Chapter Three

Timing Makes A Difference

A few days past. Days seemed like years to Katie and she wanted patiently everyday at the music shop for him to walk in. Every customer who walked in was greeted with a curious girl who was anxious, but she kept being dissapointed.

Around noon on Thursday afternoon, Katie was just in the back room fiddling with a spare guitar that the owner leaves in the back for just anyone who wants to play it. She was strumming a few chords and liked how they all sounded together.

The door bell rang. Katie set down the guitar and came walking into the front of the store. She halted her steps right when she saw who was in front of her. The element of surprise.

Standing there was Tyler. Still with his glasses and his guitar case. He smiled at her. She tried to keep her emotion from appearing on her face. Her mind was racing, she didn't think she'd see him again.

"Hi." Tyler's voice sounded warm and familiar in her ears.

"Hi" She answered him back softly.

"So..." Tyler felt so glad to finally see her again. He had to wait so long in the week because he didn't want to seem so clingy. Thursday was a good day to come back, just the right amount of time. He missed her face though and the warmth of her smile.

"So..." She answered him again.

They both were standing still and looking directly at each other. Neither of them moving.

A short fat man pushed Tyler aside rudely. "Mam, can I please be checked out now?"

"Oh yeah, sure."

Tyler rolled his eyes behind the man's back. Katie saw this as she was ringing up the items. She tried so hard to hold in a laugh, but one came out. The man just starred at her angrily.

"I'm sorry about that sir, I was remebering a funny joke that my father told my brother told me earlier today. Umm...would you like to hear it?"

"That would be a delight."

"Alrighty, K so there was this boy right. And he had a cow. Or was it a goat? Or maybe it was a horse! Yes a horse!"

While she made a huge fool of herself, the man just looked at her more angry than before. She could read his face and interuptted her bad telling of the joke.

"Sorry, stand up comedy just isn't something I should do. Is it?"

"I see." He wobbled his way to the door.

"Please come again!" Katie yelled out at him, but he mad had already left the premiscenec.

Tyler stepped forward to the counter when Katie was just sitting back down after standing up to yell at the man. He set down his guitar and seated himself on a stool.

"I think you were right the first time with the cow." He laughed softly.

She glared at him, "don't tease me."

She picked up a magazine and acted like she was thumbing through it. Really she just couldn't look at him. Inside her head was racing.

"So..." He started up the conversation.

"K we've been through this part, let's just skip ahead as to why you waited so long to come. I was going to invite someone else."

"Sorry, I've been busy...I still do want to go don't get me wrong. And I've decided to bring my guitar incase I do have a sudden urge to play.

"It's ok, I understand. But you so should play! Well only if you are comfortable enough, no pressure at all." Her spirits were lifted completely.

"Also can I rent a room?"

"Yeah but this time your gonna have to pay for it. It's only $2.50 deposit. I think you can possibly manage."

"Just might be able to squeak by."

He dug in his wallet and counted out exact change. Then he passed her the money. Their hands touched for a few seconds. The collision sent chills up and down both of their spines.

"You know you can have the room for as long as you want." She informed him.

"Good I was looking for a place to crash tonight."

"I'm sure." She passed him a key and he went on his way to the back. After he had disappeared to the back, goosebumps formed on her arms. She couldn't stop smiling. He had come back, he didn't forget about her, and they still had that special connection that only comes every once and awhile to the lucky.

Light turned to dark and Katie made the rounds around the store turning on lamps placed in strategic places and washing off the few tables in the building. By the time people didn't really come into the store. The busiest hours were late afternoon, the place looked deserted after 7 o'clock.

She could hear Tyler practicing some song. She couldn't make out the lyrics though. So first she glanced around the store and saw that no one was in there, and then she quietly snuck to the back.

The music grew louder everytime she took a few steps closer. As she stood right behind the wall where he was, she heard what sounded like to be a chorus.

It's only love and that is all

Why should I feel the way I do?

It's only love, and that is all

But it's so hard loving you

Just as he was finished she turned the knob adn stepped in, the door shut with a soft click.

"Knock knock," she called out at him just as he finished his song. He was sitting and had his back to her.

"You shouldn't sneak up on people like that, that's how some get shot." He turned around slowly in his stool till he directly faced her.

"Some people also get shot by being in a gas station."

"You know I wasn't serious."

"Yeah I know."

Katie sighed shortly. Tyler looked down at his guitar and played a short string.

Their eyes met but shifted quickly.

Tyler asked her, "So what's the info on this concert thing?"

"Oh right, that's why you came by in the first place."

"Yes and no." He muttered to himself, Katie never heard this comment.

"K well the concert is tomorrow night at Joe's cafe shop, the one three blocks down. It's the two story building with the open roof. Anyway, I thought we could met here at say 6 and head over there together after that."

"6 might be a little too early for me, say 6:01?" He suggested to her.

"6:01 sounds great. But now if you come late at 6:02 then I might have to bail on you and not go."

"I promise no later than 6:01 and I'll be here."

"Awesome."

"Do I need to leave? Are you going to lock up soon?" He didn't want to keep her there all night.

"I was, but your too kind so I'll let you stay as long as you want."

"Which translates too...?"

"8."

"Thanks," he smiled lightly.

"I'm nice since your going with me. Thank you for that...and I have some school work that I need to finish. So I'll be in the front. Yell if you need me or if some killer comes in and tries to kill you, since if they sneak up on you they can get shot."

"True." He laughed at her joke.

"So I'll see you tomorrow night then." She wanted to make sure that this time he would show up.

"Unless something better comes up, which it won't so yes I'll see you tomorrow night then."

"K I'll leave you alone now."

She began to leave but Tyler blurted out ,"You don't have to leave me alone. I like singing for someone opposed to just singing to myself."

"Then I'll stay."

She walked back over to him and he began to play again, she just smiled to herself. Why was he so special?