I swipe my phone and scroll to the song. "Since you so openly dogged their name, I choose Thousand Foot Krutch for my first song. It’s calledDown."
"Wait. Please tell me you at least know the meaning behind that oddname?"
I tilt my head, thinking. "I've never even thought to research why they're calledthat."
"And you call yourself a fan and, even worse, a lawyer? Isn't it your job to research this kind ofthing?"
"Well, if they ever kill someone, I'll make sure to research what their name means, but till then, sorry, music is my escape from myjob."
She bites her lip as she grabs her phone; on a mission I'm sure to figure out where their name camefrom.
"Are you going to pay attention or research on your phone?" I push her devicedown.
"I can do both, hit it. Wait." She stops me before I do. "Why thissong?"
“When I was applying to law firms, this was kind of my motivation song. They talk about people doubting them being able to make it in the music world, because a million people can sing. I don't know. It pushed me forward. Someone has to do it, so why notme?"
"Hmm, I like. Okay, I'm readynow."
The song starts with a heavy rock guitar playing which causes her to raise her eyebrows so I squint my eyes, silently telling her to give it achance.
When the chorus comes on, I sing along, emphasizing the parts that drove me tosuccess.
When it's over, she nods. "I call that round a tie.Agreed?"
"Yes. What'snext?"
She scrolls through her playlist and stops on Brad Paisley. "So this one doesn't have a crazy story to go with it, but I think it's really cool how he's married to the chick fromFather of the Bride. I love her so in turn I envision this song about her. It's calledThen."
She hits play and we listen to the sappiest country song about how he thought he loved her then and how his love grows everyday.
Her head falls back against the couch, singing the song but only barely moving her lips, in a trance over the words coming from herspeaker.
I can't peel my eyes from her. For the first time in my life I understand a sappy country song. The words explain my feelings growing for this girl before me, the person I never thought I'd be sittingwith.
When the song ends, she turns her head to face me but keeps it lying back against the couch. Her eyes open to catch mestaring.
"No comment." I pretend I don't like the song instead of telling her what I'm trulyfeeling.
She lets out a sigh. "Fine, do me onebetter."
I pull up my next choice before she changes her mind. "It's calledLife is Beautifulby Sixx: A.M. It doesn't need an explanation, justlisten."
"What is it with thesenames?"
"I actually know this one. It's Nikki Sixx's new band. Look how it's spelt”—I show her my phone—“that's why, and A.M. are the initials for the other bandmembers."
"Finally, he's able to spit knowledge about a band he likes," sheteases.
I start the heavy rock song and pretend to play the beginning drumbeat. The song is all about living, feeling alive and seeing that life truly isbeautiful.
I pretend to be her and close my eyes at the ending chorus, rocking out to the lyrics and letting them wash over me. When I open them I see her staring at me with her eyes wellingup.
She quickly blinks them away, coping my previous words. "No comment, so it's adraw."
After scrolling again she stops at someone named Maren Morris. "You know I wasn't raised religious so this song really spoke to me. I've had people try to explain the feeling they get when the Holy Ghost touches them. Even though I've never felt it, from what they explain that's the feeling I get when I listen to music. This song isMy Church. You'll think it's a religious song but listen to thelyrics."
She's right, the lyrics explain exactly what she said and I completely agree with her. Music is my churchtoo.
