. This was a little more than ever before.

“I think it’s safe to say you got the talent and the looks and the smarts.” He kissed her temple and then went to open the car door for her too. She sighed softly and just watched him for a moment as he smiled at her.

“I think I’m just in a daydream right now.”