Souls and Strings.

Chapter 5

"Well, well. If its not my fan. Beach girl!"

My heart raced. It thumped so hard against my chest that I thought it would pop out any minute.

It was not that I didn't want to see him. But to see him suddenly, in my building was a little overwhelming.

I arranged my thoughts and calmed my adrenaline, of which I was sure had turned me pink.

"Well, well! If its not the musician. Guitar boy!", I said mimicking his tone.

He laughed at this. Oh God, thankyou for all that's good in the world.

I wasn't the fangirling kind of person. But this boy was gorgeous.

"Are you stalking me?", he said with a playful smile.

"Yeah! Because that's what I do. Meet random people, then stalk them and when I find them, do you know what I do?"

"I'd love to know."

"I tickle them to death.", I said with a grim expression and we both burst into laughter.

"No, seriously! What are you doing here?"

"I live here, fella! So you better give a good reason why are you here for me to believe that you aren't the stalker."

"You live here! What a small world? My Granny lives here."

"Oooooohhhh". I elongated the 'oh' to emphasize that I  had understood. Sometimes you have to do that, you know when you're short of words.

"So, how long since you've visited her?"

"Actually not very long. It's just been five minutes actually.", he said, and then laughed knowingly.

Strangely, I wasn't getting annoyed. I mean, look at him. How can anyone be?

"Yeah, I meant before that. I have been living here for quite sometime and I never saw you."

"I guess that's because I visit at day time. You'd be at work at that time, probably."

I thought of the irony. He'd been coming to this building all this time and I had never seen him. But just after the day I met him, here he is, in front of me.

"Penny for a thought?"

"Nothing. You were playing that tune again. Your song?"

" Yes, that! My Gran's my first audience. She was the first one to listen to my songs. I never sing a song to an audience without singing it to  her."

"That's nice. Ohk Mr Stevens. I shall take your leave now."

He was about to say something when an old lady opened the door. She was dressed in a grey skirt and a white shirt. Her face had mild lines of what you call wrinkles. She wore thin rimmed glasses and her grey and white hair was arranged in a neat bun.

"Ryan, sweetheart, I thought you left. Oh! Who is this sweet girl you are talking to?"

Ryan looked at me and gave a smile and then turned to her.

"Gran, this is a Sarah. She is a friend."

I would lie if I say that I wasn't taken aback by the use of the word 'friend'. We weren't even proper acquantainces.

"I see. What a lovely girl! Why don't you bring your friend inside and we can all have tea together, perhaps."

I didn't understand what was happening. She thought I was Ryan's friend but Ryan knew that I wasn't his friend. He wouldn't want a stranger to have tea with his beloved family member. So I just waited for Ryan to make an excuse to get us both out of this awkward situation.

"I think that's a great idea!"

What? He thinks it's a great idea.

"But Ryan, weren't you leaving?", I said, so as to remind him of his delayed departure.

"Yes, I was. But how much time would a cup of tea take? Some tea, some Gran's special cookies and some chatter. That's all. Won't you like that?"

What could I possibly say to that? Deep down I prayed to God to save me if this was a planning for my kidnapping or worse, murder.

"That sounds", I paused for the dramatic effect and I could hear the anticipation drumroll,"lovely."

There! I finally said it. I haven't even met the boy properly and I'm already meeting his Grandmother for pre-love approval.

His Granny turned happily, maybe to put the tea pot on fire. Ryan looked at me and winked and went to the door and stood there waiting for me.

"After you, my lady."

"How chivalrous? But you know true gentlemen don't lie.", I said narrowing my eyes at him.

"So do I.", he said, standing as erect as a palace guard.

"Oh really! So tell me, when did we become friends?"

"The moment you walked to me and honestly told me you loved my song. You told me the truth, appreciated me and supported me. Then you introduced yourself and told me what you did. And now I know your address and the time you get off work. I think this much is enough to call someone your friend. So, technically, Miss Clark, I didn't lie."

I was speechless. Dumbfounded almost. No one had ever put so much logic to cover up one lie.

"You could be a lawyer, you know that."

"Yeah! People often say that when I convince them about me. Now, shall we?"

I laughed. This guy was charming, but not in the cheesy kind of way, but in a way that is really really attractive.

We walked in. It was a beautiful apartment. It had white walls and satin curtains in beige colour. It had beautiful furniture and some of it looked antique. The lights were neither too dim nor too bright. There were several things that I found fascinating about that apartment. It had a certain aura. It was positive and peaceful and at the same time very catchy. I was impressed.

We sat on the couch in the living room. I looked around. There were many photos in beautiful frames. Some hung on the wall, some kept on the tables.

"That's me, if you're looking for me.", he said pointing towards a photograph of a baby. The baby wore a sailor hat and flashed a beautiful toothless smile. I smiled at the thought of baby Ryan.

"You were very cute", I said. He smiled as if taking the compliment. But I wanted to ruin this little moment for him. " What happened? Did something happen growing up?"

And there it was. The expression I was looking for. He looked at me with a frown face and I just bursted laughing. After a few moments of laughing alone, he joined in, with his beautiful laugh. I stopped to hear him laugh. And the we looked at each other. And that was it. He looked at me and I looked at him. There was nothing, still so much more. It's stupid to think of a stranger like that. Is it?

Suddenly we heard footsteps and we looked around awkwardly.

"Okay! Here's the tea and the cookies. Bring that chatter you two."

Oh boy! This is going to be fun.

        *************************

Thankyou everyone who is still reading this book. I hope you like it. I will try to make it better. Till then you bear with me.
And don't forget to like, comment, vote and share.

Yours truly
Samah