Greya's POV....

There's a constant voice in my head causing me to worry about everything. It's the loudest voice in the room and it's all I can here as I sit in my classroom waiting for the professor to show up.

Lox went back to his childhood home where he spent most of his time being abused by the only father he knew. No one wants him remembering that. At the same time, he just wants his memories back so he knows who he is and where he came from. It makes sense, but God those horrible memories could hurt him more than he already has been. I worry about him, a lot.

I look up just as the professor enters the room and I'm completely surprised when I see Lox follow in after her. He looks exhausted and he's walking very slow, his left leg barely managing a full step at a time.

I pull out his chair for him as he takes a seat beside me. His lips curl up slightly as he steadies himself into his chair and leans his crutch against the table.

I'm a loss for words. I can't help looking him over. I want to give him a hug but the teacher begins talking.

A good ten minutes goes by. We haven't said a word to each other. I'm not sure what to ask him. There's so much I'd like to know about his little trip, but I don't want to upset him.

He suddenly leans close to my ear. "Are y...you upset w...with me?"

What? Here I am thinking I don't want to upset him.

"Of course not," I whisper back.

"Y...you knew where I...I w...went?"

"Not until I went to your place to pick you up. I texted Cohen after I talked to Liam."

"Sorry I w...wasn't there I...I should've t...told you." He sits back upright in his chair and stares at his notebook.

His left arm rests on his lap, his hand in a tight fist with his wrist bent inward. I slip my hand underneath his arm and rub my fingers into the muscles and tendons of his forearm and wrist. He looks over at me, his wary eyes show me how tired he is.

"You didn't get much sleep did you?" I feel his wrist relax and begin working my fingers into his hand, slowly prying open his fist.

"No, n...not much at a...all."

I'm finally able to link my fingers with his and hold his hand. He rewards me with a smile.

"Please tell me you're okay, B. I understand why you went and you can talk to me about it when you're ready. I just need to know you're okay?"

"I f...feel better s...sitting here w...with you."

That means he's not fine. Last night was difficult for him I'm sure.

Our teacher keeps glaring at us so Loxley turns to a blank page in his notebook and begins writing in it and then slides it towards me.

"I don't like being away from you. All I wanted to do after being in my old house was come back and see you."

He's going to make me cry in class. I feel the same way.

I can't write anything back or I will start crying. My anxiety makes me emotional and I've been anxious all morning. I wish we weren't in class right now.

I squeeze his hand and smile instead.

We're quiet the remainder of class. Our hands stay connected under our table and my thumb brushes lightly across his skin while I'm lost in my thoughts.

Suddenly I remember what my friend Adam made for him and I grab the notebook and write, "I have a surprise to show you if you're up for it?"

Our teacher announces class is over before Loxley can write back.

I turn my chair to face him while we wait for everyone else to exit the room. This time I take both his hands in mine. "Would you come to the music room with me? You can hold onto me while we walk there if it's easier."

He smiles and lowers his head; a shy gesture.

"Sure, I'll g...go."

We get up and throw our backpacks on and walk towards the door. His left hand does it's best to grab and hold my hand.

"I'm f...fine holding y...your hand w...walking."

"Wait, Lox," I step in front of him and give him a hug. My face against his chest, I breathe him in and feel his one arm hug me back.

I pull away and look up into his wonderful eyes. He's smiling at me again. I feel a lot better now.

"Thanks I needed that."

"M...me too."

We hold hands again and make the slow journey to the music room. Most of the walk is silent until he speaks first.

"Y...you can ask m...me."

Jeeze, where do I start? I'd rather be alone with him to ask the hard questions, and focus on making it to the music building without falling.

"Do you still have therapy this afternoon?"

He chuckles. "I s...switched it t...to tomorrow. But th...that's not what y...you want to ask m...me."

"It was a valid question. I was planning on accompanying you to therapy. I can still go with you tomorrow since my next game isn't til Friday."

"I'd l...like that."

He might want me to start the difficult conversation for him, but I don't want to push it. We have time.

We finally arrive at the room with the piano. Thankfully Adam already set up Lox's assistive device and showed me how to use it earlier.

"What's th...this?" Lox sits at the piano and looks at the contraption on his left side.

