Dressed in only his boxers, Micha gets his guitar from the closet and sits down at the foot of the bed. Holding the guitar his lap, he wraps his long arms around it, and then plucks at the strings. “You know, I’m sort of nervous.” His eyes skim over my body as I relax against the wall with only a sheet draped over my naked body. “I never in a million years imagined you’d be naked when I played you this.”

I can’t help but smile as I fluff up a pillow and lean against it. “You know, I’m not going to even be surprised if somewhere in your song you talk about me being naked.”

“No way.” He lowers his head, his blond hair hanging down into his aqua eyes as he positions the guitar. “This song was not about my horny feelings for you. Only about my love.” He peers up, grinning, but it’s underlined with nervousness.

I roll my eyes, but my stomach flutters. “So sappy.”

He wiggles his eyebrows at me and then he grows silent, holding his breath. “Are you ready for this, Ella May? Because it’s super intense.”

I nod excitedly. “Bring on the intensity.”

His fingers start moving gracefully across the strings, and everything around me, the room, my thoughts, my body blurs away into something that I never thought I could be. When he sings the first few lyrics, the soft, melodious sound of his voice blankets me and I float away to a place of memories linked to emotions that connect his soul to mine.

I see you standing inside the crowd, heart hidden inside, drowning in pain, no way to get out.

The pain stabs at my heart, bleeds inside me, because if you’d just let me, I’d take all the pain away.

You think no one needs you. That you don’t deserve anything else, so you let yourself drown.

But I sink with you, refusing to let go. I want to take away the pain and let it bleed into my soul.

He starts to pluck the strings with more passion, the volume increasing as he closes his eyes, his voice intensifying as he reaches the chorus.

Know that no matter what happens

through the hurt, the sadness, the burning ache inside my chest

I’ll always be with you, inside and out.

Through hard times and helpless ones, through love, through doubt

My heart is yours forever. I’ll never let go. I’ll never let you sink.

I’ll carry your pain for you if you just let me.

He pauses as he plays a few more intense notes and then opens his lips again.

The way I feel about you burns deep inside my chest, feelings I hold in, but desperately want to let out.

It hurts every time I’m around you, hoping things will change, that somehow I’ll find a way to save you,