Past, Present, Future
Lessons
FLASHBACK
She kept to herself at school, finding it easier to be alone than to try and make friends with the kids at her school that were so different from her. She worked hard on her grades and her music, but wasn’t an honors student or a band geek. She liked video games and Lord of the Rings, but wasn’t even nerdy enough for the dorks at school. She wasn’t a stoner or a partier, but she wasn’t a good two-shoes. She was just too normal to fit into the cliques at school. Sure, she had a few friends, but definitely wasn’t very popular.
She didn’t mind, though, keeping to herself. She had goals and aspirations that reached past high school and was just trying to get through it until she could finally go to college and meet more people like herself.
She was standing at her locker, staring down at the flyer in her hands. It read: “Want to learn how to play guitar? Call Brian Haner!” Below it there was a phone number and information about pricing. She stared and stared, not knowing if she should actually go through with calling the guy that she gazed at from across the cafeteria on a regular basis. The extremely cute guy that she knew was extremely good at playing guitar.
All of her goals revolved around music. She wanted to sing, but she also wanted to learn how to play guitar, knowing that learning an instrument would help her succeed in such a competitive career. Knowing that she was talented and capable, she just had to take the steps to get there. And right now, that meant talking to the cute boy in the grade ahead of her.
She looked down the hall. His locker wasn’t that far from hers, and she could see a group of boys hanging around nearby. Sighing, she walked towards them, hoping they would clear away by the time she got to him. Luckily the bell rang, causing the group to begin to separate. Brian started walking in her direction towards his own class.
“Hey!” she called awkwardly, waving his flyer at him.
“Hey?” he said, raising a brow.
“I’m Joanna Williams. I saw this. Do you do lessons for beginners?”
“Definitely,” he said, leaning his shoulder against the locker. “Have you ever played?”
“A little,” she said. “I know the basic scales, but that’s about it.”
“Well, I’m your man. We can practice at my place. What day works for you?”
“Tuesday at 4?”
“See you then.”
-----
His house was bigger than she expected. Well, at least it was a lot bigger than her house. She parked on the street, not comfortable enough to park in the driveway, and got out of the car after grabbing her guitar case. Squinting in the sun she saw him in the garage, strumming his guitar as he waited for her to arrive.
“Hey,” she said as she walked up to him.
“Joanna, right?” he said, putting down his guitar. “Come sit.”
She did as she was told, swallowing her nerves. He was so cute! She just prayed that she didn’t make a total fool out of herself.
He took it slow at first, going over what she already knew and what her goals were for their lessons. He talked to her about practicing outside of their lessons in order for her to do that. She couldn’t help but smile at his words because he sounded like her track coach, but she kept the thought to herself.
He was a fantastic teacher and their lesson ended way too soon. She paid him and scheduled an appointment for the following week, promising to practice in the meantime. And that she did- she played what he taught her until she had calloused fingers, spending the majority of her time after school practicing. She looked forward to her next lesson, thinking about Brian all of the time at school while she daydreamed, not giving two shits about her math or English classes.
Weeks of lessons went by and she was catching on fast. Brian was impressed with her and she could tell he loved their time together too. But it was now summer and the garage was blazing; she was dreading playing out there, even in short shorts and a tank and her wavy hair pulled into a braid.
When she walked up the driveway he wasn’t there, which was not part of their routine. Not sure of what else to do, she went to the front door, ringing the doorbell. He answered quickly, stopping before he said hello, his eyes landing on her chest, which was more exposed than usual in the low cut top.
“Hey,” she said with a chuckle, not even caring that he was checking her out.
“Come in,” he said awkwardly, moving out of the way to let her in. “It’s too hot today. We can go in my room instead.”
“Oh, okay,” she said nervously, biting her lip. She had never been alone with a boy in their room before…
He led the way up the stairs, grabbing her hand and they rounded the stairs. Heat crept up to her cheeks, not expecting the contact from the other boy.
“You can sit on the bed,” he said before sitting on the chair by his desk. He wheeled it over closer to the bed, tapping on where she should sit. Smiling, she sat where he tapped, placing her guitar next to her.
“You never told me what you liked to listen to,” he said, not even making an attempt to get his own guitar.
