Bestfriend With Benefits

A week ago, me and Tiere had a small fight regarding to her dark secret. However, it was just a misunderstanding after all, I know her very well. She won't do anything stupid that risks her whole life. 

I tilted my head, taking my headset off as I was waiting for my game to load, my eyes staring at the open balcony. I stood up about to close it, can smell an earthy scent permeate the air. People call it musky, fresh – generally pleasant. The smell that actually comes from the moistening of the ground. It is the moments before a rain event and I'm happy for it. I close the fiberglass door shut and turned the air –conditioner lower, heard my phone pinged at the same time which startled me. I lifted my phone, stare at the blank black phone screen waiting for the screen to turn back to normal and my computer screen a while after, checking the loading bar as it still filling slowly a little by little. 

"Babe, I'm on my way" a text from Tiere popped up.

DING DONG DING DONG DING DONG

I put my phone aside and walk towards the door. That's pretty quick.

"BABE!" she hugged me tight, she's in thick sweater today.

"Coming here by Go-Car?"

She nodded, "Yap"

"Eh, I bought you your favorite ice cream! See!"

She lifted a box of Baskin –Robbins ice cream. Tiere didn't forget every single thing about me. I remember that time, when I forced my mom to buy me one when I was 6, dropped my knees to the ground, insist until my mom agreed.

"Thanks" I smile.

"Come in" I step aside, and she took a step forward. I clicked the door lock and she's taking her shoes off, arranging them on the shoe rack.

"Help me with this" she said, lifting the box of ice cream.

I carry it and walk towards the kitchen, put it inside the fridge. "Do you want to take it now? The ice cream?" I reassure.

"No" she yelled, "I'm full" she continued.

"Okay" I replied, shut the fridge close.

She walks through the hallway looking for me inside my bedroom, throwing herself on the mattress "Hey, do you have mixer or a blender maybe?"

I paused my game, taking off my headset and tilted my head.

"Inside the closet, just pull out the handle behind the box, above my shoe -rack" I pointed straight to my closet. I remember my mom put it there before she left, I haven't touch the mixer since they moved, cause I don't need them yet in my kitchen, it must be still very new.

"Oh okay" she said as she rose from the bed and walking towards the closet. "I just realized it is very wide here" she added. I don't even need them actually, but my mom designed them for me, just in case if I get married, my future wife might need it more than me.

I put my headset back on my ears, gazing back to my computer screen, continue my games.

After 5 minutes, she appeared with a guitar on her hand.

I paused and turned my head. "Guitar? Yes?" I take my headset off. Tiere is no longer with sweater, she is wearing a black tank top right now, salty drops streaming from her forehead.

"Do you still play guitar?" she asked. "Or piano? Cause I noticed your piano in the living room"

I nod my head, "It's been a long time actually. I just play my piano recently".

"Oh.." she mumbled, and she take off the guitar's case. Pulling my dusty guitar out, haven't played them for ages.

"Tell me when you've done playing game" she noted, and walk away.

"Okay" I said, continue my game again.

A moment later, I finally stopped my game, gazing back at Tiere on my bed while she was playing with her phone.

"Done?" she tilted her head. She stood up and pulled my arms, bring me to the living room.

I nod, "Yes" I said, I look at my piano and guitar in turn, "Do you miss me playing my piano?" I give her a smile, since she hasn't heard me playing for years. I often play for her during high school.

"OF COURSE" she exclaimed, nodding in excitement.

I remember when I was 13. My mom hired a piano teacher to teach me the basic of piano until Advanced. First music instrument I played was guitar all by myself. So, I learned both musical instruments at the same time. When Tiere knew I played both piano and guitar, she took her father's guitar and learned by herself too. I bet she still plays guitar and Thai –boxing? I have never got the chance to ask her about the Thai –boxing stuff. I mean I was kind of curious, she used to have bruises all over her body after practicing, Tiere is the tough one.

"What song do you want to hear?"

Tiere took a long mumble, "nice one? Maybe? I forgot the title of the song I used to listen"

"By My Side –David Choi?"

"Ah you remember!"  

"Of course" I sniffed a smile, getting my fingers ready on the sticks, ensuring myself in a proper posture. Along the wood that lines the top of each key, curling black letters spell the song, perfect, and graceful. When I perform the stick a symphony flows from me, turns out I still remember how to play that song without looking at the paper. Tiere leaned her chin on the sofa facing me, watching my back. At some time I turned my head checking her, glad she enjoyed the music. Tiere always love this song since she heard it from the radio, and that was the reason why I practiced so hard, and never forget a note ever since. At some moment I stare at her, she was smiling in eyes closed which brings me peace. She gives me a lot of loving moments, which makes me hard to forget. I love being with her like this all the time, when she leaned her head on my shoulders, closing her eyes comfortably by my side. Sometimes I think this is all I want, cause she is the light, the sunshine of my world.

