Promise You Paradise

I strummed the last few chords on my guitar and smiled to myself. It was done. The song I spent countless hours on is finally done.

"Bay! Get in here!" I yelled nervously. I heard a crash and the Bailey was tripping over her cast as she fell threw my door way. I laughed a little at her and she just sent me a glare.

"What do you want?" She asked, her voice sounding slightly annoyed.

"Get a hold of the guys, I want to show everyone something." I smiled at her. She gave me a weird look and when I didn't say anything more she shrugged and pulled out her phone and started typing away.

"Zack, Brian, and Matt will be here in ten minutes." She said, hobbling back to her room. I got up from my bed and put my guitar back in it's case, before locking the latches. I hopped over to my closet and pulled out a plain black zip up hoodie and sat back down on my bed. I laid back and fiddled with my nail polish as I thought about what I was about to do. I don't think I've ever been this nervous in my life. Okay, I might be being a little dramatic, but my point is that I'm really damn nervous.

A few minutes later Bailey hobbled into the doorway of my room and told me that it was time to go. I grabbed my guitar and but the boot on the foot of my cast so I could walk, well, kind of.

I exited my room and Bailey and I hobbled to the kitchen to tell our mother we were going out with the guys for a little while. Seeing as they practically never left our side when we were in the hospital, she has loosened the leash a little when it comes to them. She gave us a kiss before we left and told us to be safe.

We closed our front door behind us and hobbled over to the SUV looking thing that was currently in our drive way. Matt got out of the driver's side and grabbed my guitar case from me and helped me in the back seat, while Brian helped Bailey. I settled into my seat and put my seat belt on and realized I was incredibly close to Zacky. Blushed and looked out the window and suppressed the urge to slap the smirk off of Bailey's face. That bitch.

"Hey, uh, Hailey, why did you bring your guitar with you?" Matt asks, looking at me in the rear-view mirror.

"I uh, wrote a song. And I want everyone to hear it." I said quietly, and averted my gaze to the passing scenery. Bailey looked as my sceptically and no one else said anything. A few minutes later we pulled up to where the guys park at the beach and Bailey and I did our best to gracefully get out of the car. Zack got out behind me and hovered kind of close, to make sure I didn't fall, I assume.
"Hey, dick faces! How the hell are we supposed to get out there?" Bailey asked pointing out towards the huge bonfire Jimmy and Johnny had going in the middle of the beach.

"Well, first, this." Matt said holding up garbage bags. He handed us each one and we looked at him like he had suddenly turned fourteen shads of green.

"For the casts, put your leg in it and tuck the edge into your cast so you don't get sand in it." He said.

"You know, that is a damn good idea." Bailey said as we started doing as he said.

"And second there is this" Brian said picking Bailey up bridal style and starting to carry her out to the fire. She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled back at me, and evilish glint in her eye. She is always up to something.

I felt an arm snake around my waist and on go under my knees and I shrieked and flailed a little. With my eyes wide I looked up at Zacky, his eyes were just as big as mine and look like they were filled with guilt.

"Uh, sorry, you just scared me." I said sheepishly. He let go the the breath he had been holding and began walking towards the beach as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

I looked over Zacky's shoulder at Matt, who was looking at Brian and Bailey with a strange expression on his face as he got my guitar out of the back of the SUV thing. I shrugged and turned back toward the direction we were walking, and in a minute Zacky was sitting my down on a log next to the fire. He sat down next to me and smiled before taking my guitar case from Matt, who sat down on a log by himself, still wearing the puzzled expression. I sighed and fiddled with the bag that was over my case, making sure it was securely tucked in.

"So, what is it that you wanted to show us, Squirt?" Bailey asked me from across the fire, her eyes shining in the fire light. I took a deep breath before I answered.

"Well, I kind of wrote a song." I said quietly.

"OH MY GOD, ARE YOU GOING TO SING FOR US?!" Jimmy asked excitedly, we all laughed and I nodded as I took my guitar out of my case and made sure it was all tuned and everything was right.

"Your guitar is beautiful." Zacky said quietly.

"Thanks." I smiled at him, blushing.

"Okay, guys. I worked really hard on this, so don't laugh or be complete dicks." I said, a little louder than I normally would have. They all looked at me a little shocked, until Jimmy spoke up.

"Holy shit guys, she actually said a cuss word!" He exclaimed, and as usual, everyone laughed.
Once they quieted down, I took a deep breath and started.

"If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song.."

I sang the intro and everyone looked shocked. Bailey looked a little less shocked, but only because she knew I could sing. I sang the first verse and they chorus and closed my eyes and blushed as I came up to the second verse.

"The sharp knife of a short life, oh well
I've had just enough time
And I'll be wearing white, when I come into your kingdom
I'm as green as the ring on my little cold finger,
I've never known the lovin' of a man
But it sure felt nice when he was holdin' my hand,
There's a boy here in town, says he'll love me forever,
Who would have thought forever could be severed by..."

I took a breath and looked up at everyone. They were all starring and appeared to have tears in the eyes, but that just could have been from the light of the fire. You know, glares and all.

"...the sharp knife of a short life, oh well?
I've had just enough time"
I hit a high note with my voice and went into the guitar solo, it was short, but sweet.
"So put on your best, boys, and I'll wear my pearls
What I never did is done,"

I slowed down at this part, strumming the chords slowly.

"A penny for my thoughts, oh, no, I'll sell 'em for a dollar
They're worth so much more after I'm a goner
And maybe then you'll hear the words I been singin'
Funny when you're dead how people start listenin'.."

I sang the chorus one last time before going into the last verse and the outro.

"Uh oh
The ballad of a dove
Go with peace and love
Gather up your tears, keep 'em in your pocket
Save 'em for a time when you're really gonna need 'em, oh
The sharp knife of a short life, oh well
I've had just enough time...
So put on your best, boys, and I'll wear my pearls..."

I strummed the last note on my guitar before taking a deep breath and looking up at everyone, waiting for their reaction.

Notes

So, it's been a long fuckin' time, right?
Right.
Well, here's a long fuckin' chapter.
1,395 words to be exact.
I really do apologize for the tardiness, but school takes up most of my life now. So, love me anyway?
And Artemis, love her too.
Show us love, pwease?
It might encourage us to update faster.
Also, song credit goes to The Band Perry, the song is called "If I Die Young", you should really go look it up, it is a fabulous song.

Love and Pudding,
Raven.