But I Do

"May I please come in?" she meekly asked, "I promise to be nice."

"Why?" I tersely asked, "You hate me worse than Shelly does."

"I was wrong about you; Michael," she began to softly cry, "And I came to apologize to you."

"Come on in," I gently replied, ushering her into the room, "Have a seat on the bed while I finish getting dressed," as all I had on was a pair of blue jeans.

"I'm really sorry for the way I've been acting toward you," Piper softly sniffled, "I really am."

"Why have you been so hateful and mean to me, Piper?" I honestly but nicely asked her, "What have I ever done to you for you to treat me the way you have?"

"Marcus Cole is my cousin," she said, "And now I know that he lied to me about you."

"Let me guess?" I pointedly inquired, "You were angry with me because Marcus got himself expelled from school, and then he probably told you that it was my fault, am I right?"

"Yes," she quietly answered, nodding her head and looking at the floor, "And I'm so sorry, Michael, can you ever forgive me?"

This was the first time that I'd ever been this close to her, and to tell the truth, she was even more beautiful than I had originally thought. Her eyes automatically drew me in, making me surrender myself to her totally and fully; but even then, I was still a little peeved with her. However, because she came in peace, I tried to act accordingly.

"There's really nothing to forgive, Piper," I smiled, "You were just taking up for your family, and even though you were lied to, I guess I can understand that."

"Marcus said that you savagely attacked him," she replied, "But after what I saw earlier, plus the way you've always acted ever since I first found out who you were, I've come to realize that there probably isn't a savage bone in your body."

"Marcus attacked me first," I plainly told her, "I was acting in self defense, Piper, I swear."

"I believe you," she told me, "And to tell the truth, Marcus has always been the problem child of the family."

"Look, why don't we start over," I suddenly smiled, "What do you think?"

"I'd really like that," she softly replied, now staring deeply into my eyes, which made my legs turn to jelly.

"Okay then; hi," I grinned, extending my hand in friendship, "My name is Michael Pennington, and I'm a keyboard player, with a major in Piano and Voice, and a minor in English."

"Hi, Michael," she smiled, also shaking my hand while almost taking my breath away, "My name is Piper Henderson, and I'm majoring in Music, with a minor in Dance...Oh," she cutely giggled, "And I play Sax, too."

"It's nice to meet you, Piper," I gently replied, "I was going to go get something to eat. Would you care to join me?"

"Really," she wistfully asked, "You don't mind?"

"Of course not," I grinned, "Why would I?"

"You know what?" she asked, her smile lighting up the room.

"No," I replied, "What?"

Then she leaned over and quickly but lightly kissed me on the lips and said, "You're a pretty neat guy."

"I don't know about that," I chuckled, extending my hand to her, "But I know a great place that serves the best barbecue you've ever eaten. Would you allow me to buy your lunch?"

"That's very nice of you to offer," she smiled, "But you really don't have to do that ya know."

"I know," I grinned, "But I want to so; please, allow me this one favor, okay?"

"Okay," she began to smile, "Just this once then."

"Good," I smiled, reaching my hand out to her, "If you'll come with me, please," and then she took my hand and off we went.

~~~~~~

Chapter Two

"Wow, Michael," Piper said, as we ate, "This is really good barbecue. I never knew this place existed."

"It's good, isn't it?" I grinned, "I found this place when my high school choir did a show near here while I was a senior. So, I've been coming here ever since."

"I'm glad you shared it with me," she smiled, "Oh, and speaking of choir, when do I get to hear you sing?"

"I don't know," I replied, my face blushing, "You don't really want to hear me sing, do you?"

"I sure do," she teased, "You did get a piano and voice scholarship, didn't you?"

"Okay," I laughed, "I'll sing for you when we get back to my dorm room, okay?"

"Okay," she sweetly replied looking at me with sparkling eyes, "Besides; I've heard that you sing really well."

"Is that right?" I teased, "Well, it sounds to me like somebody lied their ass off."

~~~~~~

When we got back to my dorm room, Piper immediately took a seat on my bed and said, "When are you going to sing for me, Michael?"

"Right now," I grinned, picking up my guitar, "I hope you like it."

And then I began to do the intro for the song "Diary" by the group "Bread", which was a popular band during that time. I played and sang with my whole heart, and when I was finished, I heard, as well as saw, Piper sniffling, with tears pouring down her God given beautiful face.

