Sometimes I really couldn't stand my sister. She acts all high and mighty- like she knows everything. Well that is a load of – well something that I can't say. She didn't talk to me for a week. Actually- neither did my grandparents. On the other hand, Paul came by every day. On the fifth day, a Friday, something changed. I had been avoiding that piano like the plague. I was mildly shocked that my grandmother didn't hide it or Thea hadn't chopped it up. But there it sat; shining like it was brand new. Paul walked into the house.

"I think you should play for me"

"Ha- like that is going to happen"

"Don't you trust me?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Yes" He stood there and studied me for a few minutes. I felt my cheeks redden under his gaze.

"I guess I don't have a choice do I?"

"Yes, you do"

"Yes, I do" I said after thinking about it.

"So do you?"

"Yes" He beamed at me.

"So go play"

"I don't think you really understand what you are asking me to do"

"Yes, I really do" I sat down at the piano –again. "Play me your favorite"

"Why are you asking me to do this?"

"I want to know everything about you- and whether you want to admit it or not, this thing holds some power over you" I shook my head and began to play. When I finished I admired the astonished look on his face. When he noticed I had stopped, he straightened his face.

"It was great, but I have heard better"

"I'm out of practice"

"I'm sure"

"I know what you are trying to do"

"I just want you to me impress me"

"Well, I can't" His hands began to shake and a fist slammed down onto the top.

"Yes, you can!" he said angrily.

"Fine!" I yelled and played something else. The more I played, the more familiar everything felt. The music swirled around. I don't know how long I played for or how long he stood there but when I was done, I heard applause. My family was there, with Paul and Jacob. I was embarrassed; I had been lost in my own world and didn't realize anyone was there.

"Honey, aren't you glad we got the piano now?"

"Sure Grandma" I was lying through my teeth. I noticed Thea holding in a laugh. I stood up and did a fake bow.

"Before you know it- you'll start singing again" my grandfather whispered in my ear. I shook my head.

"No" He pulled me aside into the next room.

"This Paul got you to play the piano. Regardless of the denseness of your grandmother, I see the pain that instrument brings you. However, when you were just playing I saw a spark of the old Loretta. The way you were when you were a little girl- before your parents shoved everything in your face. You'll sing again soon- that is your true talent anyway."

"No Grandpa, I am done with that"

"What if he asks you? I doubt you can refuse such a handsome boy- who appears to be a keeper by the way," I laughed at him.

"He doesn't know I sing, so in conclusion he won't ask"

"With your sister around- I don't think that is going to last. Why don't you make up with her?"

"I'm stubborn and she isn't nice"

"You'll get over that" I kissed his cheek and began to walk towards Paul. My Grandmother was asking him his measurements. She kept commenting 'What tall boys they are'.

"Grandma, Paul and I are going for a walk, we'll be back in a little while"

"Sure darling. Now I expect to hear you practice this piano everyday. We need a little cheer around here"

"Sure Grandma" I rolled my eyes at my grandfather. I am pretty sure I heard him chuckle. I felt Paul take my hand and we began our walk to the beach.

"Do you know what I think?" he mumbled after a few minutes.

"That you are the king of the universe?"

"Besides that" he smiled for a second then turned serious.

"I don't know"

"I think that you should have told your grandfather how you feel about me"

"What do you mean?"

"I think you hide everything from everyone" I was beyond confused. There was no way that he heard what my grandfather and I were talking about.

"I don't understand. How do you know how I feel about you?"

"I just do- you, on the other hand, can't admit it"

"How do I feel about you then Paul?"

"You love me and you are too scared to admit it"

"This is ridiculous, why are presuming these things?"

"They aren't presumptions- they are the truth"

"Right, like you have told me the whole truth. Do not berate me when you are doing the exact same thing."

"The difference is that I talk about my feelings, you don't"

"I don't have anything to say"

"I just want you to open up to me"

"It takes time"

"Your sister has known you her entire life and she doesn't know a thing about you" I felt my cheeks burn. I took my hand out of his and sat down at a nearby log facing the water that crashed onto the shore. The sun had begun setting.

"Why do we have to wait until the fifth week before you tell me why you want to be around me?"

"I'll know by then if you'll stick around"

"Where am I going?"

