Pick Me Up

*Jaime’s POV*

For the first five minutes of the drive, Marley didn’t say anything. She didn’t ask what I was doing here nor did she ask where I was meant to be going in Sydney. She seemed to be lost in the music she was playing. Just from the song I could that she was into punk music. However I was bewildered by the fact that she enjoyed punk music yet did not recognise me. She was listening to a song by With Confidence, called Long Night, but it didn’t sound like the original song.

“Is this the original song?” I asked her, attempting to strike up conversation with her.

“No, it’s a cover, my cover actually. My friend is the one singing and I’m the one playing the piano” she smiled. I went on to tell her that it was a beautiful cover and that her piano playing was really quite graceful.

“I’m sorry I haven’t said much, I’m quite out of the social norm” she laughed, “but tell me about yourself Jaime, why are you heading to Sydney?”. She looked at me very curiously yet undoubtedly interested in what I had to say. I pondered for a moment.

“I am travelling with some friends of mine” I answered. “Why are you?”

“Ah well Australia is a beautiful place to travel, so I’ve heard” she replied. “I am driving to Sydney for work” she stopped. I looked at her to go on, but she didn’t seem to get my hint.

“What do you do for work?”

“Oh, I am employed as an assistant sound technician at a small arena. I mostly help out in small local concerts” she explained delightfully.

Whilst she spoke, I paid very close attention to her. Marley was quite gor- No Jaime! You just broke up with your girlfriend, you cannot have these thoughts about girls! Just stop! Although her winged eyeliner and smokey eye shadow contrasted nicely with the pastel blue waves that tucked beneath her beanie.

“Wow, that’s amazing!” I replied intrigued. She really had no idea did she...?

My thoughts were almost immediately answered when I heard one of our new songs play through her speakers. It was Bulls in the Bronx.

“Do you like punk music?” she asked. “You seem like you’d be into that sort of stuff”
I hesitated. “Yeah, I enjoy it. Pierce the Veil is a favourite band of mine” I smiled. Fuck Jaime, what are you doing...?

“Oh my god, finally someone who likes decent music!” she cheered. Marley then carried on singing along to the song. She has a stunning voice.

Our conversation dropped not long after that and Marley kept singing to herself with every song that played through. However, I could not stand the silence. I hate the fuck out of small talk but just something in me wanted to, no, needed to keep talking to her. There was something about her that kept me wanting more. I pondered for a while about what she meant earlier when she said she was ‘out of the social norm’. So I asked her.

“Oh, well, like you know the expression, ‘totally out of it’ being that you’re really not with something… like that, but socially. I am really not with the whole social connection… stuff “ she laughed.

“How does one, get out of the social norm, might I ask”

Smiling, she replied “Well in my case, its four years of never really having friends and living alone”. She laughed at her comment and so did I, thinking that she was joking, however when I looked at her for her to tell me the real reason, she looked at me funny. She was telling the truth.

“Oh dear god I’m sorry I said that. That’s something you didn’t need to know” she shied away. “See, out of the social norm…” she trailed off.

I tried to assure her that it was okay, and that I liked to have real conversations with people rather than small talk. But she drew herself in a bit more and tightened her grip on the steering wheel.

“I’m sorry if I said something wrong”

“No, no, it’s okay. I’m just not one to really detail my life or tell someone anything about me” she said softly, focusing on the road. “It’s just something I don’t normally do”. Her facial expression lead me to believe that she was questioning herself. Through peripheral vision I even saw her mouth the words 'what the fuck Marley'.

Just by looking at Marley I could tell that everything she’d said so far was true. I was beginning to wonder if she did have any friends at all? Has she really been alone for four years? Because four years is way too long to be lonely. Any second of being lonely is too long. She did mention that she lives alone. I began to think about all the possible reasons why a beautiful girl like Marley, who had gorgeous hair and a beautiful smile could be so alone and friendless, but she broke my train of thought.

“To be honest…” she began, thinking whether or not it was a good idea to finish her sentence, “besides my university lecturers and the lady I order coffee from every day, you’re the first person I’ve spoken to, socially, in weeks”

I was speechless, stopped in my tracks. Weeks? She hasn’t spoken to anyone in weeks? But fast enough, I was quick to save the moment. I had a light bulb moment.

“So, say for example, our interaction is a social event and I’m the first person you’ve spoken too, that kind of makes me your friend?” I hinted with a sly grin on my face. Marley instantly began to blush.

“Oh, I don’t know…”

“Nope, that’s it. I’m your new friend, Jaime aka American” I cheered.

Marley’s cheeks grew a bright pink, blood pouring in. She didn’t know how to handle the situation, or more than likely hearing someone say ‘I’m your friend”. But I knew it was the right thing to do, and I wasn’t saying that because I felt sorry for her, I said it because I think I actually want to get to know this girl much more and really become her friend.

“Okay” she answered, still smiling and blushing. “Friend”

Notes

So a tiny bit of insight into Marley. Jaime seems to be liking the mysteriousness of her.

Leave some comments and subscribe?