Mylo felt very nervous. He'd admit he always was, yet this differed from other situations.
The girl's vacant eyes met his as he glanced at her. His head swiftly lowered back once again. Once he had arrived, Mr. Stargate sent him to his practice room, and there she was, and he just left. This left him in a very awkward situation.
'Okay, what am I supposed to do now? Introduce myself? But she might have already known my name from Mr. Stargate, so do I...' his thought spiraled.
Cali tapped the table, her gaze impatient as she spoke. "Are we going to start, or should I wait for you to get your shit together?"
Mylo snapped out of his spiraling thoughts. He rubbed his head apologetically. "O... oh, sorry. Start, sure, let's start, so we, uh..."
A tired groan escaped her lips as she massaged her temples. "Can you stop yapping? It's getting annoying."
Pausing, he apologized. "Oh, sorry-- "
"Bloody hell, can you stop apologizing?"
About to apologize, Mylo composed held himself as he stuttered out. "R—right."
He closed his eyes as he took a breath to focus. 'C'mon Mylo, you've probably already failed at interacting with a girl, but let's try to focus back on the objective.' he thought.
Opening his eyes, he stared back at the girl, less nervous than before. "O...okay, let's brainstorm some ideas," he suggested.
Cali's eyes narrowed. "I'm not singing a...romance song," she grumbled through gritted teeth.
Mylo ignored the wince in his chest as he whiffled his head. "I...it doesn't have to be about the way you're thinking." Seeing as she kept quiet, he continued. "Remember, his words were, 'a song about romance, love, and anything related' So the topic mustn't be about the conventional romantic songs."
Cali nodded. "So if not that, then what?"
Mylo leaned forward, his hands clasped, a habit when he was in thought. "I'm thinking we sing about the topic of love."
Her eyebrows raised. "Love, ain't that the same thing?"
Mylo nodded, "Yes, there are similarities, but the subject would be about the concept of love. What it entails, it's lows, its highs, the pain it brings, and of course the joy."
Cali sat in thought, though skeptical about it, it was better than the former gimmick. "Sure, we'll go with that then."
He breathed a sigh of relief; he was nervous she would disagree with the idea. This was a first for him, planning songs with someone, so he was quite glad she had agreed to it.
With the framework formed, although still awkward and hesitant, the two worked on the song.
***
[4 hours late]
Mylo stretched as he stared at the clock on the far wall. 4:00pm. "It's getting late; let's call it a day."
Nodding in agreement, she stood up. Sitting in the same chair for four hours left her sore, but she had endured worse. Looking down at the notes there had written, it was a few lines, but it was progress enough.
Walking out of the building, the two noted there were the only ones left, bar a few workers.
Mylo turned to Cali to say goodbye, but was cut off as a piece of paper was shoved into his hands. before he could ask what it is, she spoke
"Meet me there tomorrow in the morning, and don't be late." she walked away
"H...huh, wait, what?" he stammered out, but she had already left his sight, leaving the boy more confused.
Staring down at it, it was an address as she said. 'Hmm, why does she want to meet here,' he thought before tucking it in his pocket as he went back home.
***
Mylo stepped through his front door, his body tired and begging to lay on his comfortable bed. But of course he couldn't, he had to study. 'Need to finish textbook 1 today, then ill see if i can add a little sleep after. but text book 2...' he sighed, feeling a headache welling up.
A voice stopped him just before he could reach the stairs, 'he's back!' Mylo thought with widened eyes as he turned towards the source of the voice--his father sitting in the living room, looking over some documents.
Quickly straightening his back, he greeted. "U...uhm hello father, sorry I...I didn't see you there, how was your day?."
Darius eyes fixed on his work as he casually asked. "Where have you been Mylo." he asked, ignoring the greeting.
Gulping, Mylo quickly thought of an excuse. "I...I was at the library father. just doing some extra studying for the exams.
Darius nodded, eyes glanced at Mylo momentarily. "See to it that it continues. Your exams are of otmost important, failure is not an option." He glanced back to his work as he waved him off, "Now off to your room."
Swiftly turning, he walked up the stairs to his room.
***
Plopping unto his bed, Mylo sat in silence. He sighed as he ran a tired hand through his hair. "I'll need to be more careful, that excuse wont work the next time."
His eyes fell on an open box with various items inside, but a glint was what Mylo was focused on.