“Well, I like a lot of different things.”
“Favorites?”
“I mean, I guess Metallica is probably my favorite if I had to pick. But I also like Johnny Cash, Elvis, Britney Spears, seriously anything. I don’t pigeonhole myself into one genre. They’re all good in their own ways.”
“Britney Spears?” Brian said, leaning back into his chair.
“Yeah, a newer pop star.”
“Oh, I know who she is. I just didn’t expect her in that mix of groups,” he laughed.
Joanna shrugged. “Like I said; I like everything.”
“Even me?” he teased, moving his chair closer to her. Their knees were touching and he leaned towards her, making her blush.
“You’re alright, I guess,” she joked back, trying to stay cool. He laughed at her reply, biting his lip which practically made her swoon.
“I’m trying to get better,” he admitted to her, moving away slightly. “Teaching other people actually helps me improve too.”
“You’re one of the best guitar players I’ve ever met,” Jo said bashfully.
“Thanks,” he said. “I don’t know if you know this, but I just joined a band recently. Avenged Sevenfold. They’ve actually recorded some stuff already. I just joined finally after them asking forever.”
“I’m assuming that’s a metal band?” she guessed because of the name.
He laughed, “Oh yeah. Our singer doesn’t just sing, he screams. Sometimes his girlfriend screams for us. It’s been a lot of fun. I don’t know, something about it just feels like we could really make something of ourselves.”
“That’s great. I’d like to hear you play sometime,” she told him honestly, even though it wasn’t her favorite type of music to listen to. “I wish I was in a band.”
“Why don’t you start one?” he asked.
She shrugged, “I don’t really know of anyone that would be interested. Maybe in college I can.”
“I don’t know if I’ll even go to college. I’d probably major in music. If this band doesn’t work out then I’d probably be a studio guitarist like my dad.”
“That would be amazing. I am thinking about majoring in music too. But for vocals.”
“You sing?”
“I dabble,” said said, blushing. She didn’t really want to admit that she was actually quite talented.
“Sing while I play!” he said.
“Never in a million years!” she laughed.
He grabbed his guitar and moved to sit on the bed next to her. “Come on, Jo.”
She smiled at the nickname; only people really close to her ever called her that. “I’m not gonna do it.”
He leaned closer to her and said, “I bet your voice is as beautiful as you are.”
She didn’t have a chance to reply; his lips were slowly moving closer to her. Shutting her eyes, she leaned in, blushing deeply as his lips gently pressed against her own. His hand cupped her face as he deepened this kiss, pulling her into him. But before it went to far, he pulled away, staring into her eyes.
“Brian…” she started, not knowing what to say.
“We should probably start our lesson now.”
-----
The weeks after their first kiss followed the same routine: Jo would come over right on time, they would go to his room, talk, kiss, and play guitar. Except as time passed, the talking and kissing took more time than playing guitar. Eventually their weekly lessons turned into more frequent lessons, which was still only them playing half the amount of time then they planned for. He quit charging her, but still still came at the same time every week.
At school, they avoided each other, keeping to themselves. Their relationship became their little secret; they didn’t claim each other as boyfriend and girlfriend, but there was no denying that their relationship was significant. The secret just made it more fun for them.
One Tuesday night, Brian’s parents weren’t home, and Joanna had stayed much later than usual. They hadn’t left the bedroom and were laying down together, talking about Catcher in the Rye, which Jo had recently read for class.
“Aren’t your parents going to get mad that you’re out so late on a Tuesday,” Brian said as their conversation lulled, noticing the time on his alarm clock.
“They don’t even know where I am,” she said, rolling onto her back. “They don’t give a fuck about it, either.”
“Yikes.”
Joanna sighed. “Sorry. They’re just never home. And when they are, they spend the majority of their time fighting. So they don’t care when my sister and I aren’t around.”
“Well, you’re welcome here anytime. You could stay if you wanted. My parents won’t care… As long as you leave before they wake up.”
She thought about it for a second and nodded, seriously loving the idea of sleeping next to Brian, and avoiding going home. He put his arm around her, pulling her close. He kissed her deeply, wrapping his arms around her. Joanna snuggled close, hoping moments like this would never end.
