Andy stammered. He felt his face instantly get hot. \u201cSchool?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor music.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kelvin put a hand on Andy\u2019s shoulder. \u201cHe didn\u2019t go to school.\u201d<\/p>\n
Andy wanted to crawl under the table. Kelvin had just made it a hundred times worse. They were all going to be staring at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor anything?\u201d asked Juliet. \u201cDid you even graduate high school?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJuliet,\u201d said her father from the head of the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t play accompaniment with an amateur<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJuliet<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Andy said, \u201cNo, it\u2019s all right. I\u2026excuse me.\u201d Andy got up, placing his napkin from his lap onto the plate and left hte kitchen. He didn\u2019t go to the music room, but went out the front door.<\/p>\n He sat on the stairs. He knew it was going to happen. Now they all thought he was an idiot. They were now telling Kelvin that he wasn\u2019t worth it. He was stupid. Why go out with an idiot?<\/p>\n The door opened. Someone placed a jacket over his shoulders. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of cold out here, don\u2019t you think?\u201d said Mattie.<\/p>\n \u201cTh…thanks.\u201d Andy gathered the jacket together. \u201cYou must think I\u2019m stupid.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, my sister\u2019s the one who\u2019s stupid.\u201d Mattie sat down next to him. \u201cKelvin\u2019s ripping her a new one right now.\u201d He smiled. \u201cNever thought he\u2019d have it in him.\u201d<\/p>\n The door opened again, and Layla came out. She climbed over her father and stood in front of Andy. \u201cAndy? Andy, does this mean you won\u2019t play music for me to dance to?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf\u2026If you want me to. But I\u2019ll bet Juliet will be better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJuliet\u2019s a show off.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLayla,\u201d said Mattie. \u201cDon\u2019t go repeating what Nancy says when she\u2019s not here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want better. Her music is all fancy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, what song do you want me to play?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2019Let It Go\u2019 from Frozen.\u201d<\/p>\n Andy smiled. \u201cI can play that.\u201d<\/p>\n Layla\u2019s sad face instantly broke out into a wide, bright smile. She hugged Andy. \u201cWill you do it now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe can practice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYay!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll go get my guitar.\u201d<\/p>\n He got up, went inside, and heard slamming dishes. Kelvin came out of the kitchen, heading his way. \u201cAndy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou okay?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m getting my guitar. Me and Layla are going to practice outside.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t be silly,\u201d said Kelvin\u2019s dad. \u201cPractice in here. It\u2019s cold out there.\u201d<\/p>\n Andy peered around Kelvin. \u201cWhere\u2019s your sister?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPouting.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan you tell Layla to come back inside?\u00a0I\u2019ll get the guitar.\u201d<\/p>\n He went downstairs to the cellar and got the guitar, meeting them in the room with the grand piano. Mattie and Kelvin moved the couch against the wall, giving Layla plenty of room to \u201cpractice.\u201d She did some bends and stretches, while Andy tuned the guitar.<\/p>\n He started in with the opening chords of the song. Layla asked, \u201cCan you sing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t go as high as she can,\u201d he said, \u201cbut I can try.\u201d He stood still. \u201cReady whenever you are.\u201d<\/p>\n Layla took a standing position, hands above her head. \u201cNow.\u201d<\/p>\n He again played the opening chords, and Layla danced. She didn\u2019t quite dance in rhythm with the music, and he couldn\u2019t hold a pirouette, but she threw herself into the dance. Andy let himself flow into the song, noting that the family had stopped to gather around, watching both her and him. Even Juliet had come downstairs, and stood with her boyfriend, watching him, waiting for him to screw up.<\/p>\n He wasn\u2019t going to give her the chance to notice.<\/p>\n The song ended, and when Layla bowed, everyone clapped, including Juliet and her boyfriend. Andy smiled and bowed.<\/p>\n \u201cEncore!\u201d yelled Kelvin\u2019s father.<\/p>\n Layla looked at Andy. \u201cUm\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Andy smiled. \u201cI play, you dance as best you can, okay?\u201d When he finished, they applauded, looking at Andy. Layla even clapped.<\/p>\n Andy smiled, looking at Kelvin, who was grinning.<\/p>\n \u201cNicely done,\u201d said Juliet. \u201cWould you care to accompany me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know any classical music,\u201d Andy said, his face reddening.<\/p>\n \u201cCan you play \u2018Over the Hills and Far Away\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou play the electric guitar parts, and I\u2019ll play the acoustic guitar?\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded. She looked at Brian. Brian said, \u201cI\u2019ll sing, though I can\u2019t approach the gravelly voice of Mr. Plant.\u201d<\/p>\n Juliet sat down at the piano. At her count, he started the song. Her father started requesting protest songs. Andy and Juliet played Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, The Rolling Stones\u2026for over an hour, they played, and when finished, Juliet had to quit first. Andy outlasted them, playing a few other songs.<\/p>\n \u201cAnyone for pumpkin pie?\u201d asked Kelvin\u2019s mother.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd hot cocoa?\u201d asked Andy.<\/p>\n \u201cFor you,\u201d she said, \u201cI\u2019ll give you the recipe.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Andy stammered. He felt his face instantly get hot. \u201cSchool?\u201d he said. \u201cFor music.\u201d Kelvin put a hand on Andy\u2019s shoulder. \u201cHe didn\u2019t go to school.\u201d Andy wanted to crawl under the table. Kelvin had just made it a hundred times worse. They were all going to be staring at… Continue reading
\nSo he played his old standby, \u201cStairway to Heaven.\u201d She danced slow at first, and when he started picking up tempo, she danced a little more quickly, again out of sync. The family didn\u2019t notice her, but were watching Andy. Layla didn\u2019t finish the dance, stopping in the middle of the chorus, exhausted.<\/p>\n