Living Life Through Music

“Wait, Erik, what are you talking about?” I asked, parking the car and turning the radio down.
“My mom is very protective of me.” He said, looking away from me. But I wanted to look into those bright green eyes of his, knowing he was telling the truth. I didn’t want to be lied to. But for some reason, deep down I just wanted to stare into those eyes and make sure that I was safe with him and that he trusted me.
“Why?” I finally asked.
“I’ve been lied to, cheated on, slapped, and used by girls. And I’ve also been hit, trash talked, and hospitalized by guys.”
“And that automatically makes me a bad person to be around? Guess I never knew I was so hazardous and hated.” I said with a little snap of attitude.
“No, Harmony, don’t say that. I’m just warning you. My mom can be mean and I just didn’t want you to think it was your fault. But if I tell her I like you, she might be nice.”
“You like me.”
“Yes, I like you a lot. And I didn’t want you to hate me if my mom was mean.”
“I promise not to hate you, Erik.” I said. He sighed and got out. I stepped onto the pavement. He walked me over to his building. We finally made it to his room, and across the way was the window from our kitchen. I memorized their room number, it was 23B. He used his key and entered.
“Mom?” He yelled, announcing he was home.
“Erik, is that you?” She said from the kitchen. The place was extravagantly beautiful. I was jealous. She obviously did a wonderful job. His mother walked into the room and hugged him. When she let go, she looked over at me. “Oh, you brought a friend. Please, lay your bag down, that must be heavy.”
“Thank you.” I said, setting down my things. I sighed. I was still jealous of the gorgeous home. I held my hand out. “Well, I’m Harmony Langdon.” The woman took my hand and shook it saying,
“Nice to meet you. I’m Grace Tanner.” I released my grip.
“Um…Erik, isn’t our second block teacher…?” I asked, not bothering to finish my sentence, he knew what I was going to say.
“Mrs. Tanner? Yea, she’s my aunt. She convinced us to move here.” He answered politely. Man, Grace was raising him nice. She must have taught him how to treat a girl and people nicely and properly. All I had to say was – Wow!
“Oh, you mean Lauren?” Grace said. “I had no idea that you two had her class. Well, I’m sure you’re good in your studies, hmm, Harmony?”
“Yes ma’am, my sister makes sure I keep my grades up, I need the college credit.
“Well, Erik, are you hungry?” Grace said, changing the subject.
“You read my mind, Mom, I’m starving. How about you, Harmony?” Erik said, hanging his coat up.
“The same with me.” I sighed.
“How does cookies and milk sound?” Grace asked, smiling.
“That’s my favorite snack, Mrs. Tanner.”
“Please, call me Grace.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I watched her walk into the kitchen, she was pretty. Erik leaned close to me so his mom wouldn’t hear.
“Well, she’s being nicer than any than she was to my previous girlfriends so that’s good right?” He asked. I just smiled.
“Come sit at the kitchen table, you two.” Grace said.
“Yes ma’am.” Erik said. We sat. Grace walked in and sat down beside us.
“Here you go kids.” She said, handing each of us a snack. “Well, Harmony, I would love to get to know you, why don’t you tell me about yourself.”
“Well, um….I was born in Tennessee and lived there till I was 13 and then we moved here. I’m into music, but I’m going to go to college and do music on m own time. That way, if a music career doesn’t take flight, I’ll have a real job and I can pay my bills successfully.”
“Wow, that’s smart of you. Erik’s going to be an athlete and hopefully a coach, I let him choose what he wanted to do.”
“That’s very kind of you. I also write stories and songs. I work at a club for high school students only about 2 miles from here.” I saw her reaction. But Amore’s was a good place to hang; we even have a study room, for relaxation, study sessions, and sometimes – a place to crash. I got paid well at Amore’s, considering my Uncle owned the place. Grace’s mood seemed to change. “But, we have very strict rules, and a study room. No liquor allowed just smoothies and cokes.” Now her face lightened. I sighed.
“Erik, you need a job.” Grace said to him.
“The Hibbet Sports store is hiring right next door to my work.”
“There you go, you love sports,”
“I’ll show you on Saturday, Erik.”
“Fine, if yawl are gonna gang up on me, I guess I don’t have a choice.”
“Great.” Grace said. I chugged my milk and worked on the cookie. A few minutes. “Well, Harmony, where do you live?”
“Building A, right across from your apartment. From the hall, you can see our kitchen window’s blinds.”
“Well, that’s convenient.”
“I guess that just depends on how you look at it.”
“So, are you and Erik dating?” Grace asked. I opened my mouth to say no, but Erik started laughing. Grace and I gave him a look and he stopped immediately.
“Not yet.” He said under his breath. I rolled my eyes at him.
“Harmony?”
“Yes, Grace?”I said, remembering to call her Grace instead of Mrs. Tanner.
“When do you think your parents and I could meet, I’m sure that if you and Erik are friends, so could your parents and me could.” Did she have to mention them? Did she have to mention my parents? Memories flooded my mind.
“U-um…Grace, I-I’m afraid yo-u ca-n’t meet my par-ents.” I said between gasps.
“Why, Dear?” Tears threatened to fall from my eyes. My parents, the two people in the world I regretted hurting.
“The-the-they’re de-ad.” I sobbed. “Would you please excuse me for a moment?” I said, running to the hall. Tears poured out. My parents, the people I was responsible for killing. I slid to floor against the wall of the hall.
“Thanks, Mom, ruin my chances with the one girl who was actually different. I really liked this one. And guess what, I don’t want to leave her.” Erik said. I heard a chair screech across tile. I heard footsteps getting closer. Erik entered the hall and shut the door. He said down beside me and pulled me into his lap, wrapping his arms around my waist. I liked that, I didn’t want those arms to move from me. “Shhh, Shhh, It's alright, I'm here, you're fine. You have me to cry on. Here, lay on my shoulder.” Erik whispered in my ear. I did lay my head on his shoulder. I cried into his brown Hollister shirt, but he didn’t care.
“S-S-Sorry.” I sobbed.
“It’s not your fault, Harmony.” He said.
“I know.” I choked.
“Let me make it up to you.”
“How?”
“Saturday, I’ll spend the whole day with you, up until my curfew.”
“Which would be……?”
“11: 00, but that’s only on the weekends, school days it’s 9:00.”
“Is that a date?”
“I guess so, but only if you’re my girlfriend.”
“Tell your mom.”
“I will.”
“My first boyfriend after my 3 year strike.”
“Wow.”
“Hey!!!”
“Sorry.”
“Can I go home?”
“I’ll meet you outside in the morning okay?”
“Thanks.” I said, standing up. He watched me walk all the way to the stairs and his green eyes disappeared from my view when I hurried to my own house, still a little sad, but looking forward to tomorrow.