I had a feeling I knew what.
I’d seen that look before, the one that offered a wild night before a morning of fucked up complications.
“Like I said to you before -- try living a normal life. Where do you live?”
She smiled. “I have a penthouse in Camden. Do you want to see it?”
“No. That’s not what I asked. Do you have any friends you can stay with? Maybe not in a place that cost more than seven figures?” I’d never seen the appeal of Camden Town if I was honest. I lived there as a twenty-year-old arrogant twat before deciding that it really was up its own arse.
“I have a friend who lives in a three bed in Clapham.”
“Does she have an electricity card?”
“What does that mean?”
I shook my head. “Never mind.” I left the piano and picked up my guitar. “I wrote another one for you. For it to work, you’ll need to learn the chords because it’s best if it’s acoustic.”
She nodded and shifted to the floor, sitting cross legged. I was pretty sure her jeans had more holes in them than denim and it was because she’d bought them that way rather than not having been able to afford new ones.
I gave it an eight bar intro before adding my vocals. Other than to myself, it was the first time I’d sang for anyone in months.
Roisin looked captivated as I carried on, singing lyrics about a person who had borrowed a heart. I knew damn well what the songs I’d written recently were influenced by: the blonde woman who had come into the room and stayed at the back, leaning against the wall and watching.
So many times as a kid I’d hated attention. The kid who was made to stand out in class because he was from a care home; the kid who’s behaviour record was known before he was at every school that couldn’t say no to a place; the kid who was talked about as if he wasn’t there.
It was when I started playing music that things changed.
I wasn’t the looked-after child anymore. People wanted to see me for me, not because they were paid to do a job. It was different and I relished it, like I was now, performing a song for a woman who was starting to mean something more than just the person I’d share building deeds with. And a marriage vow to get those deeds.
Sophie folded her arms, watching me with interest, but there was a smile there that she couldn’t hide.
I carried on with the song, words that I knew were written about her even if I didn’t want to admit it. I was aware of Roisin still being in the room, aware that she was harmonising even without really knowing the song.
Heart wrapped in ice
But designed to burn
You quit playing nice
Fearless, at war with love
Never show you care, never show your tears
We dance like lovers, whose love can’t start
You burn, you burn
You burn my melted heart
“That’s pretty good.” Sophie walked towards me, leaving her bag near the wall.
Roisin grinned. “Boy got skills.”
“I’d agree with that.” She slipped her hand onto my waist. I’d noticed how small her hands were compared to mine.
I put my free arm around her. “Not bad. You okay?”
She nodded. “I was in the area and thought I’d see if security would let me charm them to get through. It worked.”