"I told my friend Adam you needed something to hold up your arm and allow you to play the piano. He made this in his robotics class and showed it to me this morning!"

"Really? H...he made th...this for me? Y...you asked h...him for th...this?"

I nod and smile, anxious for Loxley to try it out.

I sit down on the bench next to him and ask him for his left hand. Again, I massage and stretch his forearm, hand and fingers to get them ready for playing.

"Th...thanks, Love."

I help him slip his arm into the sling attached to the stand. "The stand rotates with your movements and the sling is attached to an adjustable weighted spring, so if you need the sling to hold all or some of your arm's weight, it automatically adjusts. It also swings forward and back, and side to side so you can reach all the keys."

"Amazing! I d...don't know h...how to th...thank both of y...you."

"Don't thank us yet until you try it and it works. How are your fingers and hand? Do you need me to stretch them more or anything?"

He shakes his head, "No Love, th...they feel o...okay right n...now."

I get up and move to sit on his right side so he can test out his new equipment, seeing how his fingers are able to reach the keys and he can focus on moving his hand without worrying about holding up his arm.

He plays a bunch of different notes with only his left hand. He looks happy with what Adam made.

"How do you like it?"

"It w...works great! I...I can't b...believe he c...can make something l...like this! How d...did he come up w...with the idea?"

"His sister has cerebral palsy and he went into the robotics field so he could invent things to make life easier for her."

"Thank y...you for asking h...him. Th...this means a l...lot to m...me." He leans over and kisses my cheek.

"Play something for me? Your music is so beautiful and calming, I think we both need to hear some of your magic right about now."

"Anything f...for y...you Love. What w...would you l...like me to p...play?"

"Surprise me."

His smile grows bigger, gifting me with the sight of his dimples. He's so attractive, if only he realized it.

Music fills the empty room. I don't recognize the song but the melody is sort of elegant and the chorus a burst of passion. Loxley has his eyes closed while he plays, his upper body moving in rhythm. Watching him is breathtaking.

The passion I hear in his song is something I can't describe. I feel so lucky being able to witness his talent. I wish everyone was lucky enough to have his music in their lives.

His eyes open and he smirks at me before busting out singing, "Love Like That" by Philip Philips.

"You're as perfect as you've ever been
In that sweater you've been livin' in
Can you see it?
'Cause I see it
Windows down, goin' 85
I look over and catch your eye
Can you feel it?
'Cause I feel it
There's a rush of blood when you go this fast
When you're up against it, I got your back
They say that good things just don't last
But I'll say this
Every little fork in the road
Never feel my hand letting go
If I did, you know I'm running back
You and me, we got a love like
Two names on a tree
Sure as every breath that you breathe
Every beat is like a heart attack
You and me, we got a love like that
Love like that
Like that one thing that won't ever change
When I lose my head, then you say my name
When I need it
Yeah, I need it
'Cause we got this thing that I can't describe
Like I fell for you in another life
And I'd fall again a thousand times
And I mean it, yeah, I mean it"

I have tears in my eyes as he sings this song that's meant for us. His voice is pure and clear and I'm completely in awe when he finishes.

He removes his arm from the sling and turns his body to face mine. His fingers wipe the tear rolling down my cheek and I'm blessed with his charming smile again.

"That l...last part w...was for y...you."

I let out a chuckle. "I figured that."

"You amaze me you know that?"

He bows his head with a shy smile.

"What was the first song you played? It was beautiful but I didn't recognize it."

"It w...was something I...I made up, w...was what I w..was feeling at th...the moment."

"Young man! That was extraordinary!"

We both turn around and the music professor I met earlier is walking into the room.

Lox tenses and I quickly place my hand on his thigh and smile at him, letting him know this lady means well.

"I'm professor Maria Phelps, you must be Loxley," she says as she nears us.

"Miss Matthews had told me about you and that you might be practicing here. Is this the new arm support? Seems like it works exactly as you need it to. You have some rare talent Loxley Madden."

"Th...thank y...you." He stutters more out of nervousness. No one else has heard him play before besides his mother and I. And now she's talking about his assistive device.

I keep my hand on his leg as a gesture of comfort. I'm not even sure what's going through his head as Professor Phelps continues talking.

