Guitar Notes Tug Heart Strings

“What else do you think I could do for the story?” Cecelia asked sitting in her office. Jess was back at school, much to her dismay, she made a promise to finish the semester and she could stay the weekends at Cecelia’s.

Jake picked the boys up early the next morning; a text from Ren apologizing to Cecelia made her stomach turn. Was he apologizing for saying he liked her when he didn’t?

“Did you hear me?” Josh asked Cecelia.

“Sorry what?” She asked running a hand through her hair.

“I said get some video interviews, get some concert coverage and then I think we’re done.”

“Really?” She asked raising her eyebrows.

“Yeah, I’ve been sending the versions through the copy desk and it’s ready to go. It’s heading to the publishing desk tomorrow to get designed, so all we need is the online components and then it’s good for the next issue.”

“Wow, that’s awesome.”

“Yeah, listen after this I think I’m going to make you a bigger band reporter,” he said casually.

“You’re not joking right?”

Josh laughed and Cecelia smiled. “We’ll talk when the assignment is over. Try and get the videos in in the next two weeks.”

“You got it boss.”

---

“So you can date him soon?” Leo asked Cecelia. She raised an eyebrow at him and muted the TV.

“What do you mean?”

He rolled his blue eyes and smiled. “Oh my clueless friend, once your story is done you can date the hot singer.”

“I can’t date him, he doesn’t actually like me. He apologized.” She said shrugging.

He put his hand on her skinny jean clad knee and shook his head. “Um, he apologized for you picking him and driving him home, then letting them crash on the couch.”

She scratched her head and shook her head. “I think you’re wrong.”

He rolled his eyes. “Okay, but you like him.”

“Yeah, I do, but whatever.” Cecelia mumbled before taking a sip of iced tea.

“Then do something about it Cecelia.” Leo said frowning. “You always put work first, school first, it’s always some shitty excuse.”

“Excuse me?” She asked dropping her mouth open.

“You heard me, yeah you got cheated on by another musician. But get over it, you didn’t even care.” She shook her head.

“Leo, stop.”

“No, you need to get out there. At least tell him you like him. If he says he doesn’t, then move on. But you always put work or some other shit first. You never think about yourself.” He said looking at her.

She sighed and looked at the floor. “Listen to me Cee,” he said quietly. “I want you happy, and if this guy makes you happy, then do something about it.”

---

She pushed open the studio door and heard guitar strumming in the recording room. She turned the corner and saw Ren sitting in the black leather chair, strumming on his acoustic.

She knocked on the door and he opened his eyes and looked up.

“Hey, I need to talk to you.” She said shoving her hands into her faux leather jacket. Her hands felt clammy and her stomach was in knots.

“What’s up?” He asked.

She looked at him and she blinked. “I like you,” She rushed out.

For a minute they stood and starred at each other. Cecelia waited as was about to turn around and leave.

“I told you that you’d come back for more,” Ren said. He smiled lifting his left side of his light pink lips.

His brown eyes lit up, his bushy eyebrow raised over his right away. The light brown acoustic guitar was in his lap, underneath his calloused hands. His jeans clung to his legs, and his light gray vans needed desperately to be replaced. The once-white shoelaces were gray, and a bit of sock hang out in the toe area.

His dark blonde hair was disheveled, hiding under a black knit beanie. His black V-neck shirt was under a unbuttoned plaid shirt. The sleeves were rolled to his elbows. He was tall and lanky, and she knew sometimes clumsy.

“Yeah, but if you keep up the smart-ass attitude, that may change,” Cecelia said.

She crossed her arms over her chest; her black heels pushed her height up, slightly. Her long brown hair was wavy, past her shoulders.

He held out his hands, “Well what are you waiting for?” He smiled and she shook her head.

“What the hell am I thinking?” She whispered before she leaned down and kissed him.

He grinned against her lips, put the guitar on the floor and pulled her onto his lap. She wrapped his arms around his neck. She pulled his beanie off his head and slid it onto hers.

He looked at her and rubbed his thumb across her cheek. “It looks better on you,” he mumbled before kissing her forehead.

She smiled and played with the hair on the back of his neck.

“We have to keep it quiet until my story is published and everything.” He nodded and pushed her hair back behind her shoulders.

