Chapter 12
Chapter twelve
Cole · Then
Must Have Done Something Right – Relient K
Sixteen Years Old
Hendrix sitting cross-legged on my bed, acoustic guitar settled in her lap, playing Eruption by Van Halen is like a dream come to life.
I’m supposed to be watching her fingers as they trill across the strings, but I’m too lost in her to pay a lick of attention to anything else.
She’s wearing an old T-shirt she stole from my wardrobe. Her piercings glint under the bright light. Eyes closed, cheeks flushed pink, she nibbles at her plump lower lip.
I shift in my seat and down my glass of water to clear my drying throat.
She’s a fucking vision.
The final note rings through the room, echoing around my mind.
She lied when she said she was ‘pretty good’ at playing. She’s nothing short of magnificent.
“Where’d you learn to play like that?” I ask.
She looks up at me, her expression blanking. “From watching my dad, mostly.”
“Your dad plays?”
“Used to. He was amazing.” Her gaze dips and she pulls at the fraying hem of her denim shorts. “He was in a band when he was younger and everything. Pretty sure if you cut him, music would bleed from his veins.”
“Like father, like daughter,” I tease.
“Something like that.” She clears her throat, shaking her head before her gaze locks on me.
“But yeah. I learned from watching my dad. Then in year seven, my music teacher took pity on me when he caught me hanging around the hallway watching guitar lessons after school. He handed me a bunch of music books, some VHS recordings of old lessons, and here we are.”
“You’ve never had a lesson?”
A dry laugh slips past her lips. “No.”
“Rixie!”
Her brows lift and her lips twist. “What?”
“You realise that’s insane, right?” I gesture to the guitar in her hand and shake my head. “You just played one of the trickiest guitar songs with your eyes closed. And yet you’ve never had a single lesson.”
Her mouth drops open and she blinks. Once. Twice. Then she shrugs, as if she didn’t just show off skills only a musical prodigy would have.
“I just really like that song, so I’ve practiced it. A lot.” She chuckles, placing the guitar down and laying back. “When I’m done with you, you’ll be able to play it with your eyes closed too.”
I snort. “Yeah, I don’t think so. I’ll be lucky if I can get this down.”
I wave the sheet music she pushed into my hands when she got here. Stand By Me. There’s only four chords in the progression and that still seems optimistic with my skill level. Or lack thereof.
“Who knew you were so pessimistic, dude?”
“Realistic,” I quip.
“Whatever you say.” She shuffles across the bed, patting the mattress beside her.
I dive out of my chair, the sheet music forgotten as it flutters to the floor. She rolls onto her side, her pinkie brushing mine as I lay beside her.
Reaching out, I push her hair behind her ear. “Is this what you want to do with your life? Music?”
She hums as my fingers disappear into her silky strands, fluttering across her scalp.
“In a band?” I ask, tugging gently as her eyes close. “I happen to know a budding rock band that would happily take you on, if so.”
Her lips curl up. “I think there’s only room for one rock star in this relationship.”
Hendrix’s eyes pop open at her slip-up, looking anywhere but at me.
My heart races and I beam. “Rixie, are we a couple?”
She shakes her head, her mouth opening, but no words come.
“Are you claiming me?” I sit up and climb over her, my knees either side of her legs. “Am I your boyfriend?”
She stammers. “Nu-uh.”
I reach out for her hips, my fingers grazing the soft curve before I dive in with a tickling attack.
She stiffens, then bursts into giggles that ripple through her like a melody. Her breath quickens, and she wriggles, trying to slip out of my grasp, but I hold on tight.
“Stop! Stop!” she gasps, breathless and laughing.
I grin, enjoying every second as tears sparkle in her eyes.
“Okay, okay! You win, you win!” She pushes at my chest. “Give over!”
I finally relent, pulling back, when my door swings open.
“Cole Dean Hayes.”
I freeze, straddling Hendrix as my mum strolls into the room.
