The Redemption Stage (Book 2: The Second Chance)

You've Got to be Kidding or Just Stupid (7) Mel

Jax and I were watching the game that was on that day, NFL strictly, college is too hard to keep up with. I tried one time to prove to Jax that I could understand college football, but I failed miserably. He told me it was cute that I tried though.

It's not that college football is any different, but it's the fact that the players are college students being praised as celebrities even though they're just playing an extra curricular activity is flabbergasting.

I probably looked like a mess but oh well, the two of us have been friends for over 13+ years, he's seen me at my best, trying to impress him subtly, and at my worse, well.. You know.

Today was a chill day, his Captain America sweatshirt, he never wears it so I kinda stole it, not really since he doesn't use it at all. I'm borrowing to my advantage. My superhero leggings tucked into pizza socks, and my hair in a messy bun with my nerd glasses on since I'm way too lazy to put in my contacts. Yup, I'm blind. I get it. Yes, they are annoying at times. Let's get with the program.

Jax had to sit a few feet away from me when watching games... I have a tendency to flail my arms around while watching the plays, and when I say flail my arms, I mean flail my arms. To the point where it's a caution to the people around me... It's bad...

Joy suddenly called us downstairs, I groaned but followed Jax down the staircase and into the living room where Joy and Grayson were.

"What do you want? The game is on, Green Bay against the Bears, if I miss it, I will personally kill you." I threatened, this better be important.

"Okay, okay... But it would be an honor to be killed by you, Lord Voldermort." Joy said, smirking.

I widened my eyes at her, "The Fault In Our Stars meets Harry Potter! No, you didn't!"

"Whatchu gon' do 'bout it?" She slurred, taunting me jokingly.

"What did you call us here for?" Jax cut through our friendship, he too was exasperated that we would be called from watching the game, but he wasn't as verbal as I was.

We were crowded around the fireplace. "Just like my house, this place holds secret passages and rooms." Joy said. She motioned us to bend down a bit, more towards the hearth of the fire.

"There's a secret passage room with a piano and everything just past there, we wanted to show it to you." Grayson said, I could see parts of a white room behind the fire.

"You're telling us to get to a room that has a small passage way and is also blocked by a fire...?" I looked at them as if they were crazy.

"Fire's fake." Joy even went as far as sticking her hand through it, making me anxious.

Grayson was the first to climb through, next was Jax, me, and lastly Joy. We entered the room and I was amazed. Joy looked at my expression and nodded.

"Cow! This cabin is awesome!" I said, looking at everything. There was a grand piano! I walked over to it immediately, Jax following me, also drawn to the instrument.

The two of us play, Joy doesn't, she sounds like a seal getting sat on by a hippopotamus, it was bad, and she knows, I mean I only trade it about her whenever we pass the piano she has in her house.

"You two should duet." Joy suggested, seeing as both of Jax and I's faces lit up instantly when we saw the piano.

"What do you say, Jackie, piano battles like we used to." I said, nudging him in the side softly with my elbow. "Eh? Eh? Ehhh?"

"Fine! Fine. I guess I can watch the game's reruns tonight..." We both sat down on and really soft bench on the piano.

"I'll be come in second." I told him, our battles were more of a duet than anything.

It all started with Mrs. Peters the first time I stepped through their door 13 and a half years ago. I was instantly drawn to their piano and started playing it, Joy watched me in awe, Jax looked at me as a challenge he wanted to beat, Mrs. Peters made both of us sit on the bench and play together. The two of us never topped each other at everything, I had my strengths, he had his.

"Trying to show off are we now, Robinson, best of luck to you," Jax smirked at me then whispered, "I hope you fail." But he disguised it as kissing my temple.

"I hate you." I said clearly. Narrowing my eyes at him, "It's so on, Peters."

He started with his part, slow and steady.

This was the song we duet to for the first time, we only knew a bit of the beginning, by as the years progressed, we learned more and more of the song until we learned the whole thing.

We didn't play much together in high school since Jax had the whole faze thing, so I'm surprised he stills remembers it.

He kept playing his part, then I joined in with him, mimicking his notes an octave higher.

We went on like that until it was my favorite part, the solo. I had eighth notes mostly, it was fun, except the part where I had to reach across Jax to play my notes at the beginning and end of the piano. He just so happened to be in the way.

Then the faster part came, it was slightly harder having four hands on the piano at once, but we made it work.

He ended with his favorite part, the part I find most annoying. I think he secretly hates it too, but since I hate it he has grown to love it.

Once we ended, the actual battle started, "You were totally in my way you little cheat!" I said to him. Two very competitive people... Doesn't end well at all.

"I was sitting down! You're just making excuses cause I did better than you!" He said, we always got in each other's face... It was like something we had to do or else the battle wouldn't really be a battle.

"I totally won that what are you talking about!" I said to him, standing up from the bench, he did the same. Out of the corner of my eye I could see a slightly scared looking Grayson and a humored looking Joy.

"All you say are lies! I totally won't that and you know it, don't even try Robinson, don't even try." He said ever so sassily to me, leaning in closer to emphasize his seriousness.

"You've got to be kidding or just stupid, that was totally my win, as were all the other battles we had, all mine. Undefeated." I said, also leaning in closer to make it clear I was being serious.

Usually someone would see this as a cliche and then would encourage the two to kiss, but that's not the case. The two of us would yell at each, getting closer and closer until our noses were touching, but we would never kiss, just yell and only yell.

"There you are again with your lies! Stop being a sore loser and just admit defeat!" He said, our faces inches apart.

"Are they gonna kiss at the end and makeup or...?" I heard Grayson say quietly to Joy, who started laughing and shaking her head.

"It's funny how this goes, but it's even hilarious tomorrow, you just wait." She told him.

Jax and I continued to argue... It never got old with him, 'such a couple' Joy always says.

As the night ended, the tension slightly subsided, but I was still convinced that I had won the piano battle.