Grabbing it, a small smile marred his face. "This would work." he mumbled, before gently placing it back down.
Groaning, he got up as he shuffled to his desk to read.
***
After school, Mylo quickly rushed out. his mind frantic as he looked down at the address. 'I forgot to tell her i had exams?' he thought as he made way through the not-so-friendly street.
Keeping his head down, Mylo asked around until he finally found the place.
An old abandoned warehouse stood in front of him. It wasn't too big, only about two stories. Broken windows, and walls with cracks littered all over it. the ground surrounding it was like a dumping site, broken bottles, dirt, and waste. Mylo had to clench his nose as he thought, 'Why would she want to meet here?'
Entering in, Mylo spotted Cali with her guitar on a small ledge.
Cali glanced down, spotting Mylo, she stopped strumming her guitar. Gently setting it aside, she held her head warmer a she jumped down the small ledge.
Mylo's eyes widened at the sudden action, not expecting her to do so. but breathed a sigh of relief as she landed on a small heap of boxes
"You're late." she said.
"S...sorry, I forgot to tell you yesterday that i had exams this morning."
"On a Sunday," she raised an eyebrow.
Mylo nodded, expecting such reply. There just had to schedule his exam today, o yesterday he hadn't gotten enough sleep, but he pushed through.
"And it was my first time here and the street wasn't so friendly." Realizing what he said, he stuttered out an apology. "O...oh, I'm sorry for..."
Cali waved him off, "No, this place is a shit place anyway. And what did I say about apologizing."
"O...oh sorry, I mean, Umm..."
Sighing, she turned back towards the ledge. "Let begin already."
Mylo quickly followed her up. The place wasn't a barren as he thought. A small rug laid in front of them with two worn out bean bags. Her guitar gently placed on one of them, with the walls holding various music posters.
Unable to hold his curiosity, he asked. "U...um, so why did you want to meet here again?"
Cali plopped down on the empty bean bag, she gently grabbed her guitar, gesturing for him to sit on the other bag. "Didn't want to practice there, and don't feel like being near other people." she answered.
"Oh." he gently sat on the bag but soon coughed up as dust was blown up.
Cali chuckled at the sight.
"H...Hey." Mylo rolled his eyes, though a small chuckle escaped his lips.
Removing his music book, he said. "So lets continue then."
Cali shifted forward, "So what part we working on."
His hands clasped as he leaned forward, "We already worked on the blooming of love yesterday, so I was thinking we now work on the ups and down."
Nodding, she replied. "Sure then."
So the two begun to work on the second part, and just like that 1 hour passed.
Mylo furrowed his eyebrows at the book, his gaze unsure.
Cali noticed his expression and asked. "You wanna take a shit or something?"
"Huh? N...no." he blushed at the accusation.
"Then why's your face like that?"
Mylo sighed, "Something feels missing." he said unsure.
"Missing?" Cali titled her head questionably, "What could feel missing?"
"Hmm, it still doesn't feel alive as music should be. It should be speaking to the audience about love, there should really feel the song." he explained his thoughts.
"Hmm, so you want your audience to feel the song?"
He shook his head, "Not just feeling at the surface level, but on a much deeper. I want them to connect to it, really know the song is for them."
Cali leaned back, nodded in understanding. "So you want them addicted to your song?"
Mylo chuckled at the analogy, "Maybe?"
Cali felt a small smile on her face before quickly hiding it. "So for the song to feel alive, it should be from the heart."
"Yeah." He shifted forward, writing it down. "Now to make it feel alive..." he hesitated.
Noticing, she asked. "Hmm, spit it out."
"W...well, i was thinking of p...personal experiences, there might enhance it more." he quickly shook his hands in front of him, "B...but only if you're willing to share, we don't even have to share it, it can jut be general experiences.
Cali's hair fell over her eyes, her body shivering slightly. She gritted her teeth to stop herself from showing weakness. "No..."
"But, we don't have-"
"I said no dammit." she snapped, her eyes moistening with tears.
Mylo saw this and immediately regretted, he opened his mouth to apologize but she shot out of her seat, her guitar hanged around her neck.
"You can go home, we'll think of something else tomorrow." she said briefly, walking past him.
"Cali wait..." but she was already gone.
Sighing, he berated himself. "Dammit, why did I even suggest that in the first place." and there were just starting to get along, he just hoped he could apologize the next time there met again. Hopefully.