Chapter Two

        I will not have a good night sleep tonight, I am sure, since Vivian has been asking about the details for like an hour and a half. But I barely say a thing.

        “Oh, c’mon, Rae! You must say something! He is sooooo hot!” She says those words ever so excitedly.

        I sigh for the fifth times and look at her. “OK, fine, I will tell you everything. Oh, gosh, I really need some sleep . . .”

        Vivian laughs in triumph and listens so carefully, giving me feedback and advice when I stop for awhile to drink some water.

        “What a gentleman he is! It is so hard to find a guy like him nowadays. Better hold him tight, girl.” Vivian looks at me as if she is afraid that I will make a wrong decision. I lean back to my pillow and grab my teddy bear.

        “I don’t know,” I say, suddenly feeling depressed, “maybe I do.”

        There is a long pause before Vivian finally says, “I think you need time to think about it carefully. If you really think that he has given you a really nice first impression, then you really should try to email him or something like that. You can talk to me anytime you want.”

        After our long conversation, Vivian decides to go home tonight. She only lives a block away, so I walk her home and appreciating for her to do so many things for me.

        “Thank you.” I say before she walks inside her door.

        “That’s what friends are for. Good night, Rae.”

        We both smile. Then I walk back to my house and fall asleep within two minutes.

 

        I decide to send Erik Grayson an email.

 

        To: [email protected]

        From: [email protected]

        Subject: Hello, I am Rae Landelle.

 

        Dear Erik,

It was really nice talking to you, and it is really nice to meet you. Just out of curiosity, I read your card and figured out that you are a musician, am I right?

I really like to sing, write songs, and play the piano. Do you like to do so, too? My favorite singer is Richard Jaxxe, do you know him?

I have been writing songs since I was five, and I really work hard on my songs. Since you are in the song-writing department, I am thinking that maybe you can give me some advice. I don’t really want to be famous or anything, I just want to know how good I am, and I want to earn some chances to go onto the stage.

And when is your birthday(I don’t want to sound childish, and it is not like I am interested in horoscope or anything like that, I just like to know everyone’s birthday and I can remember to give them gifts and cards or something like that)?

I hate to repeat things, but it was really, really nice to meet you, and I really hope we can be friends.

(P.S.: This is my music record of the song I just made, “Music In My Head”, please take a look.)

 

After typing “I hate to repeat things, but it was really, really nice to meet you, and I really hope we can be friends”, I start to wonder if this sounds too childish. But instead of rewriting the whole email, I just click send, and then I close the email window and shut down the computer.

        I told Vivian about this whole “sending the email stuff” during my lunch time and she gives me a thumb-up as courage for me to “keep trying” (that is what she says).

        By the time I am back at home I get Erik Grayson’s email reply.

 

        To: [email protected]

        From: [email protected]

        Subject: Re: Hello, I am Rae Landelle.

 

        Dearest Rae,

        It is so nice to get your email, and yes, it was for me, a really nice night because I had talked to you, too. Then I will have to say, yes, you are right, I am a musician. But I am still learning myself.

        I love to write songs, too, and of course I love singing and piano playing. It is awesome how those beautiful melodies dance with the way those fingers moving. It is so amazing what the human fingers can do. My favorite is Chopin, and yes, I know Richard Jaxxe, well, in person, actually.

        It is really good to know that you have been writing song since you were five. It is better to start building your dream and career early when you are still a little child. I am so glad that you want me to give you feedback and advice, even though I am not so good myself. I think your song is great. You have a pure and warm voice. You have got enough skills to make people know how good you are, but not too much for people to think that it is a song that can only be listened once or twice. It is a cute song. Wonderful, I must say.

        About my birthday . . . well, it is on 19 September 1989. I know I am seven years older than you are, but believe me, I am not a pervert. As you see, my horoscope is a Virgo, means that I will be really talkative, I should say, if you know anything about the sign Virgo, I really like to live in a “clean environment”. If I see anything dirty, I will get crazy and keep talking about it until me myself or someone else, clean it. As for the “childish” part, I don’t think you need to worry about it, since there are not really many pure-minded and cute girls like you these days. You are a special case. Now I am about to ask you the same, question, “when is your birthday?”, but after I see the numbers 11111996 on your email address, I think it might be your birthday, 11 November 1996, isn’t it?

        I hate to repeat things, too. But since I was thinking about this when I talked to you at The Lost Bar instead of really saying it out, and nor did I even mention it in this email before, I think I can just say it out. Right here, right now. Rae, you are really a good girl, as the first time I saw you, I have this feeling that we can be really good friends, as you said, or even anything we want to be; also, I want to say that it is really, really nice to meet you, dearest Rae.

        (P.S.: Here is my phone number . . . and if you don’t mind, can you please give the address of your house?)

 

        A feeling starts from the bottom of my heart. My heart skips a beat when I am at the part where he wrote, “as the first time I saw you, I have this feeling that we can be really good friends, as you said, or even anything we want to be; also, I want to say that it is really, really nice to meet you”. I feel like flying in the sky and there is a feeling that the romantic novels of my mother’s always describe something like “butterflies flying in my stomach” stuff. I write an email back with my house address. I just don’t think twice even though adults always taught us not to give strangers your phone number or home address. “That’s why love is blinding”, Vivian will have said, and I believe that she will also hug me and tells me that, “that’s it, girl, you are finally getting a boy after sixteen years of single life” speech. Then I suddenly find out that he is seven years older than me! But he is such an attractive person, and he is so nice . . .

        I go to sleep right after I replied the email, but I cannot stop thinking about Erik.

 

        The next two days are my day-off. A letter is sent in the afternoon when I am taking a nap. My mother opens it for me and calls me from downstairs.

