The Beats in Rift by Ker Dukey

sorry I left, Beats. I was in a bad place and it just kept getting darker. Please, let me take you to Jay’s. I want to buy you a new guitar. I want you to play again. Let the hurt go.”
    Her eyes gloss over and a tear drops to her cheek. It breaks my fucking heart to be the reason for her tears. She sniffs and then giggles at herself for being unladylike. “You’re right, I need to let go.”
    My stomach rolls at her words. Does she mean let go of the past or let go altogether?
     
    Once we get to Jay’s, her face lights up. She lets her finger glide over all the guitars hanging on the back wall. I reach up and pull down a black acoustic fender and take a stool from a set up drum kit.
     
    “She has unique colored eyes that can tell no lies,
    She has the perfect nose,
    Lips the color of a red rose,
    And I love her from her top to her toes.”
     
    She bursts into laughter. “I can’t believe you remember that.”
    I lower the guitar and smile back at her. “Hey, I wrote that in under a minute when you asked me if I loved you.”
    She’s smiling back at me, a hundred memories in her eyes. “You did.”
    I hand her the guitar. “Your turn. Do you remember your reply?”
    She bites her lip and shoos me from the stool then takes a seat. “Fine, but I’m beyond rusty nowadays.” She strums her hand down the strings.
     
    “I love when we touch,
    It can never be too much.
    The way your fingers brush my skin,
    You make me tingle from within.
    The feel from your lips, the stroke of your tongue,
    I’ll love you forever, you are my one.”
     
    I’m completely solidified. Hearing her sing our stupid little song that she made up on the spot the day we told each other we were in love is keeping me still. Her eyes bore into mine as she strums the last note and I just want to grab her up and run away with her. How could I have left her?
    “Well, fuck me sideways.” I turn to see Jay striding through the shop. He reaches his hand out and I gladly shake it. “Where have you been, man?”
    I shrug my shoulders and turn back to Beats. She seems lost in thought.
    Jay leans over me. “Shit, you’re both here. Come here, girl.” He pushes me aside and takes Beats by the hand, pulling her to her feet and kissing her cheek as he wraps her in hug. “You haven’t been here for way too long. We missed you.”
    A smile touches her lips. “I’m sorry. I haven’t played in a while.”
    “Well, that’s a crying shame because you kids had talent, you know? Drake’s band has been picked up by a record label.”
    “For real?” I ask, impressed. Drake always had talent.
    “Yeah, he’s leaving for New York next week. You should stop by and see him, he would love to see you guys. In fact, he’s coming into the shop later today.”
    “Well, we’re going for food but I want to buy Beats a guitar so we’ll pop back in a bit.”
     
    We go to a small bistro a couple of shops down from Jay’s. I place our order, ignoring the obvious flirting of the young waitress as she invades my personal space while placing my cutlery in front of me. Beats notices too and sniggers at me.
    “What’s funny?” I ask with a smirk.
    “Oh, nothing. I just find it funny that the waitress rubbed up and down you while giving you your fork.”
    “She has no shame. I’m here with another female and yet she still makes a play.”
    “Maybe I should come and pee around you. Mark my territory,” she says, raising an eyebrow.
    “You don’t need to go to those extremes. I know who I belong to.”
    She stiffens and then fidgets with her napkin. “So, your Mom and Drew huh?” I ask, to take the awkwardness away.
    “Yeah. It’s crazy. I never thought she would settle down and I never realized her and Drew ever had a thing. I kind of guessed when he took her in after she got evicted, and your Dad mentioned” Her head shakes like she’s clearing a memory a false smile sets in place “but marriage? I never saw it coming.”
    “So, what happened