Chasing Lyrics (Music & Lyrics #1) (7 page)

Chapter
13

‘Your
absence leaves emptiness all around me.’

Lyrics –

     My heart is beating so
fast, I swear I am having an anxiety attack. He is really leaving. What will I
do? He is my best friend in the entire world. He is my lover. He is everything
to me! As if he knows I am freaking out, he reaches over and grabs my hand. Tanner
says, “Damn girl, you are going to be so sexy driving my truck.”

     I smile and say, “Hell yeah,
I will!”

      He raises his eyebrows
and then says, “Dylan, I meant what I said to you last night or this morning. You
and I belong together and if anything should happen, I will never stop chasing
you until you remember!”

     He squeezes my hand and I
say, “You better!”

     As we come to the airport
signs, I get an enormous feeling of hatred for the stupid place! Tanner finds
the right spot, pulls over to get his things, and then take off. The airport
staff tries to rush us off but Tanner tells them to give us a minute. They
listen, which is crazy because they are rushing everybody else away! Tanner
sets his bag down and pulls me in for a hug. He lifts my face and wipes my
tears away. He softly kisses my mouth and says, “December will be here before
we know it. Call me please. Be safe and smart; please don’t walk out to the
parking lot alone. Remember, your heart belongs to me forever. My heart is
yours forever. I love you Lyrics. Send me the new songs you write and I will
practice singing them.”

     I don’t want to let him go.
I say, “Tanner, you are my past, my present, and my future. Call me. Please
call me. I love you.” I give him a kiss and force myself to turn away and actually
leave. I have to coach myself, “Left foot, right foot…keep repeating!” I turn
my head and he has found the photographer that came to Austin just to wait for
him. When I get to the driver’s side, I hop in his truck and just sit there for
a moment. I take a deep breath in and inhale his scent. Damn he smells so
delicious! I take another deep breath and tell myself that everything is going
to be fine. We are the forever type of couple. Shit, we are a couple!

     I remember that the cd
from when we were seventeen-years-old is still in the car so I push play and
the song,
This is How You Remind Me
by Nickelback begins to play. I roll
my eyes and hit forward.
Just a Friend
by Mario comes on. Are you freakin’
kidding me? Forward! Next song is
Sk8er Boi
by Avril Lavigne. Yes! I
crank up the radio and reminisce about this song and all the fun we had singing
it. We made up an entire routine, or shall I say skit, to this song. Tanner was
so different from the other guys. Really, what seventeen year old would do this
with a girl he wasn’t even having sex with? He did everything he could to
encourage my art; he even started singing just so I felt obligated to write. He
would tell me, “I feel a responsibility to make sure the world gets to enjoy
your words. I don’t call you Lyrics for nothing!” Nobody has ever inspired me
like him. The next song is
The Good Stuff
by Kenny Chesney. I want to
turn this song off but the words are speaking directly to me. It is almost as
if they are telling me that everything will be okay, and that is exactly what I
need to hear.

     I pull into our parking
lot and really feel his absence, which leaves me empty entirely. I grab my
purse and head into my apartment. Just last night this place felt warm and
full, but now it is cold, lonely, and Tanner-less. I slowly enter and close the
door. As I look around, I realize that everything I have connects me to Tanner
in some way. I have a shelf that I call my souvenir case filled with
memorabilia of our life. The crusty napkin is from the first time Tanner sang
our songs on stage. I have a rock that Tanner found for me while we were on a
family vacation. Mocking me are pictures of us from age fourteen until a few
months ago. I grab my favorite one, us taking a selfie on Dad’s tractor. He
looks stunning in his cowboy hat! I pull it to my heart pathetically trying to
feel complete right now. My phone rings and it is Teri, Tanner’s Mom. “Hey, Mom!”

     She asks, “How are you
sweetie? Did y’all get to the airport on time? You okay, Dylan?”

     I want to cry and punch
something but instead I say, “Yes, we got to the stupid airport on time.”

     She lets a little laugh
out and says, “Why don’t you come and stay with us tonight? We can spend some much
needed girl time together.” That actually sounds perfect. Teri is the next best
thing to Tanner.