Hendrix’s cheeks flare, a deep crimson staining them. She swats me away, her breaths choppy as she sits up and straightens her clothes.
“What did I tell you about this bedroom door?” Mum asks, hands propped on her hips, gaze slanting over Hendrix and me.
“Mum.” Heat crawls up the back of my neck.
“Cole,” she deadpans.
“Sorry!” I shuffle across the bed. “Won’t happen again.”
“Best not.” Mum turns to Hendrix, her scowl lifting into a crooked grin. “Hi, Hendrix. Make sure this bugger behaves, will you?”
“Will do,” Hendrix croaks.
I jump up. “Okay, Mum. That’s enough now. Thanks for stopping by.”
I nudge her out the room and tug my door until there’s only a crack left.
Technically it’s not shut, so she can’t say shit.
Pressing my back to the wall, I scrub a hand down my face and groan.
Hendrix slaps a hand over her mouth, muffling the choked laughter that racks her body.
“You know that’s entirely your fault,” I tell her, moving back to the safety of my swivel chair.
She shoots up to her feet. “You attacked me!”
“You made me.” I fold my arms across my chest, lips curving in a smug grin. “You just had to say, ‘Yes, Cole Hayes. You’re my boyfriend,’ and all of this mess could have been avoided.”
Her eyes narrow to slits. “Cole.”
“Yes, Rixie?”
“You’re a menace.”
“Not where I thought that was going.” I sink into my chair and tip back the wheels. “Shall we try again?”
“I will end you.” She clicks her fingers before dragging her thumb across her neck.
I shake my head. “No you won’t. You’d miss me too much.”
“Whatever I did, I’m sorry,” she shouts to the ceiling. “I take all the bad things back.”
“You’re feisty when you’re embarrassed. I like it.”
She drags her hands through her hair. “I can’t believe your mum just walked in on that. What must she think of me?”
“My mum loves you already,” I tell her, snagging her wrist and pulling her between my spread legs. “Now, back to what we were talking about.”
She tenses. “I am not repeating myself.”
“Not what I mean.” I laugh, brushing my thumb under her black beaded bracelet and over her racing pulse point. “You. Band. Mine. Thoughts?”
She grimaces. “Absolutely not. I am not meant to be a star. I much prefer playing for myself than a room full of people.”
“So what’s your life plan with music?” I tug her down until she’s perched on my knee. Wrapping an arm around her waist, I drop my head against her shoulder. “And don’t say nothing. The world needs your talent.”
She twirls the drawstring of my hoodie. “I just want to create. Write melodies, lyrics, and everything in between.”
“Songwriter?"
“I think so. Maybe produce too.” She chews her lip. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”
“Then you’re gonna do it.”
“Yeah?” she mocks, hiking her brows up. “Just like that, huh?”
“Just like that.”
I roll my chair back and spin, so we’re facing the desk. Reaching around her, I tug open one of my drawers and grab the notebook inside.
Hendrix shuffles on my lap, and my chest warms as she makes herself right at home.
“What’s this?” she asks, flicking through the page when I hand it off to her. “Are these your songs? You said you didn’t share them with anyone.”
“I don’t.”
“Then—”
“You, Rixie Moore, are not just anyone.”
Pink dots appear on her cheeks.
She ducks her head, tracing her black painted nails over the page. “I like this one.”
I glance down. Chasing Lows is one I’ve been really struggling with.
I grin. “That’s good, then. ’Cause you’re gonna help me finish it.”
“Really?” Her nose wiggles. “You want me to write music with you? What if I’m bad at it?”
Not possible.
“Then I’ll fire you and find another girlfriend to do it with.” I wink.
Her breath catches at my casual use of girlfriend.
She chews her lip stud, eyes glittering as they dance over my face. “You really wanna do this with me?”
I cup the back of her head.
She turns to me, grin wide as I close the distance and seal my mouth to hers. “I want to do everything with you.”