* X x * x * x * Chapter 33 * x * x * x X*
Z finished playing Clair de Lune and couldn't help but feel nostalgic. Her eyes are almost brimming with tears from reminiscing about her mom playing this piece all over again and again. She has been hearing the same tune ever as far as she could remember.
She felt someone hug her from behind. It was Kaye.
Zach didn't understand why she hugged her, but it felt so nice and comfortable. The sadness slowly fades back to the shadows where it always has been.
Jeremy watched with bulging eyes, holding his breath.
'I'm a potato, I'm a potato, I'm not here.' his gaze shifting back and forth between Zach and Kaye. 'Well, this is awkward. What're you hugging her for, girl?'
Jeremy swiftly closed his when he saw Kaye was about to release Zach from her spoon, repeating his mantra: 'I'm just a couch. I'm just a couch. Yep, nothing but a couch.'
"I-I'm sorry, I-I couldn't help myself. That—that was really something." Kaye stuttered and cleared her throat. She doesn't have any idea why she'd run to Zach like that.
"I-It's okay. I liked it." Z's eyes not leaving the piano while K blushed. "—I mean, I'm glad you liked it."
Kaye turned to Jeremy and she sees one of his eyes squinting open. "I know you saw that, J. Stop being silly about it."
J chuckled. "I thought I was on Netflix, to be honest."
"So, do you play the piano too?" Kaye asked Jeremy to shift the mood.
"A little bit but I play that guitar beside it more. Pianos are for the geek while guitars are for the slick." Jeremy smirked.
"You don't say," Kaye said in disgust. "Mind pleasing us with your slicked playing?" She giggled.
"Now that you asked me, I can't possibly turn you down, amirite, Z?" J chuckled.
Jeremy stood up to get his guitar and tuned it as he sat back down.
Ethan and Amelia came back with groceries in hand.
"Great timing!" Jeremy spread his arms open as he saw his parents enter the room.
"Oh, what did we miss?" Amelia asked as they settled down in the sitting room.
"Z just played Clair de Lune," Jeremy told them as he now tuned the lower E string.
"Ohhh…" Amelia looks at Zach tenderly while the latter just smiles in response.
"Sate, sate, sate, let's play more for our esteemed guest."
Jeremy tried to reach for the other guitar to hand it to Ethan but stopped mid-way and said, "Nah, you take the Cajon."
Then he handed Zach the bass which she then plugged into the amplifier.
"Alrighty! Now, girl, do you listen to the best band of all time, The Beatles?" J with his outer brow raised. A smirk never leaves his handsome face.
"Not really, The Beatles are overrated in my opinion." Kaye nonchalantly stated. "But I know quite a number of their songs."
She doesn't just know a number. She might be familiar with all of them. Oliver is a big fan of The Beatles and there was a long point in time when Oliver won't play anything other than The Beatles.
Kaye earned a gasp from everyone. Amelia laughed merrily, nodding, while Jeremy and Ethan had their jaws dropped to the floor.
"Excuse you!?" J let out a howl of derision. "I can understand Mum because she loves salsa but—"
"Sorry, that was an unpopular opinion." Kaye couldn't help but giggle at their reactions.
Zach just shook her head and smiled. 'That's my girl. lol'
"Well, never mind this uncultured swine, I think we can all agree that their greatest song ever would be…" J trailed off and looked around waiting for everyone's answer to which they all said simultaneously,
"While my guitar gently weeps." Jeremy raised his hand.
"All my Loving," Ethan said calmly.
"Till there was you?" Amelia shrugged.
"Something." Z raised her chin.
"What?! While my guitar gently weeps is the greatest ever," He tells everyone and added, "...and Má, Till There Was You was a cover."
Amelia stated, "That doesn't count? Let's see, uhm… okay, how about, Across The Universe."
Z argued, "Across the Universe is a really good one but Something says otherwise. Paul and John would agree with me."
"All My Loving has one of the most interesting rhythms. John's triplets were amazing." Ethan argued with them as well.
'This is why Beatlemania annoys me.' Kaye thought. She didn't try to butt in the conversation and just simply admired their bickering.
"Ugh, I hate this." Jeremy turned to Kaye.
"Did you like any of their songs in particular?" He gave up talking to them.
"Well, I wanna say… I enjoyed listening to Ticket to Ride?" She tried to think of one but this is the first one to come up.
Personally, she liked Something better and she knows she gotta think of anything other than that.
As soon as she said the title, Jeremy started plucking the strings of his guitar and played the intro for Ticket to Ride. followed by the bass and the Cajon.
[Think I'm gonna be sad…] Jeremy sang the main vocals while Ethan backed him up.
Kaye smiled all throughout the song. She watched how Zach enjoyed playing. She's just amazed how she could play the bass too.
[...but she don't care!] They stopped the song after that.
Jeremy looked at her expecting a response which she gave.
She clapped at them and said, "That was… You guys were amazing!" She honestly enjoyed the song.
"'You guys were amazing'" J mimicked her in a funny way.
"Amazing my ass, you were so focused on Zach." Everyone chuckled at the fact that she blushed.
"Well, I couldn't help it, you know! I just always find it awesome when a girl is playing the bass. It looks way cooler!" She argued, causing Zach to smile inwardly and scratch her neck.
J rolled his eyes. "And for our next song for today, it's going to be the greatest song ever written…
"While my guitar gently weeps!" Jeremy exclaimed.
"All my Loving!" Ethan roared.
"Something!" Z simply said.
Everyone laughed once again.
"This debate about the best song will never end so let's go with my choice," Jeremy said.
Ethan picked the other guitar up shaking his head. Zach sighed, held the bass down with her left hand, and turned to the piano to play it with her right hand. After getting a comfortable position, she hit the A note consecutively and played the intro for the song then swiftly changed to play the bass.
[ I look at you all
See the love there that's sleeping
While my guitar gently weeps ]
Jeremy played the lead with passion while doing the same with the vocals.
He could actually sing is what's been stuck in Kaye's mind as she watched the three together with Amelia who sways her body head left and right.
[ …Still, my guitar gently weeps~. ]
Jeremy let the last strum ring before bowing.
*Slow claps*
Kaye pursed her lips while clapping. "Wow, I mean, wow! That was brilliant. I might just agree with you that it's the best song but I believe we have to hear you guys sing Something next."
"Well, that sucks because that's it for our mini-concert. I'll be up in my room and you guys can just call me for lunch!"
J chucked leaving Kaye disappointed. She wanted to hear Something because that's her favorite but she let it go since she wanted to hear Zach and not really Jeremy.
They spent the waiting time playing a game. They switched from NBA2K19 to Mortal Kombat.
"I didn't know that you play games!" Zach beamed at Kaye.
"Although I have just graduated, I'm an artist as well in case you are forgetting something. I either sit down to draw or play games." Kaye replied with the same enthusiasm as Zach.
"Alright, that's enough for you two. We'll be having lunch soon." Amelia called them from behind. She then called their housekeeper to fetch Jeremy from his room.