     “You got it, Mom. I will
be there by four o’clock.”

     “Sounds perfect, sweetie. Drive
safely. Love you.”

     “Love you too, thank you.”
A sigh of relief comes over me because the last place I want to be is here, in
this cold apartment.

     I throw a few items into a
bag and hit the road. My mind must be filled, because the drive goes by like
nothing. When I pull into the driveway, it hits me how much I have to lose if
Tanner and I end badly. I love my Dad with all my heart but pulling into the
Staff’s driveway has always felt more like coming home to me. I look at my
phone and realize that there are still at least two hours until Tanner arrives
in Spain.

      As I am getting my bag
out, Mom comes out the front door. She has a big smile on her face and two very
large margarita glasses in her hands. She hands me one, gives me a kiss, and
then says, “I thought this may help out right now.”

      I take a deep breath and
sigh with relief. “You’re the best, thanks, Mom!” When we walk in, Tanner’s dad,
Bo, is sleeping in his recliner and Mom looks at me and rolls her eyes.

      She whispers, “See what
you have to look forward to, sweetie.” We both laugh, which startles Bo, but he
drifts off as quickly as he woke up.

     The two of us sit down on
the porch swing and get lost in conversation and margaritas until my phone
rings. Tanner. “Hey, Tan! How the heck is Spain?”

     He says, “Hey, Lyr. Are
you drinking?”

     I laugh and Mom yells,
“Hey, baby boy!”

     Tanner laughs and asks,
“Mom came down?”

     I say, “No, I am at the
house. Girl time. The apartment wasn’t my friend today!”

     Tanner says, “Well how
about I call you when I get settled into my room. The photographer Chip and I
are waiting for our car and Jennifer right now. I just wanted to hear your
voice. I miss you already. Give Mom a hug and tell her I love her please.”

     I smile and say, “I miss
you too. Hey, Tanner, I fucking love you.”

     He laughs and says, “I
fucking love you too. Lay off the tequila though!”

     I say, “Mom keeps pouring
them. Call me from the hotel then.”

     “Okay, bye.”

     “Bye.” When I set the
phone down, I take a large gulp of the melted margarita and lay my head on Mom’s
shoulder. She soothes my face as any good mom would. It is about ten o’clock at
night when I see a car pull into my Dad’s driveway. I look at Teri, and she
gives me a deer in the headlights look. I get up and stand on the porch
banister to see the driver. A lady steps out of the car and my father greets
here with a hug and a kiss…on the mouth! I gasp and throw my hand over my mouth.
I look at Mom and mouth, “What the fuck?”

     Teri says, “Oh yeah, your
Dad has a girlfriend. You didn’t know?”

     I say, “You know I didn’t
know! When did this happen? Why didn’t somebody tell me? Holy cow, I can’t
believe this!”

     Mom signals for me to get
off the banister and when I do, she says, “Her name is Sophia and they met
online.” I feel as if I entered the Twilight Zone! Online? “Yeah, I think it
was that booty call site. Just kidding! It was Match.com. They have been over
for dinner a few times; she is lovely. Don’t be mad, sweetie, I think Dad just
didn’t want to upset you.”

      I cock my head, “I wouldn’t
be upset. I have wanted him to date for years now.”

     Mom says, “That is exactly
what I told him!”

      “How long?”

      She reluctantly says, “Oh
geez, three or four months now.”

      Oh my God! “Should we go
knock on the door and watch him squirm?”

      Mom’s eyes get big and
mischievous, “Let’s do it!”

     When Dad opens the door,
his jaw hits the floor! I smile and say, “Hi, Daddy! I thought we could spend
some time together tonight?”

     Dad puts his hand on his
head and stumbles to find words. “Oh, ugh, um, well right now?”

      I cheerfully and quickly
reply, “No better time than right now!” I look back at Teri and she is
motioning to him that I know. I bulge my eyes at her and she pretends that she
did nothing. Dad steps outside and closes the door. I say, “Did you have
something you want to tell me?”

      He smiles and says, “You
little brat! I, um, I have a lady friend.”