She kept to herself at school, finding it easier to be alone than to try and make friends with the kids at her school that were so different from her. She worked hard on her grades and her music, but wasn’t an honors student or a band geek. She liked video games and Lord of the Rings, but wasn’t even nerdy enough for the dorks at school. She wasn’t a stoner or a partier, but she wasn’t a good two-shoes. She was just too normal to fit into the cliques at school. Sure, she had a few friends, but definitely wasn’t very popular.
She didn’t mind, though, keeping to herself. She had goals and aspirations that reached past high school and was just trying to get through it until she could finally go to college and meet more people like herself.
She was standing at her locker, staring down at the flyer in her hands. It read: “Want to learn how to play guitar? Call Brian Haner!” Below it there was a phone number and information about pricing. She stared and stared, not knowing if she should actually go through with calling the guy that she gazed at from across the cafeteria on a regular basis. The extremely cute guy that she knew was extremely good at playing guitar.
All of her goals revolved around music. She wanted to sing, but she also wanted to learn how to play guitar, knowing that learning an instrument would help her succeed in such a competitive career. Knowing that she was talented and capable, she just had to take the steps to get there. And right now, that meant talking to the cute boy in the grade ahead of her.
She looked down the hall. His locker wasn’t that far from hers, and she could see a group of boys hanging around nearby. Sighing, she walked towards them, hoping they would clear away by the time she got to him. Luckily the bell rang, causing the group to begin to separate. Brian started walking in her direction towards his own class.
“Hey!” she called awkwardly, waving his flyer at him.
“Hey?” he said, raising a brow.
“I’m Joanna Williams. I saw this. Do you do lessons for beginners?”
“Definitely,” he said, leaning his shoulder against the locker. “Have you ever played?”
“A little,” she said. “I know the basic scales, but that’s about it.”
“Well, I’m your man. We can practice at my place. What day works for you?”
“Tuesday at 4?”
“See you then.”
-----
His house was bigger than she expected. Well, at least it was a lot bigger than her house. She parked on the street, not comfortable enough to park in the driveway, and got out of the car after grabbing her guitar case. Squinting in the sun she saw him in the garage, strumming his guitar as he waited for her to arrive.
“Hey,” she said as she walked up to him.
“Joanna, right?” he said, putting down his guitar. “Come sit.”
She did as she was told, swallowing her nerves. He was so cute! She just prayed that she didn’t make a total fool out of herself.
He took it slow at first, going over what she already knew and what her goals were for their lessons. He talked to her about practicing outside of their lessons in order for her to do that. She couldn’t help but smile at his words because he sounded like her track coach, but she kept the thought to herself.
He was a fantastic teacher and their lesson ended way too soon. She paid him and scheduled an appointment for the following week, promising to practice in the meantime. And that she did- she played what he taught her until she had calloused fingers, spending the majority of her time after school practicing. She looked forward to her next lesson, thinking about Brian all of the time at school while she daydreamed, not giving two shits about her math or English classes.
Weeks of lessons went by and she was catching on fast. Brian was impressed with her and she could tell he loved their time together too. But it was now summer and the garage was blazing; she was dreading playing out there, even in short shorts and a tank and her wavy hair pulled into a braid.
When she walked up the driveway he wasn’t there, which was not part of their routine. Not sure of what else to do, she went to the front door, ringing the doorbell. He answered quickly, stopping before he said hello, his eyes landing on her chest, which was more exposed than usual in the low cut top.
“Hey,” she said with a chuckle, not even caring that he was checking her out.
“Come in,” he said awkwardly, moving out of the way to let her in. “It’s too hot today. We can go in my room instead.”
“Oh, okay,” she said nervously, biting her lip. She had never been alone with a boy in their room before…
He led the way up the stairs, grabbing her hand and they rounded the stairs. Heat crept up to her cheeks, not expecting the contact from the other boy.
“You can sit on the bed,” he said before sitting on the chair by his desk. He wheeled it over closer to the bed, tapping on where she should sit. Smiling, she sat where he tapped, placing her guitar next to her.
“You never told me what you liked to listen to,” he said, not even making an attempt to get his own guitar.
“Well, I like a lot of different things.”
“Favorites?”
