I Give My Heart To You

Alice was laying outside on her back on her picnic table when she heard a car pull into the driveway. She lifted her head just enough to see Zach behind the wheel of the small silver car. She smiled as she propped herself up on her elbows.
He walked over and sat down on the edge of the picnic table next to her. He shot her one of his heart-melting smiles and she gave him an innocent grin in return. She pushed herself upright and brushed a few stray locks of hair out of her face. “So,” she said as she swung her feet, “where are we going?” He shrugged as he toyed with the ring of keys in his hands, “I just figured that we could get out for a while. Lord knows we’ve been stuck here way too fucking long.” Alice laughed and nodded, “I guess I have to agree with you on that one.”
Zach stood up and held his hand out to help her do the same. She smiled as she gripped his hand slightly as he pulled her up off the table. She stumbled forward accidentally and her hands landed on his shoulders as she fell. He quickly held her to keep her from falling all the way, but he couldn’t help but to feel an odd rush going through his mind and veins as he helped her stand upright again.
She laughed as she kept on walking over to the car as if nothing had happened. Zach shook his head to get his thoughts back in order before following suit. He slid into the driver’s side and stated the car. He waited for Alice to get situated before backing out of her driveway.
He reached one arm over casually as they drove down the road. Alice had her feet up on the dashboard, a luxury she didn’t usually have since she was normally the one driving people around. She was tapping her fingers on her legs to the beat of the song that was playing. She lightly closed her eyes as a small smile began to play across her lips. She didn’t normally get the pleasure of being able to relax in a car, seeing how she was usually the driver, and a designated one at that.
When the car came to a stop, Alice opened her eyes and looked around to see where they were. She shot Zach a questioning look and he chuckled, “Jimmy told me that you play piano?” Alice laughed and shook her head, “I used to. I haven’t played since, shit, I don’t even know when.” Zach flashed her his best puppy-dog eyes, “Please? I’ll play guitar for you if you play piano for me.” She sighed but smiled, “Oh fine. But just because I want to hear you play guitar.” Zach chuckled as he got out of the car and went over to open the passenger side door.
Alice smiled as she hopped out of the car. “I guess chivalry isn’t quite dead yet,” she said with a joking smile as she began to walk off to the entrance to the store that held every possible instrument known to man.
Zach caught up to her and fell into stride as they walked into the store together. As soon as they opened the door, their ears were hit with the melodies of everyone practicing different songs on different instrument. Alice wandered around and looked in ceaseless wonder of all the music that was surrounding her. It was like she was just taking it all it. Zach had never seen her like that. Granted, he hadn’t really seen her while she wasn’t hanging out with her preppy, annoying friends, but he didn’t entertain that thought for too long as he caught up with her as she looked at all the different pianos that were there for her to use and practice on.
She wandered down to the end of the aisle of numerous keyboards and pianos until she came to what looked like the oldest one in the store. It was a grand piano, no electric wires or fancy settings. Just keys, foot pedals, and a bench for her to sit on. She lightly ran her hand over the old leather-topped seat before sitting down and setting her fingertips lightly on the keys, not making any sounds.
One of the sales-boys walked up and stood diagonally in front of her. He looked like he was in his early twenties, with short, spikey brown hair and black glasses outlining his bright green eyes. His arms were littered in tattoos, and his whole look gave off the music kind of vibe. “Wow,” he said with an approving nod, “I haven’t seen someone come straight for this piano in a long time.” Alice shrugged and gave an innocent smile, “This is the kind of piano that I learned on growing up. I love the sound of it.” She ran her fingers lightly over the keys with a grin on her face that Zach had never seen before, but one that the sales-boy obviously had seen on people before.
“I’m Eric by the way,” the boy said with a smile as he held out his hand to Alice, then to Zach. “How long have you been playing?” he asked the girl. She shrugged, “I played for like, ten or eleven years. I’ve been on a hiatus of sorts for the past few years though.” Eric nodded. “Well,” he said with a smile, “I’ll leave you to this. Shout if you need anything.” Alice grinned and nodded as she turned back to the keys and thought about what to play.
She finally set her fingers down on the keys and earned a chord that resounded throughout the store. She paused for a moment, as if trying to recall something from the distant past. She bit her bottom lip lightly in concentration and Zach couldn’t help but to smile at her. Her fingers continued to run across the keys as her feet put pressure on the pedals and a melodious tune rang throughout the whole building. It bounced off the walls and back to its origin as she continued to play. Her eyes moved across the keys almost as quickly as her fingers did as she carried on. Zach stood in silent bewilderment at all the talent that she had kept a secret and given up on.
When she took her hands off the keys and set them in her lap, Zach ran his hand through his hair. “Holy shit,” he said with a shocked laugh. Alice chuckled and gave a shrug, “I told you, I haven’t played in a while.” He shook his head, “No, it’s not that. That was amazing! I had no idea that you could play like that!” She smiled as her cheeks began to turn a light pink color, “Well, Jimmy is really the only one who knows that I play, or used to anyway.”
She looked back up at Zach, “Your turn though. I want to hear some of these legendary guitar skills that James never shuts up about.” Zach laughed as he walked over and grabbed an acoustic guitar off of its stand and sat down in a chair in front of her. “This is something that I’ve been messing with for a little while,” he said as he messed with the tuning of the instrument, “so sorry if it sounds a little weird in parts.” Alice smiled but didn’t say anything as he pulled a pick out of his pocket and began to strum.
