About Fifteen Hundred Words
Tutoring
Hayden's house was beautiful, no doubt about it. It was about the same size as my own, but if it came down to looks, his would surely win. It was a calming tan color, and lush green trees and shrubs surrounded it. They appeared to be well kept, like someone tended to them every day. It was all sort of...peaceful. Standing in front of the front door, I took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell. About two minutes later the door opened, and a woman with wavy brown hair and deep brown eyes stood before me with a big welcoming smile on her face.
“Hello dear, you must be Ashlyn.”
“Umm yes, I am.”
She extended her hand, and I shook it gently.
“Well come inside, I'll let Hayden know you're here.”
She led me in, closing the door behind us. The house was even more beautiful on the inside. It felt cozy and welcoming, and sort of reminded me of Cassie's house.
“You have a very beautiful home.”
She smiled brightly again, as she had when she answered the door.
“Why thank you dear, that's awful kind of you. Would you like to sit while I get my son?”
“No thank you mam, I'm fine.”
She nodded, and walked over to the staircase.
“Hayden, your friend is here!”, she called.
After a few minutes had passed and Hayden still hadn't come down, she tried again.
“Hayden!”
Still nothing. She sighed, rolling her eyes.
“He probably can't hear me, he's always blasting that music of his. I'm going to go up there, I'll be back down shortly.”
She disappeared up the stairs, and I sat alone, taking in my surroundings. Pictures lined the walls in the hallway. They were of a man, a woman, and a little boy with baby blue eyes and brown hair. I assumed the boy was Hayden. Even as a little kid he was adorable. I heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and took my gaze off of the photos. The woman, which I now realized was his mother, had come back down. Not too far behind, was Hayden. He stopped in the middle of the stairs, that cute smile on his face again, and gestured for me to come with him. I hesitated at first, feeling nervous with his mother watching.
“Come on Ash, lets go.”
I finally complied, following him up the steps to the second floor. He went to the first door on the left, and turned back to me, opening the door.
“This is my room.”
Somehow, it was exactly as I imagined it, only slightly different. His bed was made, the black comforter neatly hung on the bed, and his pillows were also neatly placed at the end. Posters littered the walls, which were gray. There wasn't much of the walls showing though. The posters were of many different bands like Black Veil Brides, Blessthefall, New Years Day, and Three Days Grace, but the majority of the posters were of Motionless In White. What really caught my eye though, was the beautiful black guitar int the corner of the room.
“Oh my god, you have and Ibanez?”
He smiled, like he was proud of it.
“Yep, I sure do. Wanna see it?”
I nodded, too stunned to speak. He went over and took it off of the stand.
“How good are you?”
He seemed to think about it for a minute, before shrugging.
“Okay I guess. I'm no expert, that's for sure.”
“Show me then, so I can tell you how awesome you are.”
He laughed.
“How do you know if I'm awesome? I could suck for all you know.”
“People who suck don't even know what an Ibanez is, let alone own one.”
“Good point. What would you like me to play?”
“Whatever you want.”
He bit his lip while he thought. Then his eyes lit up.
“Perfect.”
He began to play, and I instantly knew what it was.
“You can play Immaculate Misconception? I've tried so many times, but I can never seem to get it right.”
“You play?”
“Yeah, but you're way better than I am.”
“Aww, it can't be that bad. Show me what you can do.”
I shook my head.
“Why not?”
“Because I suck in comparison. I don't want you to laugh at me.”
“I won't laugh, I promise.”
I continued to be stubborn, and he continued to beg me to play. After several minutes, I decided to change the subject, remembering what I actually came here for.
“Come on, we have to get to work if you're going to learn anything. I'll play for you another time.”
He pouted, but agreed anyway.
“Fine, let's do some boring proofs.”
“Hello dear, you must be Ashlyn.”
“Umm yes, I am.”
She extended her hand, and I shook it gently.
“Well come inside, I'll let Hayden know you're here.”
She led me in, closing the door behind us. The house was even more beautiful on the inside. It felt cozy and welcoming, and sort of reminded me of Cassie's house.
“You have a very beautiful home.”
She smiled brightly again, as she had when she answered the door.
“Why thank you dear, that's awful kind of you. Would you like to sit while I get my son?”
“No thank you mam, I'm fine.”
She nodded, and walked over to the staircase.
“Hayden, your friend is here!”, she called.
After a few minutes had passed and Hayden still hadn't come down, she tried again.
“Hayden!”
Still nothing. She sighed, rolling her eyes.
“He probably can't hear me, he's always blasting that music of his. I'm going to go up there, I'll be back down shortly.”
She disappeared up the stairs, and I sat alone, taking in my surroundings. Pictures lined the walls in the hallway. They were of a man, a woman, and a little boy with baby blue eyes and brown hair. I assumed the boy was Hayden. Even as a little kid he was adorable. I heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and took my gaze off of the photos. The woman, which I now realized was his mother, had come back down. Not too far behind, was Hayden. He stopped in the middle of the stairs, that cute smile on his face again, and gestured for me to come with him. I hesitated at first, feeling nervous with his mother watching.
“Come on Ash, lets go.”
I finally complied, following him up the steps to the second floor. He went to the first door on the left, and turned back to me, opening the door.
“This is my room.”
Somehow, it was exactly as I imagined it, only slightly different. His bed was made, the black comforter neatly hung on the bed, and his pillows were also neatly placed at the end. Posters littered the walls, which were gray. There wasn't much of the walls showing though. The posters were of many different bands like Black Veil Brides, Blessthefall, New Years Day, and Three Days Grace, but the majority of the posters were of Motionless In White. What really caught my eye though, was the beautiful black guitar int the corner of the room.
“Oh my god, you have and Ibanez?”
He smiled, like he was proud of it.
“Yep, I sure do. Wanna see it?”
I nodded, too stunned to speak. He went over and took it off of the stand.
“How good are you?”
He seemed to think about it for a minute, before shrugging.
“Okay I guess. I'm no expert, that's for sure.”
“Show me then, so I can tell you how awesome you are.”
He laughed.
“How do you know if I'm awesome? I could suck for all you know.”
“People who suck don't even know what an Ibanez is, let alone own one.”
“Good point. What would you like me to play?”
“Whatever you want.”
He bit his lip while he thought. Then his eyes lit up.
“Perfect.”
He began to play, and I instantly knew what it was.
“You can play Immaculate Misconception? I've tried so many times, but I can never seem to get it right.”
“You play?”
“Yeah, but you're way better than I am.”
“Aww, it can't be that bad. Show me what you can do.”
I shook my head.
“Why not?”
“Because I suck in comparison. I don't want you to laugh at me.”
“I won't laugh, I promise.”
I continued to be stubborn, and he continued to beg me to play. After several minutes, I decided to change the subject, remembering what I actually came here for.
“Come on, we have to get to work if you're going to learn anything. I'll play for you another time.”
He pouted, but agreed anyway.
“Fine, let's do some boring proofs.”