Chapter Twenty-Two
Riley Matthews

"Wow, you're a quick learner," Maya said, astonished.

Maya has been teaching me how to play the song "Love Story" by Taylor Swift for three hours now and I pretty much had the whole song down.

"Thanks," I replied.

"Alright, I'm just gonna have you play it one more time," Maya began, "But this time, we're going to sing along. You know, just to see how it sounds."

"Well, judging by how wonderfully we sang 'Take On the World' at Teens Sing, I'm sure that we'll be able to sing this just as well."

"Me too, but when I first learned how to play the guitar, I found it a tad difficult for me to sing while playing, so if you need to drop out, you can."

I shook my head. "Nah, I'll be fine. I mean, it's only been a couple of weeks since our first lesson and I've been able to pick up on things pretty quickly."

"Alright. Do you need for me to pull up the lyrics?"

"No, I know this song by heart! Like I said, it's my favorite Taylor Swift song."

    "Wow, I know this song by heart too! I used to sing it all the time when it first came out!"

    "And I still sing it!"

    Maya and I chuckled.

    "Well, I'm ready when you are, Riley," Maya told me.

With that being said, I picked my pick back up and began to play the first few chords of "Love Story."

*Start playing "Love Story" by Taylor Swift*

    "We were both young when I first saw you.
I close my eyes and the flashback starts:
I'm standing there on a balcony in summer air," Maya sang.

    "See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns.
See you make your way through the crowd
And say, 'Hello,'
Little did I know...," I sang.

    "That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles,
And my daddy said, 'Stay away from Juliet'
And I was crying on the staircase
Begging you, 'Please don't go'
And I said..."

    "Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone.
I'll be waiting; all that's left to do is run.
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess,
It's a love story, baby, just say, 'Yes'," Maya and I sang together, looking in each other's eyes the whole entire time.

"Wow, I've never noticed how pretty Maya's eyes are before," I thought, continuing to stare into her bright-blue orbs, "Wait no, beautiful. Wait what?"

I just shook everything off and continued singing the song.

    "So I sneak out to the garden to see you.
We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew
So close your eyes... escape this town for a little while.
Oh, oh.," I sang.

    Maya closed her eyes at the "so close your eyes part", making me giggle.

    "Man, she's adorable... Ok, what in the world is going on here?"

    "'Cause you were Romeo - I was a scarlet letter,
And my daddy said, 'Stay away from Juliet'
But you were everything to me,
I was begging you, 'Please don't go'
And I said...," Maya sang, opening her eyes back up.

    "Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone.
I'll be waiting; all that's left to do is run.
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess.
It's a love story, baby, just say, 'Yes'

Romeo, save me, they're trying to tell me how to feel.
This love is difficult but it's real.
Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess.
It's a love story, baby, just say, 'Yes'

Oh, oh, oh," Maya and I sang together, looking into each other's eyes.

    Butterflies were now in my stomach. What is this new feeling that I am feeling all of the sudden? Does Maya feel it too? I looked away from Maya and at my guitar and played the next few chords.

    "I got tired of waiting
Wondering if you were ever coming around.
My faith in you was fading
When I met you on the outskirts of town.
And I said...," I sang, finally looking back up at Maya.

    "Romeo, save me, I've been feeling so alone.
I keep waiting for you but you never come.
Is this in my head? I don't know what to think.
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said...," Maya sang, looking right back at me.

    "Marry me, Juliet, you'll never have to be alone.
I love you, and that's all I really know.
I talked to your dad - go pick out a white dress
It's a love story, baby, just say, 'Yes'.

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.

'Cause we were both young when I first saw you," Maya and I finished, staring into each other's eyes the whole entire time.

    Even though we were done singing the song, Maya and I just continued to stare at each other like that for a few more minutes.

    "Wow, Maya looks so beautiful," I thought to myself, "How come I've never noticed it before? And how come I've never felt this way before? Does Maya feel this way too? Well, I mean if she didn't, then she would'nt be staring back, right?"

    I just shook my head, snapping myself back into reality. Heat rose to my face. I was now well aware that I was blushing.

    "W-well, that w-was fun, b-but I th-think it's b-best I i-if I st-start heading o-on home n-now," I stammered, staying up and handing Maya her guitar back, "I-It's getting pretty late."

    Maya shook her head as if she was snapping herself back into the real world too.

    "O-ok," she stammered, her cheeks becoming a shade of pink, "S-see you t-tomorrow. Y-you did great! You are great at playing the guitar and have a beautiful singing voice."

    I blushed even harder. "Th-thanks. Your singing voice is heavenly as well."

    Heavenly? Heat rose to my face. I didn't mean to use such a strong adjective although it suits her very well.

    Maya's cheeks were now not pink, but red. "Th-thanks!"

    "S-see you t-tomorrow!" I stammered as I began to make my way out of Maya's room, nervously stumbling a few times.

    "Bye!"

    "What was that all about?" I thought to myself once I had finally left Maya's house.