Chapter 4 – A guy, a girl, Elton John and the Crow Soundtrack

Later that day, Devon decided to take look around the town of Tree Hill. It had a real small town feel to it but at the same time had an energy about it like nowhere else. It had an all ages club called which actually got more than its fair share of big names to play there. And they had one of the most awesome vinyl shops he had ever seen. He had seen it on the way to school today and he needed to see it up-close.

He pulled up to the store and parked his black Mazda 6 in the space next to this '63 Mercury Comet. It was in pretty good condition. His dad was a bit of a gear head and he knew a nice ride when he saw it. He got out of the car and walked inside of the record store. As soon as he walked inside of the store he felt like he was home. It had a very old school vibe to it. It reminded him of the record store from the movie 'High Fidelity'. And there was vinyl. Beautiful sweet vinyl.

He took a step into the aisle and started looking through the racks. There was a lot of alt, punk, and that's when he found it. Tumbleweed Connection by Elton John featuring "My Father's Gun". For a long time he had been looking for it. That song meant a lot to him. The first time he heard it was after he lost his dad. He still hadn't processed the majority of his feelings about the loss. But the song actually made things a little less terrible. It made him think of the good times that they had together instead of the fact that his dad was gone. He sighed to himself. Devon shook off the feeling that was creeping up on him and kept going through the bin. And that's when he saw her.

"Wow…"

She was wearing a worn in black leather jacket, blue jeans that had seen better days, a NOFX t-shirt and had shoulder length blonde hair. She was the most slender of the 3 girls he had met. There was an air of loneliness about her. Like she had been dealt some real lost in her life. He was drawn to her even more than he was drawn to Haley. Her hazel eyes quickly shot up and met his. She smiled at him as if to say that she doesn't bite.

"Hi."

Devon smiled back. He walked over to her and started looking in the bin next to hers.

"Find anything good?"

The expression on her face changed slightly. Like an explorer who had been looking for the Holy Grail and ended up finding an empty Pepsi bottle.

"I was looking for this old Elton John album…Tumbleweed Connection. I know I saw it in here yesterday. I actually hid it in the alt rock because I knew it would be safe there but now it is hiding from me. It had 'My Father's Gun' on it. I love that song."

Devon nodded in agreement with her. "Really? I love that song too. Makes me think about my dad and how I much I miss him sometimes. Like when I hear it makes me feel like…"

"He's still around even though he isn't? I can relate. My dad works on a dredging boat so I hardly see him. That song makes it less hard. Because I know he's still with me."

"Yeah, I just wish…I just wish my dad was closer to me."

She looked up from the bin at him and gave him a smile. "There a lot of people in this town with dad issues. Where's yours?"

"Buried in a cemetery in Detroit."

She turned to him and touched his arm gently. "Sorry. Losing a parent sucks. My mom's been gone for awhile now. It still hurts like it was yesterday."

"But it has to get better. So, that's why I am giving you back your Elton John album. Somebody put it back in the pop/rock bin." Devon held out the album to give to her and the girl took a step back.

Now that he was closer to her, she was even more amazing now that he was next to her. She had a nice frame on her. Her chest was smaller than Brooke's but she was just as sexy. Maybe even a little sexier than Brooke. And she had great taste in music. The same taste as him which made her even sexier than before.

"No way, man. You got to it first. Bin rules."

He smiled at her again and sat it down on bin.

"It's cool. Besides, my dad always said let a pretty lady get what a pretty lady wants. Plus I don't get many chances to look cool so take it. Please."

She took the album from him and put it under her arm. "Thanks, this means a lot."

"No problem. Besides there is a song on the Crow soundtrack that makes me feel better, too…."

"It can't rain all the time, right?" The girl answered before he could finish the thought.

"Actually, I was going to go with After the Flesh" by My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult."

"See I thought you were going to say "The Badge" or "Milktoast"."

"I am impressed. A girl whose knowledge of movie soundtracks may rival or even surpass my own."

"Glad to see I pass your record snob test. But seriously you gotta let me thank you for this. How about I make you a mix?"

Devon raised an eyebrow at the suggestion.

"I'm curious to see what else you like. How about we meet here tomorrow and we'll see if it is up to my high standards, Miss?"

"Sawyer, Peyton Sawyer. And your name…"

"Sharp, Devon Sharp."

Peyton smiled at him and tugged on his jacket.

"Well, Sharp, Devon Sharp, tomorrow, I'll have that mix for you. Thanks again."

"Anytime, Sawyer. Peyton Sawyer."

As she walked to the counter, Devon made his way over the singles bin and there was a face that he recognized on the cover of one of the singles. It was called "When the stars go blue" and the face belonged to none than Haley James.

"No shit."

Stay tuned...The art of the mixtape is next...