The song that he began to play wasn’t anything like what she thought he would write. Alice always figured that he would play heavier rock, or metal, or music along those lines. And supposedly he did, but it was nice to see that he had a soft side musically too. His fingers went up and down the neck of the guitar and Alice bit her bottom lip as she watched in wonder.
“Like I said, it’s not done yet,” he told her as he set the guitar on a stand that was next to him, “but it’s the start of something.” Alice nodded, “Oh it definitely is. I didn’t think that that was going to be what I was hearing though.” He chuckled, “What’d you expect?” She shrugged as she stood up from the piano bench, “Jimmy is always talking about how all of you guys are in punk rock bands or metal bands or stuff like that. I guess I wasn’t expecting something so…sweet.” Zach stood up and pulled down on the sleeves of his t-shirt a little bit. “I guess you can always learn something new, huh?” She laughed and nodded.
As they headed back to the front of the store, Eric caught up with them one last time. “So, anything catch your eye today?” he asked politely, just the way a good worker should. Alice nodded, “Yea, actually. There was.” She nodded back to the piano that she had played, “How much is that going for?” the sales-boy let out a small sigh as he jotted a number down onto a piece of paper. Alice’s jaw dropped at the sight of it. “Alright then,” she said with a laugh, “Well, keep me posted if the price drops…a lot, or if someone buys it, okay?” The boy nodded and smiled, “That much I can do.” They said goodbye and Alice headed back outside with Zach.
They slid back into the car. “You really shouldn’t have given it up,” Zach said as they drove down the road that led to the beach. Alice shrugged, “I could pick it up again any time if I wanted to, but I just haven’t had the motivation lately.”
Just as they pulled into the parking lot at the beach, Zach’s phone went off. Alice undid her seatbelt but waited for him to get off the phone before heading out to the shoreline.
“Hello?” he answered without checking to see who was calling. He heard Brian’s voice on the other end of the line, “Hey man, are you doing anything tonight? Michelle wanted to know if you wanted to go on a double-date with us and Cassy.” Zach glanced over quickly at Alice before responding, “Sorry man, I can’t.” Alice whispered, “Who’s that.” Zach looked back at her. “Brian,” he said simply. She smiled, “Hi Brian!!!”
Brian chuckled on the other end of the line, “Who the fuck is that?” Zach hesitated before answering, “It’s Alice.” Brian’s sigh hit Zach’s ears louder than anything else, “Well, tell her I said hi.” After Zach had told her that, Brian got back to the point he was determined to make.
“Are you fucking serious right now man? You really couldn’t just let Seward have this one? He’s fucking crazy about her. And she likes him too, in case you couldn’t tell by the way that they were acting last night. Just let it go. There are a million girls out there that you could have, and yet you have to go for the one that Johnny has had his eye on since the beginning of time? And, I feel like I need to add in the fact that before yesterday you thought she was a total prick.”
There was so much that Zach wanted to say to Brian, but he couldn’t because Alice was still in the seat beside him. Brian knew that and that was why he chose to say everything that he just had. “Alright,” Zach finally said, “I’ll catch up with you three later. Where are you gonna be?” Brian told him where they were going to meet up and then they said their goodbyes and Zach hung up the phone, trying not to let his annoyance read on his expression too much.
“Ready?” Alice asked with an excited smile. He nodded, “If you are.”
They both got out and headed down to the shore of the beach. Alice kicked her sandals off and continued down the stretch of beach barefoot, leaving footprints behind her to be washed away with the rising tide. Zach watched her with a smile on his face. He was kicking himself in the back of his mind for not being able to see this side of her sooner. He wished that he could’ve seen what Johnny saw all those months ago. Then maybe he wouldn’t have to be there simply wishing that he could run up to her, sweep her off her feet, and kiss her. If he hadn’t been so oblivious, he might have been able to actually follow through with it. But that was nothing but a dream now, and an impossible one at that. As much as he wanted to, he knew that he couldn’t ever do that to Johnny. Brian was right, she liked Johnny and there was nothing that he could ever do to change that.
They spent a few hours running around on the beach, splashing through the small waves that survived to make it to the shore. Their feet were coated with sand, and saltwater was trickling down the sides of their faces. It was the perfect summer picture. Alice’s sandals hung limply from her fingers as she looked for shells and other treasures that were coming in with the tide. Zach watched her with a smile on his face as he pushed his wet hair back out of his face.
When Alice walked back to him, she was putting a couple shells in her pocket. She looked up at him and flashed a crooked smile as she curled her toes in the sand. “We should probably get going,” he said slowly, “I’ve gotta get you home, and I’ve got that thing tonight with Brian.” Alice nodded understandingly, “Oh, okay.” She fell into stride with him as they walked back to his car.
He pulled into her driveway and turned to her with a half-hearted smile; he didn’t want her to go. “I had a lot of fun today,” he said truthfully. Alice nodded with a childish grin, “Yea, me too.” She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and Zach felt his face get hot. He hoped that the red in his cheeks wasn’t too noticeable. If it was, Alice didn’t say anything about it as she said goodbye.
Just as she set one foot out the door, her phone rang. She answered it, “Hello? Oh, hey Johnny, what’s up? Yea, tomorrow is still good for me,” she waved and mouthed goodbye to Zach before shutting the door and continuing off to her back door.
Zach gripped the steering wheel, hating himself for being so slow on the draw when it came to Alice. He watched her as she laughed on the phone with Johnny as she walked into her house, shutting the door behind her and leaving Zach there in a hot, jealous mess.