"Are you alright?" I asked her, "I didn't mean to upset you, or make you cry."

"I'm not crying because I'm upset, Michael," she sniffled, "I'm crying because I feel so ashamed of myself for being angry with you before I found out what a wonderful guy you are."

"Please don't cry," I told her, setting my guitar down and sitting next to her on my bed, "I thought we got past all of that before we went out to eat."

Then she threw her arms around my neck and began to cry into my chest for reasons I didn't understand at the time. But, I held her anyway and let her get whatever was bothering her out of her system.

Piper cried for another ten minutes, or so until, raising her face to look into my eyes, she leaned over and very sweetly kissed my lips, holding her own lips softly against mine with her eyes closed. And in the next few seconds, I felt her tongue tenderly snake its way into my mouth, softly dancing with my own. As we began to kiss deeper, it felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be, and I'll tell you now, it was the sweetest sensation I'd ever experienced at the time.

When the kiss ended, she leaned back away from me, slightly out of breath and quietly said, "If I live to be a hundred, I'll never regret kissing you just now."

"I hope not," I gently replied, "Would it be alright with you if I want to kiss you again, Piper?"

"Yes it would," she sweetly smiled, and then paused for effect, "So...what's stopping you?"

"Nothing," I grinned, and then leaned back into her, this time kissing her with our arms firmly wrapped around each other, holding onto one another as if our lives depended on it.

"Oh, my God," Piper seductively groaned, once we finished kissing again, "I've never kissed a guy that made me feel like I do right now."

"So, what're you saying?" I stupidly asked.

"I'm saying this," she told me, laying her head on my shoulder, "I think that maybe I could fall for you, Michael."

"I wouldn't mind that at all," I smiled, "But would you care if we took things slow?"

"Oh, my God," she sweetly purred, tenderly hugging me, "Are you kidding me? Of course we can...we can take it as slow as you want to."

"Does this mean that we're dating now?" I hopefully asked.

"Only if you want it to," she carefully replied, "I don't want to push you into doing anything that you don't want to do, sweetie."

"I think you're beautiful, Piper," I suddenly blurted out, "I have since the very first time I ever saw you."

"I'm glad," Piper smiled, softly caressing my cheek with the palm of her hand, "Besides, a girl always wants her boyfriend to think she's pretty."

"I only hope that you find me just as attractive as I find you," I replied smiling, "Especially now that you're my girlfriend."

Then I remembered something very important, and in doing so, I looked at her and cautiously asked, "I sure hope that your cousin, Marcus, doesn't give you any grief about dating me."

"You leave Marcus to me," she smiled, "All I have to do is tell his father what a lying asshole that his son is, and that will take care of everything...I promise you, baby."

"Oh," I teased, placing my arms around her waist and pulling her to me, "So, it's baby now, huh?"

"And why not?" she giggled, wrapping her arms around my neck, suddenly moving to sit in my lap and kiss my cheek, "I think it's appropriate now that we're dating, don't you?"

"I guess so," I chuckled, kissing her lips, "I still can't believe it though."

"You can't believe what?" Piper suddenly asked, apprehension clearly written all over her face, "Please, Michael, tell me what you're talking about."

"I can't believe that a girl as beautiful as you are would want to date a guy like me," I dejectedly told her, "I mean, when I was younger, all of the girls who were pretty like you, well, let's just say that they always went for the jock types and not guys like me."

"And what's wrong with you?" she crossly asked, taking her hand and holding my chin so as to make me look at her, as she irately continued, "You listen to me, Mister Michael Pennington, and you listen well. Even when I was mad at you because of the lies that my cousin, Marcus, told me, I still thought that you were one of the best looking, most handsome guys that I'd ever seen; and if I ever hear you say something like that again...I'm going to wash your mouth out with soap. Do you understand me?"

By this time I was grinning from ear-to-ear, and in doing so, I simply chuckled and said, "Yes, ma'am," and then I leaned over and softly kissed her sweet lips, telling her, "Has anyone ever told you that you're even more beautiful when you're pissed off?"

"Oh, shut up," she smiled, playfully slapping my chest, "Has anyone ever told you what an aggravating shit you can be?"