As the song ended, I turned my sitting position towards her, smiling. "Do you still like it?"

She sniffed a smile, "Do you practice every day?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "Not every day"

"I see.." her smile hasn't fade away, my heart melts when I see her nowadays, she is not as pretty as Caroline, not as perfect as Caroline but Tiere is someone special, sincere and faithful. Pretty doesn't always amazing, but amazing always pretty.

I slapped my hands on my laps and stood up, "So I challenge you" talked as I carry the guitar. "Can you still play my favorite song?"

"Do you want me to play a song with your expensive guitar?" she sneered. Well, yeah speaking of expensive guitar, it was my dad's gift.

"Are you trying to tease me again, Tiere?" I quirked an eyebrow. "Yes, maybe" she stood up and grabbed the guitar. I didn't see guitar in her apartment or maybe she was keeping them in some hidden place, I don't know. Does she still play guitar in her leisure time like she used to be?

She sits down and get ready with her proper posture, bend her head down as wisps of her hair falling from her ear. "I still love music and still have my dad's guitar" she played once, shaking her wrist, practice smooth up and down motions, then affixed the tuning pegs rotating it to tighten and slacken them, and the bridge, where they're fixed to the guitar's body. She holds the guitar correctly, playing the guitar by strumming about halfway between the sound hole and the bridge with her right hand and fretting the strings on the neck with her left hand. Tiere is a left handed person, but she plays right handed guitar very well, she's able to draw and write with her right hand too, but get more comfortable with her left hand.

"Chivalry is Dead – Trevor Wesley. Right? That was your favorite and mine too. Do you still like it?" she asked before she start.

I nodded my head, sitting on the sofa waiting for her to start with chin resting on my palm "Alright get ready" she inhales a breath and start playing. She still plays very well, her eyes looking down at the string while the other fingers busy pressing down the strings in the middle of the fret. My eyes locked on her face, and when she caught my glimpse, she smiles as it was a compliment to her. She plays as she smiles widely, shines brighter like a star in my heart. Instant chill down my spine, she's still a very good player. When she looked at me it's as if every ounce of my breath was taken from my lungs floating into the air like midnight breeze. Every time she kiss me it felt like the world stops, leaving just the two of us to wander the earth together. Every time she held my face between her hands it feels like she's untying all of my knots. I love holding her for eternity in the arms I've grown so accustomed to. Is this love? This feeling is so strange, she never leaves my mind, she's always there –mentally if not physically. It's overwhelming, yet makes me feel complete. It feels like I am in dangerous fire yet completely safe at the same time, feel as tough as she gave me peace. It feels as though my heart is dancing around my chest –and a hole filled by two women at the same time, I was never aware she was there, been filled inside to create dilemmas in my heart.

"Oh" she lifted her finger, "Do you remember our game song?"

"Yes? What game song?" I asked, I barely remember about our games stuff, because I play a lot of games every year. Tiere has a strong memory about her past.

"Here" she grabbed the guitar, this time she looks more delighted.

"Listen carefully" she reminds. I nod my head, "Waiting" as she starts shaking her wrist on the string, making a beautiful music as the opening. She stopped and fixed the tuning pegs again, starts playing the opening and the music turns out familiar. She cleared her throat and start singing, with her high unique –tone voice, she is actually a good singer.

"Set fire to your hair

Poke a stick at a grizzly bear

Eat medicine that's out of date

Use your private parts as Piranha bait"

Wait, too familiar.

"Dumb ways to die

So many dumb ways to die

Dumb ways to die-ie-ie

So many dumb ways to die"

I laughed as I heard the words "Dumb ways to die" cause it was really our childhood games. The song is actually nice to hear. I honestly love the song, besides the horrible lyrics.

"Remember right?" she smiles happily as she stopped playing.

"Yes, I remember that" I nod my head.

She puts the guitar aside. "So" she stood up, stretching her arms in the air.

"Wanna try oreo shake and ice cream by Tiere?"

"Are you sure?" I teased, about to criticize her.

She looked away and pouts, "Cih, fine. Made it for myself" and walked away.

"Hey! Make one for me"

She turned her head and pulled her tongue out "Eat the glass!"

I leaned my body on the sofa, at the same time my phone pinged. I stretch my arm and found Caroline's text popped up on my screen.

"Are we going to meet our lecturer today?"

OH! I FORGOT! SHIT!