      I quickly declare, “It’s
about time! Let me meet her.”

      Dad goes in and we follow.
He goes into his room and comes out with a very pretty, soft-looking lady. He
says, “Sophia, this is Dylan, my daughter.”

      Sophia looks at me and
comes in for a hug. “Finally, it is so good to meet you. This bozo thought you
weren’t ready for this!”

     I laugh and say, “Twenty-one
years is long enough! I am so happy to meet you.” Teri and Sophia give each
other a hug.

      Sophia says, “Did Tanner
make it to Spain okay?” We both nod our heads.

      I say, “Mom and I are
over there having some girl time and margaritas. Would you care to join us?” She
looks at Dad and he shrugs his shoulders.

      Sophia says, “I would
love to.” Who would have thought this day would turn out like this? I can’t
wait to tell Tanner!

Chapter
14

‘Looking
at the world through your eyes’

Tanner –

     This is just the beginning
of this long-ass shoot and I swear I am going crazy without Lyrics. Spain is
beautiful and Chip has some quite cool photo ideas. Jennifer has been nice
enough but her diva side comes out every now and again. “I don’t want to lie in
the sand. I want a vegetable soup with absolutely no salt…” Shut up, dumb ass! The
only thing getting me through this is the long phone call at the end of the
day, with Lyrics.

     It is Tuesday, June 16 at
six a.m. and the ocean is sparkling like champagne. As I stand on the shore
waiting for makeup to finish with Jennifer, all I can think about is the time
that Lyrics tackled me into the water at Surfside Beach. What girl do you know
that would blindside you and take you down in the water. The thought brings a
smile to my face and a sharp pain to my gut. My body is aching from the absence
of her. Throughout our lives together, Lyrics has always been the one to
encourage me, lift me up, and make me see the beauty in life. I decide that
from this point on I will look at the world through her eyes. Those beautiful blue
eyes that splash yellow and beam out love. There it is…beauty! Even though it
is about midnight back home, I send Lyrics a picture of the ocean. “Only
through your eyes this became beautiful to me. Sleep well my best friend. I
love you!” Finally, Jennifer is ready!

     Jennifer walks up and I
toss my phone onto the towel outside the shot. Jennifer smiles and says, “May as
well let her go. Nobody makes it in a relationship in this line of work!”

     I envision myself
roundhouse kicking her in her head! I say, “We’re different.”

     She says, “Yep, heard that
before.”

      What a bitch! I am so mad
but what if she is right? Maybe that’s why I am so mad, maybe she is right? I
shake it off, and for the next four hours, I change outfits, get touched up
from makeup, and take about a million pictures. I check my phone between shots and
even though it is late in Texas, I was hoping for a text back. Each time there isn’t
one I feel myself getting a little more aggravated. The angrier I get, the
nicer Jennifer becomes.  

     She says, “Don’t worry, a
guy like you won’t be lonely long.”

      I smile and say, “We have
six months of this, let’s not go there, okay.” She smiles and looks at me with
doe eyes before skipping over to speak with Chip.

     It is the last set of the
day and I am in a pair of khaki shorts and nothing else. Jennifer is topless
with a short skirt on. We have to climb on top of a rock that has water splashing
over us every three seconds. I really don’t like this girl right now but her tits
pressing against my chest aren’t the worst feeling in the world. I remind
myself that I have the best girl in the world waiting for me to come home and
voila, my boner goes down!

     Eight hours of taking
pictures is fucking exhausting. We wrap it up and head to the hotel. Chip and
Jennifer plan to hit the town tonight. Me, I plan to mope in my room. We are
all quiet on the drive back. Finally, I get a call. I answer the phone and it’s
Lyrics. I take a deep breath and say, “Hello, my angel.”

      She sighs then says,
“Hello, my one.”

      Once again, my world is
great. As I am speaking to her, Jennifer says loudly, “Tanner, you coming out
with me tonight?”

      I shoot her a look and
say, “No, like I said earlier.” She rolls her eyes and starts talking to Chip. I
hear Lyrics tone change. I say, “Babe, I was getting really upset today without
you here. Can’t you meet me in Germany for your birthday? I’ll buy the ticket right
now. We’ll have a blast.”