"Yes, they have," I laughed, "Just now."

~~~~~~

I had a creative writing class later that afternoon, but I couldn't concentrate on anything the professor said. My mind was totally filled with sweet thoughts of my beautiful Piper, as well as what the future held for us, leaving me barely being able to wait until I could hold her in my arms again.

~~~~~~

I knew that Piper had a dance class that night, and I probably wasn't going to get to see her until the next day. So, with that in mind I sat down at my keyboards and began to play. I wasn't planning on writing anything in particular; as a matter of fact that was the last thing on my mind. However, the moment I thought of my beautiful Piper, as well as all of the wonderful feelings that those thoughts had evoked within me, my hands began to flow over my keyboards like a raging river after a strong rain.

And once I had the melody concreted in my mind, I picked up a pencil and a notepad and then wrote the lyrics to what eventually became something more beautiful that anything I ever thought possible.

I played it through several times before I called a friend of mine, who ran the recording studio there on campus and asked him to come to my dorm room to hear something more special and beautiful than anything he'd ever seen and/or heard. Of course, needless to say, he made his way to my place post haste.

~~~~~~

"Holy shit, Mike," Jason Kenner said, once he'd heard my new song, "We've gotta get this on tape, man; and we gotta do it as soon as possible."

"That's why I called you," I told him, "Is the studio available tonight?"

"It sure is," he conspiratorially grinned, "How soon can you have your gear over there?"

"Fairly quick," I knowingly chuckled, "Especially if you help me move it."

"Is that all?" he laughed, "Shit, dude, consider it done then."

~~~~~~

Once we moved my gear and had it set up in the studio, Jason called in a drummer named Donny Stevens, and a bass player named Gary Shepard to help us record. I played all of the piano and keyboard tracks while Donny and Gary played their respective parts, and then once we had the basic tracks down, I made sure that I gave them fifty bucks a piece for their help.

"Damn, Mike," Donny laughed, "You didn't have to do this, brother."

"He's right," Gary added, "We would've done it for nothing."

"Maybe so," I grinned, "But I feel better about it because you went to all this trouble for me."

"Well, thanks then," Donny smiled, "I really appreciate it."

"Me too," Gary chuckled, "But would it be cool if we stuck around to watch you add the vocals and guitar parts, Mike?"

"Sure," I told them grinning, "It's okay with me, as long as Jason doesn't mind."

"Hey, don't look at me," Jason laughed, "I'm just an engineer, you're the producer here."

"Alright then," I smiled, plugging my electric guitar in, "Get ready to roll tape, brother."

I laid both down both electric and acoustic tracks. I used the acoustic more or less as another background instrument. However, when the lead break came, I used the 1967 Fender Stratocaster™ that by brother-in-law, Tommy, had given me as a gift before I left for college, to lay down some killer lead tracks. I also, as well as on the first take, got the main vocal laid down, too, and I was very proud

I was going to have to wait until after choir class tomorrow afternoon to lay down the background vocal tracks; because there were these three girls that were in that same class with me whose help I was definitely going to need.

Not only were all three of them very good friends of mine, but they all three, had fantastic voices, and I wanted to capture them on tape...if they were willing to help me, that is. Little did I realize what lay in wait for me when we went back into the studio that next afternoon, though?

~~~~~~

"Hi, baby," Piper smiled, kissing me the next morning when we met for breakfast, "How was your night?"

"Lonely without you," I replied grinning, "But I still handled it."

"I know, baby, and I missed you, too," she sweetly replied hugging me, "Oh, you know that I've got dance class again tonight, right?"

"Yeah, I know," I glumly replied, trying not to make her suspicious, "Do you think you'll be able to come by my place when you're done?"

"It's funny you should mention that," she giggled, "I was going to ask you the same thing."

"Is that a fact?" I knowingly asked, "I guess it's a good thing that my scholarship provided me with a private room then, huh?"

"It sure is," she purred, reaching across the table and taking my hand, "My dance class is over at nine o'clock tonight. Is it alright if I spend the night with you tonight, baby?"

"Why are you even asking me that?" I chuckled, making her delightfully squeal, "You know it is, don't you?"

"Of course, I do," she giggled, lightly squeezing my hand, "I just wanted to hear you say it, Michael."

"It's all settled then," I smiled, "I'll see you at my place after your last class at what, nine-thirty tonight?"

"You sure will," she purred, "But we need to finish eating for now. Don't forget, we've got to deal with Shelly Oakes' mean ass today."

"Oh, no we don't," I laughed, "Doctor Phillips will be here today, and I'm gong to lodge a formal complaint against that bitch."

"Awww," Piper cooed, kissing my lips, "My hero."

