I don't own the Night World, or any Taylor Swift songs, but I own the storyline.
Jez and Morgead: SuperStar
Chapter 4
Jez POV
In the several months since I'd left San Francisco, I'd become more withdrawn. I didn't enjoy talking to anyone but my aunt Nanami, my uncle Jim, Claire and Ricky. Even with them I didn't speak often.
It had been when Claire and I had gone to the music department in school when she asked me a question that changed the course of my life.
"Do you know any songs that you can sing along to?" she asked.
I thought, and remembered that I'd gotten the sheet music to a couple of Paramore and Taylor Swift songs before I'd left. They were pretty simple; I was sure I'd remember them.
I played the first few chords of my personal favourite by Taylor Swift, Fearless, and started to sing.
There's somethin' 'bout the way
The street looks when it's just rained
There's a glow off the pavement
Walk me to the car
And you know I wanna ask you to dance right there
In the middle of the parking lot
Yeah
I noticed Claire gasp, but ignored her and continued playing.
We're drivin' down the road
I wonder if you know
I'm tryin' so hard not to get caught up now
But you're just so cool
Run your hands through your hair
Absent mindedly makin' me want you
And I don't know how it gets better than this
You take my hand and drag me head first
Fearless
And I don't know why but with you I'd dance
In a storm in my best dress
Fearless
So baby drive slow
Till we run out of road in this one horse town
I wanna stay right here in this passenger's seat
You put your eyes on me
In this moment now capture every memory
And I don't know how it gets better than this
You take my hand and drag me head first
Fearless
And I don't know why but with you I'd dance
In a storm in my best dress
Fearless
Well you stood there with me in the doorway
my hands shake
I'm not usually this way but
You pull me in and I'm a little more brave
It's the first kiss, it's flawless, really somethin', it's fearless.
And I don't know how it gets better than this
You take my hand and drag me head first
Fearless
And I don't know why but with you I'd dance
In a storm in my best dress
Fearless
I played the last chord and turned to Claire.
"I was thinking that I could teach you some simple songs, maybe some simplified Beethoven. What do you think?"
Claire kept on staring at me, her mouth open.
"Claire?" I said. I frowned.
"That… was incredible!" she finally said.
"What? The piano? A complete beginner could play that!"
"Not the piano! I mean, it was good, but your singing!" Claire was bouncing with excitement. "You could make it big, Jez. I'm not kidding."
I glanced at the piano. "Singing? It's not really the type of thing I enjoy-"
"Bull," Claire interrupted. "You looked happy. Maybe even more than you do when you play the piano normally. You enjoy singing." Her expression turned calculating. "There's always a sadness when you play the piano. And you put so much soul into every note."
I looked away. Of course I was sad when I played the piano. Every note had my heart in it. I had nothing else to give my heart to, not since I'd left. When I played and sang, it had no memories tied to it; I'd never played modern music with him.
"Maybe we should go," I said.
Claire put her head to one side. "You know you wanted a job?"
I glared at her. "I'm not going to become a singer!"
"You could sing at pubs for a bit. They'd like you."
"What? Drunk old men? Not for me, thanks."
Claire grinned. "I dare you to go work there a few times."
I looked at her again. She knew I couldn't turn down any dare; I just wasn't physically able to do it.
"Damn you, Claire."
Morgead POV
The days were dark and dull, no interest or happiness.
I tried. I tried so hard, but I couldn't get colour into my life again. It wasn't possible now.
When I played my piano, I had no inspiration. The notes were flat and empty, with nothing holding them. I usually stopped playing after a couple of experimental chords.
One of my two loves had left, leaving me unable to do anything with the other. She'd taken everything, including my love of music.
She'd ruined everything.
I leant back against the wall, glaring angrily at the ceiling, trying to see through the blue eyes that obstructed my vision. It didn't work.
That was all I was going to be able to see until the day I died. Blue eyes and flaming red hair.