Free Cold Comfort by Isobel Hart Page B

at school, and I was blown away to hear lyrics
that described the way I felt. It had given me hope that things could get
better, and I’d immediately spent the next week learning how to play it. I’d
never played it in front of anyone else, though. Hell, apart from the party the
previous weekend, I’d never played much in front of any audience besides Mr
Morgan and Emily. Once again I closed my eyes and allowed myself to fall into
the music.
    My voice rang out in the evening air, the
chatter around me quieting before I reached the middle of the first verse. I soared
easily into the chorus, the words now pouring from me like a prayer as I
allowed all my insecurities and loneliness to shade the music. I knew I was
baring my soul. I also knew I was doing it for Hardy. It was the only way I
could show him how I’d felt all those years. When I finished the last chorus
and strummed the final chords I finally opened my eyes. The applause was
instant and loud. The whole party seemed to have gathered round to listen, and
I couldn’t take in all the praise as they threw it at me. It was Hardy I looked
at. His gaze was on me, his face stunned, his eyes bright. When he saw me looking
he turned away, embarrassed. I thought I saw him lift a hand to brush something
from his cheek, and I wondered if I’d imagined it until I saw Clarissa scowl and
whisper angrily in his ear before she stood up and strode into the house.
    “That was great, Delilah,” Charles said,
pulling my attention away from Hardy and Clarissa. “Seriously, I think you
could be a professional singer if you wanted to.” He sounded genuinely excited,
as if he’d discovered me or something. It was a sweet thing to say, and I
smiled. ”Sing something else,” he pleaded as several others joined in.
    I looked over at Hardy again. He hadn’t
turned back to look at me since I’d seen him rub at his eyes. I wanted his
attention on me, especially now Clarissa had left. Without thinking I started
to play ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ by Simon and Garfunkel. It sounded better
with someone else on harmony, I knew, but I was singing it for a reason. It had
been our song. The one he had asked me to sing every day that summer. Whatever
else I sang, he’d always wanted that one. I’d convinced myself he’d thought the
words were about us, that he intended to be my bridge over troubled water. But then
he hadn’t come back, and I’d had to let the dream go.
    The lyrics were beautiful. For once I kept
my eyes open because I wanted to see what he did. As I’d hoped he would, his
face swung to mine the moment I began, his eyes raw with emotion. He held my
gaze as I sang about someone who would always protect, always support, always
be there. In the end it was too much, and he stood abruptly and walked away. I
watched as he vanished in the same direction as Clarissa while I sang the last
notes. Again the applause was instantaneous, but Hardy’s reaction had meant
more.
    “This is all getting a bit heavy,” Charles
said, with a quick glance in the direction Hardy had taken. I grabbed my water
and took a swig before starting the Carly Rae Jepsen song ‘Call Me Maybe’. It
had been a massive hit recently. Emily had insisted I learn it, although
personally I loathed it, and as the party joined in with the chorus I was glad
I had. No one could ever call it heavy, but given the massive grin on Charles’
face I worried he’d read more into the lyrics than I’d intended. When I
finished he leaned over while the crowd applauded and told me there was no way
he’d be losing my number. I smiled awkwardly and excused myself to go to the
bathroom, slipping off into the house.
    When I entered the hallway I could hear
shouting coming from somewhere within the house. It was hard not to listen,
although I felt guilty for doing it, as I stood there in the darkness. Not
guilty enough not to, though.
    “I can’t believe you’d humiliate me like this,”
I heard a girl say. It