        “Rae. Come downstairs.”

        “Just a second” I say, changing my clothes and go downstairs with my eyes half-closed, still haven’t waken up from my afternoon nap.

        When I touch the ground of the first floor, I find my mother sitting on the couch, looking really uneasy.

        “Mom, What’s going on?”

        “Rae, have you always been listening to this Richard Jaxxe?” She asks with her face turning red, anger in her eyes.

        “Yes. What’s wrong, mom?” I really, really don’t know what I have done wrong.

        A long, long, pause, then a sigh; then everything turns back into silence.

        Then my mother shakes her head.

        “Nothing, honey. Sorry, I am being kind of overacted.” She says and gives me a smile, “Come here, sweetie.” Then she hugs me for a few seconds and releases me. The smile is still on her face, but I can feel that something is going on.

        She hands me the envelope with beautifully hand-writing on it: Miss Rae Landelle. Inside the envelope there lies a folded little piece of paper saying “Please come to the concert. Sincerely, Erik”, and there is also a ticket of the first row, the seat that I can see Richard Jaxxe so closely. The concert is on tomorrow night.

        “Thank you, Erik.” Smiling, I put the envelope on my desk and call him for the first time . . .

 

        I am trying to do the make-up properly, but it takes me longer than fifty minutes. I have never done any makeovers in my life, so I decide to call Vivian.

        It only takes her fifteen minutes, including make-ups, clothes choosing and other small details. She has turned me into a like Rock ‘n’ Roll girl.

        “Oh, Rae, you look perfect.”

        “Because of you, V.” I say, giving her a hug as always and wave goodbye to her as she walks out the door with me.

        Erik calls me before the concert starts.

        “Sorry for not picking you up, Rae. I am really busy right now. I hope I can see you there later.”

        “No problem. Thank you so much for the ticket. I will sure be there.”

        He laughs from the other end of the cell phone, “I need to get back to work.”

        “Good luck on that.”

        I take the bus to the concert and it is still about twenty-five minutes before it starts. So I decide to have an adventure . . . I sneak to the back stage and try to find Erik. But the truth is, I am lost. Completely lost. I go through every room, and finally it is the end of the hallway. The last room I haven’t been in. I think I am becoming a criminal.

        I open the door gently. It is kind of heavy so I need to pull harder to get it opened.

        A man sits on a red couch, with a cowboy hat on, a denim jacket, and a pair of jeans. Exactly how Richard Jaxxe looked like on his third album cover. Except for the long hair is now short and neat and has turned a little bit grayish. The man I have always love, that Richard Jaxxe, Is standing right in front of me.

        “May I help you, sweetheart?” The voice comes from a man I have always adored. I cannot believe that Richard Jaxxe is standing right in front of me.

        “I . . . I am lost. I am trying to find my friend.” I say, being so nervous that I cannot say the sentence properly.

        Richard Jaxxe steps even closer to me, smiling his usual smile, and places his coffee onto the little table.

        I just look at him.

        “A friend, huh?” Richard Jaxxe smiles as he asks. He has dimples. I just notice them right now. It is probably because he doesn’t usually smile this way, so joyfully.

        “Yes.” I reply, focusing on trying not to faint or be too excited.

        “So who is this little friend of yours?” He laughs, looking me into the eyes.

        “Umm . . .”

        A familiar voice comes from my back. “Me.”

        I turn around and find Erik smiling. I realize now that he has dimples, too. Just as perfect as Richard Jaxxe.

        Richard Jaxxe looks from me to Erik, and back to me again. “Ah, Erik, you’ve got this interesting, cute friend here,” he stops for a second, eyeing Erik, “you should keep her after the concert; she should come to the after party with us.”

        Erik grins at me. I cannot help but keep looking at him.

        “That will be great.” He says.

        Richard Jaxxe, again, smiles, and leans back to his couch, “The concert starts in three minutes, sweetheart. Please take her to her seat, Erik.”

        Erik and I walk out of the room. He is still grinning at me, patting my head and hands me the program.

        “Thank you.” I can’t stop smiling at him. He sends me to my seat and is ready to leave. But I stop him. “Erik?”

        “Yes,”

        “Thank you.”

        He smiles.

Author's Note

Please tell me if I make any grammar problems. Please list them if possible. Thank you.

Reviews

[R J Askew]

fifth TIME .. laughts with victory looks a bit odd .. laughts in triumph more normal .. writing songS since you were five .. I htat to repeat things, TOO.

I've read to the end of the 2nd email. The girly crush is well captured and events move swiftly. The 2nd email shows that he is interested. Of course alarm bells also ring when a stranger asks for such details so soon.

[Singer-Songwriter - Miya]

Thank you.
And Erik is a good person ha ha :-)

[Amanda]

Nice job :)

[Singer-Songwriter - Miya]

Thank you!

[R J Askew]

'I decide to do some adventure' is a little odd. 'I decide to have an adventure' is better.

gut should be guts

Hmm, the hand on the chest is sinister, as is Eric's response. And the talk of the post gig party ..

[Singer-Songwriter - Miya]

:-))

[The Fallen]

Veryyy good chapter!

[Singer-Songwriter - Miya]

:-)))
Hey do you have Facebook? :-) You can add me there (we can be pen pals ha ha, can we?)

[The Fallen]

Yeah I do :P Sure I'd love love loveeee a pen pal I just love talking to new ppl especially if they are far away I wanna know more about you!

[Singer-Songwriter - Miya]

Same here :-)) I have two pan pals from the States. Ha ha. :-))) Here is my email: [email protected]

[The Fallen]

Alright I'll add ya gimme a minute

[Singer-Songwriter - Miya]

OKK :-)