~~~~~~

"She said what?" Dr. Phillips incredulously asked, after being informed of what Shelley Oakes had said the previous day in class.

"You heard correctly sir," I adamantly told him, the entire will class back me up, "She cussed us both like we were dogs."

"Take your seat, Mike," he calmly replied, "I'll deal with this later. In the mean time, Miss Henderson, if you'll let me have your saxophone, I can get it fixed and give you a loaner until I get it back."

"Thank you, Doctor Phillips," Piper replied, handing him her faulty saxophone, "Here you go."

And once Piper felt secure enough with her temporary instrument, we played all morning long, picking up where we left off the day before.

And after class was finished, Dr. Phillips took me aside and said, "Thank you for the way you acted around Shelley yesterday, Mike. I really appreciate it."

"No problem, Doc," I smiled, "Just because she was being a horse's butt didn't mean that I had to act the same way."

"That's right," he laughed, shaking my hand, "That's one of many of the reasons that I gave you a scholarship to come to study here."

"Yes, sir," I said, "And I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate it."

"You're good kid, Mike," he grinned, "And I don't know how I know this, but I expect to hear of you doing great things one day."

"Thank you, Doctor Phillips," I graciously replied, "That was very nice of you to say."

~~~~~~

I had an English class after my Contemporary Jazz Band class that morning, with a Creative Writing class after that; and it wasn't until a little after noon that I got to see Piper again.

"You know," she smiled; as we ate lunch together, "I'm so looking forward to spending the night with you tonight, Michael."

"Me, too," I knowingly smiled, "I can't wait until tonight either," and after taking her hand and looking into her beautiful blue eyes, I quietly told her, "All I ask is for you to remember what I said about wanting to take things slowly, okay?"

"Don't worry, sweetie," she softly replied, "I remember what you said, and I'm not in any hurry either."

"Have I ever told you how beautiful I think you are, Piper?"

"Yes," she giggled, "But don't let that stop you from telling me again."

"I think you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," I smiled, "And I don't ever want you to forget it either, okay?"

"Okay, baby," she purred, "And I think that you're the most handsome, not to mention the sweetest, guy that I've ever known, too."

"I've got a choir class here in a little while," I told her, "And then after that, I promised a friend of mine that I would help him out in the studio this evening while you're in dance class, but I'll be back home way before you get done."

"Alright sweetie," she smiled, preparing to go to her next class after we'd finished eating, "I'll see you tonight," and then she kissed me and walked away, with me watching her beautiful little ass until she disappeared from sight.

~~~~~~

My choir class that afternoon was one of my favorite classes, especially because of the three girls who I was going to ask to help me out with the studio project I'd started the night before. Their names were Jeannie Meyers, Patricia Jackson, and Rebekah "Becky" Rossburg.

Jeannie and Becky were, like me, Texas All-State Choir members; and because we were all three the same age, I already knew them from competition when the three of us were in high school, separate high schools mind you, but still the same grade. However, Patricia, being from Los Angeles, California, had been under vocal instruction since she was ten years old, and had a beautiful voice in her own right.

And when I approached them about doing the background vocals on the song, and all that I'd recorded thus far, they were more than happy to help me with whatever I needed. I liked these girls immensely and was very happy and proud to be able to call them my friends.

~~~~~~

After I'd introduced the girls to Jason, I had him play what had already been recorded. And when the song was finished, all three of the girls had tears practically pouring down their faces, because they liked it so much.

"Holy cow, Mike," Jeannie sniffled, "That was the most beautiful song I've ever heard."

"It sure is," Patricia knowingly smiled, "Who's the lucky girl?"

"What girl?" I asked, in total denial, "What do you mean?"

"Bullshit," Becky giggled, "No man writes music like that unless he's in love. Now, who is she?"

"I'm telling you," I adamantly replied, lying through my teeth, "I have no idea what you're talking about. This is just an idea that I came up with last night, I swear."

"We believe you, Mike," Patricia giggled, winking at Becky and Jeannie, "Right girls?"

"That's right," Jeannie teased, "Just tell us where you want us to come in, Mikey, and we'll make you sound great."