“I know, but that’s okay.” He turned her so she had her legs across his entire lap and was sitting sideways on him. He turned towards the switches and turned them off.

“Can you take me home?” She asked looking at him.

He grinned and raised his eyebrows. “You just admitted you like me and now you’re asking me to take you home?”

She blushed and rolled her eyes. “No, you jerk. I was drinking and got dropped off here. I need a ride home.”

He laughed and nodded. “Of course I’ll drive you home.”

---

“Okay, so what’s your favorite song to perform?” Cecelia asked while she watched Nick grin at the camera.

“I have a lot of fun when we do ‘What you do’ but I really love ‘Hit the Floor’ because the crowd gets so into it.”

Cecelia nodded and watched as he put his hands into his tight jean pockets. He black V-neck showed a bit of the tattoo he had on the right side of his chest.

“What is your favorite venue?”

He scratched the top of his head when his black beanie covered his blonde hair. He recently got a haircut and didn’t like the way it looked and had been hiding it under a number of hats.

“I love hometown shows because we always have so many true original fans, but I like exploring. I’m not sure if I have a favorite.”

She smiled and clicked the button to finish recording. “That’s good for now, thanks Nick. Can you send out Mark?”

He saluted her and headed inside.

Ren came out and grinned at Cecelia. He walked over to her and put his hand on her waist. He squeezed her hip and kissed the side of her forehead.

“Everyone’s inside so don’t stress,” he whispered before stepping in front of camera. “I’m all yours, so ask away.”

She blushed and pushed the recording button. “We’ll start easy, what’s your favorite thing about touring?”

He grinned and put his hands on his hips. “I love meeting all the fans, I love performing our music to them and watching them dance and sing along.”

“What’s your favorite song to perform?”

“That’s tough,” He rocked back and forth. “I really like singing ‘Shatter’ because I get to play it acoustically with Steven and Jake. We get to the show the raw emotions behind the song.”

“Do you want to go out to dinner with me?” He asked when she turned off the recorder. She smiled and nodded before Mark walked out holding the phone to his ear.

“Sorry, was talking to Shelly.”

“It’s all good, but it’s your turn for the interview.”

---

“So when you said dinner I didn’t expect sushi at my place,” Cecelia said smiling. Ren grinned and sat next to her on her couch.

“Well, we can’t go out yet,” he said shrugging.

“I know, I’m sorry,” she said as she picked up her chopsticks.

“No worries, I like staying in with a pretty girl.”

She blushed and went to kiss his cheek; at the last minute he turned towards her and caught her lips with his.

She laughed and pushed him away after a couple of seconds. He winked and plopped a piece of food into his mouth.

“So, when do you hand in your story?” Ren asked as he pulled Cecelia’s legs into his lap. He rubbed up and down her bare legs; create goose bumps along her skin.

She smiled and leaned her head against the cushion.

“I handed in the written parts, but all the videos and photos are due next Friday.”

“So one week?”

She nodded and sat up, sliding closer to him.

“But, and don’t hate me, I want to wait until after my story comes out. I don’t care if the band knows, but this girl at work already thinks I sleep with all my sources.”

“Well, I don’t think you do,” he said running his hands through her hair. “But, I get it and that’s fine. I wouldn’t advise making it a huge thing anyway.”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “Not because I want to hide you,” he whispered before kissing her lips. “We have some crazy fans.”

She smiled and nodded. “Oh I know, I met quite a few girls who think they are the future Mrs. Ren Matthenson.”

He rolled his eyes but smiled. He loved his fans and Cecelia knew that. Without them, the band wouldn’t be where they were.

“Well, I think they’re a little young for me.” He said winking.

“Oh yeah, and what’s a good age for you?” She asked smiling.

“My Cecelia is the right age.” He said with a wink. She nudged him and he pulled the shorter girl onto his lap. She pulled down the hem on his dark green tee shirt. He wrapped his lanky arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck.

“You don’t even know how old I am,” she faked gasped at him.

He looked at her and smiled. “You’re 23, your sister is 18 and attends the university in town. I know she hates it and wants to drop out for a year.”

She looked at him and smiled. “You really did listen,” he grinned and nodded.

“You’re drunk rambling is really adorable.”