“I mean, I guess Metallica is probably my favorite if I had to pick. But I also like Johnny Cash, Elvis, Britney Spears, seriously anything. I don’t pigeonhole myself into one genre. They’re all good in their own ways.”
“Britney Spears?” Brian said, leaning back into his chair.
“Yeah, a newer pop star.”
“Oh, I know who she is. I just didn’t expect her in that mix of groups,” he laughed.
Joanna shrugged. “Like I said; I like everything.”
“Even me?” he teased, moving his chair closer to her. Their knees were touching and he leaned towards her, making her blush.
“You’re alright, I guess,” she joked back, trying to stay cool. He laughed at her reply, biting his lip which practically made her swoon.
“I’m trying to get better,” he admitted to her, moving away slightly. “Teaching other people actually helps me improve too.”
“You’re one of the best guitar players I’ve ever met,” Jo said bashfully.
“Thanks,” he said. “I don’t know if you know this, but I just joined a band recently. Avenged Sevenfold. They’ve actually recorded some stuff already. I just joined finally after them asking forever.”
“I’m assuming that’s a metal band?” she guessed because of the name.
He laughed, “Oh yeah. Our singer doesn’t just sing, he screams. Sometimes his girlfriend screams for us. It’s been a lot of fun. I don’t know, something about it just feels like we could really make something of ourselves.”
“That’s great. I’d like to hear you play sometime,” she told him honestly, even though it wasn’t her favorite type of music to listen to. “I wish I was in a band.”
“Why don’t you start one?” he asked.
She shrugged, “I don’t really know of anyone that would be interested. Maybe in college I can.”
“I don’t know if I’ll even go to college. I’d probably major in music. If this band doesn’t work out then I’d probably be a studio guitarist like my dad.”
“That would be amazing. I am thinking about majoring in music too. But for vocals.”
“You sing?”
“I dabble,” said said, blushing. She didn’t really want to admit that she was actually quite talented.
“Sing while I play!” he said.
“Never in a million years!” she laughed.
He grabbed his guitar and moved to sit on the bed next to her. “Come on, Jo.”
She smiled at the nickname; only people really close to her ever called her that. “I’m not gonna do it.”
He leaned closer to her and said, “I bet your voice is as beautiful as you are.”
She didn’t have a chance to reply; his lips were slowly moving closer to her. Shutting her eyes, she leaned in, blushing deeply as his lips gently pressed against her own. His hand cupped her face as he deepened this kiss, pulling her into him. But before it went to far, he pulled away, staring into her eyes.
“Brian…” she started, not knowing what to say.
“We should probably start our lesson now.”
-----
The weeks after their first kiss followed the same routine: Jo would come over right on time, they would go to his room, talk, kiss, and play guitar. Except as time passed, the talking and kissing took more time than playing guitar. Eventually their weekly lessons turned into more frequent lessons, which was still only them playing half the amount of time then they planned for. He quit charging her, but still still came at the same time every week.
At school, they avoided each other, keeping to themselves. Their relationship became their little secret; they didn’t claim each other as boyfriend and girlfriend, but there was no denying that their relationship was significant. The secret just made it more fun for them.
One Tuesday night, Brian’s parents weren’t home, and Joanna had stayed much later than usual. They hadn’t left the bedroom and were laying down together, talking about Catcher in the Rye, which Jo had recently read for class.
“Aren’t your parents going to get mad that you’re out so late on a Tuesday,” Brian said as their conversation lulled, noticing the time on his alarm clock.
“They don’t even know where I am,” she said, rolling onto her back. “They don’t give a fuck about it, either.”
“Yikes.”
Joanna sighed. “Sorry. They’re just never home. And when they are, they spend the majority of their time fighting. So they don’t care when my sister and I aren’t around.”
“Well, you’re welcome here anytime. You could stay if you wanted. My parents won’t care… As long as you leave before they wake up.”
She thought about it for a second and nodded, seriously loving the idea of sleeping next to Brian, and avoiding going home. He put his arm around her, pulling her close. He kissed her deeply, wrapping his arms around her. Joanna snuggled close, hoping moments like this would never end.
Notes
The flashback continues in the next chapter...
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xoxo JJ
Anticipating updates! Love the story
5/7/19