Chapter 64

The next day there was a "Groupie free" band practice. I was at Carol's doing nothing. Working little. And telling Becky about the Sunday Drive show in less than two weeks. She sat there on the counter drinkign coffee. She and Sean didn't like them so much but she said that all Bennett talks about with anyone is his new band this show. It's a huge deal I guess. Between us Sunday Drive fans it is, so it's automatically one for the people close by around us.

"How's Bennett's band doing?" She asked looking at me cocking her head to the side a little.

"Good," I said. A kid had come in asking for a coffee which I got him. Handing it to him and takign the money he handed to me. "They practice a ton. They're going to be in this battle of the bands in Natick."

"Sean told me about that." She said raising her eyebrows smiling. "Says they got a fucking good chance of winning it too."

I smiled at her giving the kid his change. "Yeah," I said. "That too."

"When they asked Sean to play drums and he said no," She said. They had asked Sean because little Mike's parents told him he shouldn't get to into the band thing because he needed to go to college like his perfect older brothers and sisters. So Bennett and Paul had asked Sean if he would step in behind Mike and play if it doens't work out iwth him at all. "I was pissed. god, it's so cool to say 'Oh my boyfriend's in a totally nasty band!'" She sighed. "My boyfriend works at a grocery store."

I laughed. I leaned back onto the counter. "I obviously haven't used that perk to it's full advantage it feels like."

"I'm surpirised you don't parade it aroudn that your current boyfriend's band is freaking incredible and is whooping oyur ex-boyfrined's band's ass when it comes to being a band." She was on a caffine kick. I had told her about my confrontation with Dave and how he will stay away now this morning when I was still groggy and overtired. But I trust Becky. I smiled flipping hair out of my eyes. They were getting too long- my bangs. Cass is going ot cut them this afternoon when we hang out. "I would." She went for another refill.

The front door had opened and closed. Sean coming in. "You would what?" He asked. Becky moved over leaning across the counter brushing his lips with her own.

"Brag about my boyfriend being in a band if he wasn't just working all weekend long stacking cnanned greenbeans on aisle seven." She said smiling. "Elisa's modest about it."

"I jsut stopped by." He said. "Rainie Joseph was being forced out by Paul and they jsut got down that Braid song Mike wanted so bad." Becky said that Sean's been feeling neglected a lot wit the whole band thing coming into view so suddenly- he felt so alone. But whatever had gone on between Sean and Paul is obviously behind them and Sean is also up-to-date on everything band-related.

"No girlfriends allowed today." I said.

"I'm surprised though. Heard Rainie and PAul have been together a year. Or less if you count when thgey broke up." Becky said. "Three times right?"

"No," I shook my head. "Twice."

I know the story well. Knowing that the last time they broke up resulted in Bennett getting hit and then me stumbling upon him that night on the back porch of some kid's house. Sean nodded. Becky making him his extra-large coffee with eight sugars. I sat back watching. Becky and Sean were cute. They've been together a while. Broken up all summer. Getting back together right before school. But they were juct cute. They weren't inseperable comapred ot Rainie and Paul.

Spending so much time with Rainie and PAul makes every relationship seem meaning less. I'm not saying Rainie and Paul goole over each other every moment. But they are always connected somehow. You can just feel it standing next to them. Soemthing I've grown used to. I listen to Sean and Becky's conversations.

"Hey, Bennett told you, he'll pick you up when you get out of work." Sean said before he walked out.

"Thanks," I said smiling.

Work goes by slowly when we have nothing much to do. We sit around and tlak. Help the rare customer that needs a coffee at two in the afternoon. And then when we get out the collgege kid comes in.

His car pulled up a few minutes before my shift. I walk out once I can and find him sitting yet again in his car reading with his reading glasses. Writing on the book. I didn't jump to conclusions abotu the book though. "Hi," I said when I slid in. He quickly removed his glasses ansd then chucked the book into the backseat. It was graceful actually. All while he leaned forward to kiss me.

"Hi," He said, his face inches form mine.

When we're out of the parking lot he jumps in. "Hey are you busy this afternoon?" He asked.

I nod. "Yeah," I said. "Me and Cass are hanging out."

"How is she and Miles?" He asked.

I smield. "Great,"

"So we're beatign them right?" He asked as a joke. He could easily be an actor.

I shake my head smiling. "Yeah, sure." I look out the window. "So Sean said you got down that Braid song."

"Yeah," He said. His voie becoming less smotth. A little awkward and choppy. "When Alex left, we sort of started working on a new song. They talked me into using one of my old songs."

I was secretly thrilled. "Really?" I said enthusiastically. "Which one?"

"It was one of your songs." He said. "I don't know- it's kind of weird mixing them. I mean Paul really fixed up the guitar, but that song was so personal." He wasn't looking ta me. his eyes straight ahead staringinto the red light lingering above us.

"If you don't want to do it," I said not sure what to say, he wasn't eay to read when he is like this. He's never, but sometimes I can desipher small tihngs. now I was drawn to a complete blank. "you can jsut tell Paul your not comfortable using that song. I mean he'll understand..."

He started driving forward. "It's not really that," He said. "I just wrote that song the night after everything. I jsut picked up my guitar and it came out. And it's one of my best songs I've ever written. And I only played it because..." His voice faded. He looked at me quickly looking away again. "Because I wanted you to know what I was feeling. I didn't know if you knew how much that night meant to me."

I nodded quietly. "I always knew I think." I said.

He looked over smiling a little. He reached over and smoothed his fingers over mine, our hands molding together. I could never let go. Moments like these leaving me breatheless and filling my pounding heart with the feelings of missing him already mixed with one I couldn't feel over missing him. Dropping my off, he kissed me a little longer.

"I'm really happy right now." He said. "I jsut feel like everything's happening right."

I msiled. "I've felt liek that for a couple months now." I said.

He kissed me again. "I think I have ever since our first kiss." He said quietly. I closed my eyes leaning in again. Kissing him again. It was perfect it really was. My heart drained of all bad along with my life. The way he always did when he stole my breathe and kissed me- sending me back under our streetlight. Right when winter and everytihng began.