     Lyrics is quiet, which
doesn’t happen too often. She softly says, “Tan, I want to but I have to work
and write.”

      I quickly say, “You don’t
have to work and you can write on the plane.” I feel her wanting to give in so
I say, “I will call you back in ten minutes.” I hang up. Five minutes later, I
call her back. “It’s done! I bought you a flight that leaves on June 27 at nine
a.m. The return is July 7.”

      Lyrics laughs and says,
“Tanner, you really are all kinds of messed up. Then, June 27 I will be in your
arms, inhaling your smell, and tasting your body.”

      Instant boner! I lean
forward to adjust these Gap shorts and Jennifer looks at me as if I just
whipped it out.

      She says, “Really?” Boner
deflated! My smile was the size of Texas knowing my Lyrics was going to be with
me soon! Nothing could break my spirits now.

     Spain is certainly nice
but I am focusing on Germany… precisely June 27. The days fly by as we finish shooting
in Spain. Next stop, Ireland. We arrive on June 18 and are here for one week,
then onto Germany. I must have sent Lyrics over one thousand pictures on her
phone. Ireland is absolutely badass. Jennifer, Chip, and I go to check out this
local pub after the shoot today. Chip seems to be a genuine guy, which is a
fucking rarity in this line of work. He’s a mild mannered man and very easy to
speak with. Jennifer on the other hand is a handful but she has grown on me a
little bit. She has had a rather rough upbringing and with her looks, most
people want to fuck her or tear her down mentally. Me, I don’t want to do
either and I think she understands that now. Her flirting with me has slowed
down. Now she just directs it to other guys that would give their left nut just
to kiss her cheek. It’s actually funny to watch men turn to putty right before
my eyes. I have seen the same effect from Lyrics on guys but the difference is
that she has absolutely no clue it is happening…which is one thousand times
hotter than what Jennifer does! God I miss her!

     When we get back to our
hotel, I send Lyrics a text. “Babe, I need a song. I need your words. I need
your vision. I. NEED. YOU. Seems like my whole life I have looked at the world
through your eyes and that’s how I like it! Send me a pic! I am in love with
you!” Weird how just texting her makes me feel better. As I am getting ready to
hop in the shower, I hear a knock at the door. Surprised and startled, I wrap
the towel around my waist and answer the door. Jennifer. “Hey girl. What’s up?”
She steps past me into my room and plops down on my bed.

      She whines, “Tanner, I’m
bored.”

     I roll my eyes and tighten
my towel. “Go down to the pub then.”

     More whining, “Those people
hate me. They just want to screw a model.”

      Fuck! “Listen, Jen, if
you stop flirting with every dick you see, then they will treat you differently.”

      She sits up and says,
“What about your dick? Can I flirt with it?”

     Okay, that was completely slutty
and damn I need Lyrics here. I tell her, “Jen, you need to get out and go to
sleep. My dick is already taken.” My dick is standing at attention as if it
heard its name and is ready to come out and play. Jennifer stands up and drags
her hand across my stomach as she almost gets out the door. Fuck!

      She turns to me and says,
“Going once…”

      I smile and say, “Sleep
well.” She pouts a bit and then leaves. I take a deep sigh and realize that I
am in desperate need of jacking off!

     I get a text. Lyrics. “Babe,
can’t wait to see you in two days. I feel so lost without you. I have sat down
to write at least ten times and blah, nothing comes out. When I get there, we
can write together. Maybe we can find a gig to play? Bet you didn’t know that I
look at the world through your eyes too. You are my strength. I have slept in
your t-shirt every night! You ready for me?”

      I read the last line and
laugh. Ready? Seriously, more than! I text her back, “Any way to get a
Whataburger on the plane?”

     She texts, “Sure, just
hope they don’t cavity search me!”

     I smile and text, “I hope
you don’t have that same hope when you arrive here. I promise that cavity
searching will happen!”

     Immediate response, “I’m counting
on it!”

     I hold the phone as if I
am holding her and text, “See you in two days. I love you.”

     “Can’t wait, I love you
too!”