"That's for you to decide" He looked very hurt. I motioned for him to sit in the sand with me. He sat down leaving a foot of space between us. That stung. I moved a few inches closer but he still didn't move. I moved again. Nothing. Exasperated and sat down as close as I could without being in his lap. I then pulled his arm around me and leaned against him.

"I do care about you more than you can possibly imagine," I mumbled. I'm not good at describing my feelings without them coming out stupid. We sat there watching the sun create beautiful colors in the sky.

"I reassure you, whatever you feel for me, I double it for you" I didn't know what to say so I just shook my head. "I'll show you- I promise you that"

Teddy's POV

He was hanging precariously on the branch that was conveniently close to my window.

"What are you doing here?"

"I can't visit?" He pouted.

I opened the window and stood back to let him in. He looked so out of place in my room, too small t-shirt and cut off jeans amidst the shabby chic country furniture, still afraid to touch anything for fear of damaging it. He even had an awkward smile on his face, the whole picture made me giggle.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing."

The next thing I knew I was being lifted up and carried bridal style to my bed. Before being tickled mercilessly.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA Jacob! Stop, please! You'll wake every one up!" I managed to gasp as his fingers dug into my side.

"That's not fair, you're the one making all the noise."

"Well you're not doing anything to stop it." I countered as I wriggled away from his fingers.

It was happening before I knew it. His lips had descended on mine and we were kissing as if it was the only way to sustain life. It was like every crescendo of every opera and symphony exploding at once; it was Christmas, my birthday, Halloween, New Years and the Fourth of July all wrapped into one mind blowing-ly perfect kiss. He licked my bottom lip and I happily responded.

I couldn't believe it; I was rolling around in my bed with my boyfriend. I smiled in the kiss and I felt Jacob smile back, I couldn't stop smiling actually. We were a mass of tangled limbs and I had never been so happy in all my life as I was at that exact moment.

I floated on my Jacob-high until after school Monday when I stepped into my room and I saw the familiar shaped case leaning on my wardrobe. I felt rage flow through my veins and fill my body.

"How could you?!"

I didn't even knock, I just slammed the door open. She didn't even look sorry she just had that stupid blank look on her face.

"I said I was sorry about the piano, but no, you could never leave well enough alone! Is this what I get for yelling at Paul? Well I'm sorry that I was worried about you and worried that a practical stranger was looking after you. You've probably said more to him than you ever have to me, which is not hard. Well fret no more dear sister I will never interfere or care about your life ever again. So go ahead, go "swimming" again, see if I care. You have Paul now, what would you need your horrible sister for?"

I ran back to my room and slammed the door, before I put my fist through the wall.

"Shit!"

I took the majority of my anger out on my biology project. My cell body looked very emo when I was done. I still couldn't believe she would do that. I had taken very good care to remove all identification from that stupid cello case before I ditched it in a JFK's ladies room. No one other than Loretta knew it was there, and now it was in my fucking room looking at me, being all cello-y. Stupid cello!

"Thea I think that's enough playing for today"

"Oh, ok dad."

"Loretta why don't we hear from you again. I always do enjoy your 'Moonlight Sonata' "

"There is nothing like the harmonious tones of a piano."

"You know Thea, if you practice more your finger movements will be almost as good as Loretta's."

"Yes dad."

"I wish you had been more like Loretta, she's so dedicated to the piano and she sings."

I wish you had been more like Loretta, more like Loretta, more like Loretta, more like Loretta, more like Loretta, more like Loretta, Loretta, Loretta, Loretta, Loretta.

I jerked awake and sat up, cooled sweat pouring off my body, my breathing hard. 'It was just a bad dream, nothing more.' I shook the remnants of those thoughts from my head and glanced at the clock next to my bed, 5:45. I would have to get up soon for school anyways.

Sitting on the edge of my bed I looked at the darkened outline of my cello resting in its stand. I would not run from this, I would stand and fight.

"I shall conquer this, I shall." God I've been reading too much Jane Austen for my own good.

Standing I cautiously made my way over to the shadowed and foreboding looking instrument wrapping my hand around its neck. One song wouldn't kill me….or would it?

Sitting in my performance chair I settled the cello between my legs and gulped. I could smell the rosin. Bringing the bow to the strings I stopped, 'just take it one note at a time. Remember why you wanted to play the cello, remember how it made you feel, just take a deep breath and go.'

The bow finally made contact with the strings and before I knew it music filled my room and I couldn't stop. More importantly, I didn't want to stop.