Chapter 23: Your Selfish Jerk Maybe there's a secret to happiness. Maybe happiness is in the little things; the beauty of nature surrounding you, the laughs of friendship and the budding romance you feel for someone. I felt my heart lighten and my lips lift into a more permanent smile. I was happy. We were nestled in the warmth of a cabin, surrounded by a century old forest. The fireplace crackled from the burning wood and cast a glow over the setting. Some movie was playing on the plasma screen, but we were barely watching. Jake was sitting on the edge of the couch, his guitar on his lap. He was in a t-shirt now and the tattoos on his arms were on full display. He warmed up with a few chords, his head bent as he got settled into a comfortable position to sing. Chocolate pudding lay half eaten and ice cream slowly melted on ceramic plates beside us. I was lying on the couch, feeling like I found my safe place in Luke's arms. He is not the world's most comfortable human since his muscles make for a hard pillow, but I was nowhere near complaining. On the contrary, I felt lucky to be enjoying this weekend with him. His fingers played with my hair and my hand rested on his hard chest, feeling it rise and fall with every breath. He was warm to touch and I felt comfortable in this silence. He must have drifted off into thought, while his other arm held onto me. I nestled my head under his shoulder, feeling his fingers tickle my skin as he played absentmindedly with my hair. The truth is, I was tipsy. Bordering on drunk from all that red wine. Music lifted into the air as Jake began to strum a few chords. Annika cheered him on, a great hype girl, and eager to hear more of his music. I'd forgotten how good he was. "Oooh," I exclaimed, sitting up to pay more attention. Luke grumbled. I had accidentally pushed down against his stomach when sitting up. He wasn't hurt, but I think he'd also felt comfortable lying in that position and didn't want us to move. "I recognize this song," I whispered, listening to Jake get further into it. "It's really famous," Annika said, not minding at all that she was sitting next to our very romantic position. Jake had mastered his technique. The music flowed out of the guitar and he made playing it look easy. I watched his fingers move expertly across the instrument. It was kind of hypnotizing. Jake began to sing. He strummed the chords in an accompanying tune and his voice was husky but strong: I could stay awake just to hear you breathing Watch you smile while you are sleeping While you're far away dreaming A karaoke classic. And not one about me. Surely Luke wouldn't break his guitar now. Luke glanced down at the wine glasses on the coffee table. Mine and his were empty and he hadn't drunk his. Oops. "Oh no," he muttered, knowing exactly what was going to come next. "DON'T WANT TO CLOSE MY EYES!" I screamed out, shocking everyone, "I DON'T WANT TO FALL ASLEEP, 'COS I MISS YOU BABE!" I had jumped up and was standing precariously on the couch, pointing at Luke and almost falling on top of him. "She drank all our wine," Luke explained to Annika, who was staring at my outburst. I think she thought I was timid when we first met. Ha. "THE SWEETEST DREAM WILL NEVER DOOOO-" Luke pulled me off the couch and swung me carefully to the ground. My feet stepped on the plush carpet and I wrapped my arms around his neck. "I DON'T WANT," I sang, losing steam the moment Luke touched me, "to miss a," I hiccuped, "thing." He calmed me. Luke laughed at me, "Have I complemented your singing before?" "I'm not sure I'd call it a complement-" "Well I'm not sure I'd call this singing." I wriggled out of his arms, but he spun me around instead and dipped me low. We stayed like that for a moment longer. I felt like I was going to fall, but his grip was tight around me. Jake stood up with his guitar, getting further into the heat of the song. He was definitely playing up to the music now. "No need to be shy around us. You can let it out, Annika," I told her, "I can see you want to sing." I offered her my fake air microphone, holding my hand out in front of her. My other hand was still holding onto Luke for fear of tumbling over. She grinned and grabbed the empty air as if it was a microphone, raising her other hand into the air and belting, "AND STAY HERE IN THIS MOMENT!" "FOREVER!" We were screaming – I mean singing - now. Even Jake was finding it hard to stay in tune. "For all the rest of time. Yeah, yeah, yeah, YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The kind of thing you don't want to hear sober. ** It was late in the evening, that it was technically morning. And we left the others eating a late-night snack in the kitchen.