"I once had a nineteen year old prodigy apply to my music program. He had an exceptional ability and could read and write his own music along with a unique singing voice. You remind me so much of him. He applied a little over three years ago but didn't end up coming and I never heard from him again. Such a shame. He was truly gifted."

My eyes almost pop out from my head and I quickly glance at him to see what he's thinking. He raises an eyebrow at me in question and all I can do is squeeze his leg again. We can talk about it later.

"You have an incredible gift too, young man. Who taught you to play like that?"

"My m...mom t...taught me t...to read m...music and p...play the p...piano when I...I was young. I t...taught m...myself the r...rest."

She rubs her chin with her fingers like she's thinking. Lox's hand reaches for mine and intertwines our fingers.

" That's quite an accomplishment, even with your...disability?"

I told her I had a very talented friend who needed a space to practice his music and that he required some assistance when playing. That's the extent of what she knows.

"I s....suffered a s...stroke. My l...left side is a...affected and m....my speech."

Wow, I'm impressed he's being open with her.

"Incredible you're able to sing though. I've read about stroke patients being able to sing yet conversational speech is a problem. Music is excellent therapy for stroke survivors." She walks over and examines his new assistive device for his arm.

"This worked well for you I see." She touches it and moves the pieces around.

"I d...didn't play all th...the chords. M...my fingers on th...this hand aren't f...fast enough." He lifts his hand slightly to show her.

"You would've fooled anyone with the way you compensated for the missing chords. Not many musicians would be able to do that like you just did."

She doesn't let him doubt himself for a second. I like her.

I squeeze his hand and smile at him. He is a wonder for sure.

"I'd like to work with you, offer you designated time in here and in the studio room. You'd have the rooms to yourself if that's what you prefer. How does three days per week sound? You can also use this room any other time it's available to practice."

He looks to me for advice. I'm grinning at him and that's all he needs to agree to the deal.

"Great! I'll see you tomorrow then around this time?"

He frowns and looks down towards his weak arm and leg for a second. "I h...have physical th...therapy tomorrow. I usually o...only h...have th...therapy on W...Wednesdays though."

"Okay. How about Friday then? And next week we can do Monday, Thursday, and Friday?"

He nods. "Y...yes that sh...should w...work. Thank y...you."

"My pleasure. Now I have a class to get to. I'll see you Friday then."

He nods at her again and she exits the room.

"I'm really proud of you Lox. This is a good thing!"

"I m...may as w...we'll give it a t...try," he shrugs.

"I'm th...the nineteen y...year old prodigy sh...she was talking about, a...aren't I?"

"Yes you are. You had just found out you were accepted to the program right before...that...night."

"Funny I...I ended up h...here anyway."

"I think Liam had something to do with that. He knew I was here and he knew you had wanted to come here too. I think he was hoping that I'd be able to help you even if you didn't remember who I was."

His right hand reaches up to cup my face. "You h...have helped m...me, more th...than you know. I m...meant those w...words I just sang." His thumb softly brushes under my eye.

"I pushed y...you away and k...kept you at a d...distance for all those y...years. I may n...not know why. M...maybe I th...thought I was p...protecting you from... my messed up h...home life. I r...realize now it w...was probably b...because I d...didn't feel I deserved y...you and I w...was protecting my own h...heart from b...being broken."

"You've b...been picking up th...the pieces and m...mending whatever's sh...shattered. I c...can't keep y...you away from m...me any longer. I w...want us t...to be t...together if y... you'll have th...these broken pieces of me and a...all."

I lean in and kiss him. He pulls me closer to him and deepens our kiss. When I pull back for air, I take his face into both my hands and we stare into each others eyes. A clash of the most intricate hues of green and blue like beautiful grassy fields under a summer blue sky. A perfect combination among two imperfect people.

"Those pieces tell a story. A story of bravery and survival, of love and sacrifice. You're perfectly imperfect and I love you in every way, Lox. We're two broken souls who mend each other."

"I'd l...like to t...talk about l...last night. Would y...you be able t...to bring me h...home and a...spend time with me b...before we g...go to Cohen's g...game."

"Absolutely. And Lox?"

"Y...yes, Love."

"I'm really happy you agreed to work with Professor Phelps."

"I am t...too. I h...have you t...to thank for th...this."

I only showed him the way. He's the one taking the chance and using his talent to glue his fractured pieces back together again.