Elaine's apartment was quiet aside from the soft sounds of the city drifting in from outside. Elaine was cocooned in the comfort of her bed until her alarm began beeping. She groaned, reaching out from under the comforter to hit snooze. When the beeping ceased, her arm fell limply off her bed. "Five more minutes…" Elaine murmured.
"No…" She groaned, "Be productive…"
Groggily, she tossed her comforter and sheet to the side and rolled out of the bed before she could go back to sleep. Oh, to be a morning person… What even is the time?
Squinting at her clock, it read 5:32 AM in bright white. She stood in silence, rethinking a few life choices, then stretched, wandering into her bathroom to get ready for the day.
She brushed her hair while scanning her wardrobe for a casual but comfortable outfit. She settled on a long-sleeved black blouse, a faintly oversized hoodie, and a pair of dark denim jeans to pair with her boots in the entryway.
She sat on the edge of her bed, opening her phone to send a message to Luca.
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{Elaine} (Text)
Good morning. Have you eaten yet?
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{Luca} (Text)
I'm barely awake.
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{Elaine} (Text)
So that's a no. Would you like breakfast?
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{Luca} (Text)
There's a diner in downtown Hollywood, kind of a hole-in-the-wall place. Are you okay meeting up there? It'll be me and Rylan.
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{Elaine} (Text)
Sure. Send me the address.
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{Luca} (Text)
[Address: The Melting Pot]
Try not to get lost.
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{Elaine} (Text)
No promises.
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Elaine shook her head, making her way into the kitchen to leave a note for Eleanore after grabbing her bags. She quickly wrote it out and stuck it to the fridge.
Heading to the studio early, grabbing breakfast. Don't wait up. -W'
After a quick bag check, she slipped her boots on, grabbed her keys, mask, and hat, and exited the apartment. Making it to the parking garage, she snapped a photo of the sunrise above campus from the driver's seat of her car. I wonder what today has in store.
She programmed her GPS, then began her journey to the diner. It was nearly a thirty-minute trip, as always, her playlist made the drive seem shorter.
A small neon sign flickered above the entrance with a literal melting pot. Even without entering, she could smell fresh coffee and syrup.
"Okay. Don't trip." She adjusted her cap and mask, stepping into the near-empty diner.
She quickly found Rylan, who was slouched at a table, with Luca sitting across from him while scrolling through his phone.
"Elaine!" Rylan spotted her quickly and instantly perked up. "Hey, you made it!"
Luca lifted his head, looking over his shoulder as she approached. "Good morning. I didn't expect both of you to be up this early."
"Well, I didn't want to be, but someone," Rylan gestured to Luca, "thinks that breakfast before sunrise is normal."
"Coffee before work is normal," Luca murmured dryly, standing up to pull a chair from the table for Elaine. The simple act caught both her and Rylan off guard.
"Oh," Elaine blinked, "Thank you."
"Look at him," Rylan cooed, grinning. "The perfect gentleman. You sure you're not auditioning for a rom-com, man?"
"She's our guest," Luca muttered, sitting back in his chair.
"Guess that makes me lucky then." Elaine cracked a smile.
"You are." Rylan agreed, bobbing his head up and down. "He never does that for us."
Luca glanced at him, about to retort, when the waitress approached. She was petite with long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, sporting a warm and polite smile.
"Morning, loves. What can I get started for you?"
"Coffee. Black." Luca looked down at the menu, "And whatever the special is today."
"That would be our Cajun Omelet."
"That's fine."
"What about for you, love?" The waitress smiled at Elaine.
"I'll have a black coffee and…" Elaine glanced at the menu, "The Mushroom and Cheddar Omelet with jalapenos and ham."
"Guess it's to me," Rylan chuckled, "Sweetheart, could I get the House French Toast with a Ham and Cheese Omelet and Strawberry Mango Smoothie?"
"Of course." The waitress smiled while writing everything down, "I'll go put this in and be right back with your drinks."
Luca glanced up as she was leaving, muttering, "Thank you."
"Elaine, let's play a game." Rylan grinned, clapping his hands together. "Rapid-fire questions because I'm trying to stay awake… Favorite color?"
He and Eleanore would get along. Elaine chuckled under her breath before responding. "Navy blue. You?"
"Yellow." Rylan grinned, "Luca?"
Luca glanced up from his phone, letting out an annoyed, but soft, sigh. "...Gray."
Rylan snorted, shaking his head. "Of course it is."
Elaine covered her smile with her hand. Actually, that kind of fits.
Rylan shook his head, "Favorite snack?"
"Right now, dried mango," Elaine replied.
"Respect." Rylan nodded, "I'm a chips guy myself. Luca eats air and misery."
"Protein bars," Luca muttered without looking up from his phone.
"See?" Rylan deadpanned, extending a hand to gesture towards Luca, "Air and misery."
Elaine couldn't stifle the soft laugh that escaped her lips. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, shaking her head.
"Hm… Oh!" Rylan perked, "Favorite song right now?"
"Hmm." Elaine tilted her head, remembering what she had told Eleanore the previous night. "Drop It by Day of Insanity."
"Oh! Yes!" Rylan grinned, "That's a good one. Personally, right now, I think Let's Party by The Exiles would be mine."
"Oh, that one is good," Elaine agreed, "What about you, Luca?" She paused, seeing he was leaning back, watching her.
Luca tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling for a moment before finally replying. "Riddles by Drive of Madness."
Rylan pursed his lips when Elaine went to comment, subtly putting his hand up to prevent her from asking. She closed her mouth, nodding.
Luca eventually pulled his gaze from the ceiling, looking at Elaine when the waitress dropped off their drinks. "You working on anything new?"
Elaine nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. "A few things, actually. I have a few projects for classes and a really rough song that's about half done."
Immediately, Rylan spoke. "Play it."
Elaine blinked at him. "It's… It's nowhere near finished yet."
"That's fine," Rylan grinned. "Play it. We won't judge."
Elaine raised a brow. "Promise?"
"Well, I won't." Rylan bobbed his head, smiling as he glanced at Luca, but that smile faltered at the indifferent expression he got in return.
Elaine looked between them before reluctantly taking her phone out to pair her earbuds to it. She scrolled through her voice recordings before passing one earbud to each of them. Rylan smiled, taking it quickly while Luca took the other slowly, both putting them into place for Elaine to play the unfinished track.
Elaine watched their expressions quietly. Rylan had leaned back, nodding his head to the beat, while Luca leaned his arms on the table and listened closely.
"Okay, yo," Rylan finally spoke after it concluded, "That's beautiful."
"It's messy." Elaine laughed, "I still haven't figured out the bridge."
"Don't change it too much." Luca's reply caught them both off guard, and he gave a nonchalant shrug. "It works because it's raw."
Elaine's brows furrowed, looking down at her phone, then back at Luca. "Really?"
He nodded, "Your music, in general, captures something people over-produce within their work. If you change it too much, you'll lose the uniqueness behind your sound."
"And a genius but broody critique from Mr. Luca Hunt." Rylan grinned playfully, "He knows what he's talking about."
Elaine smiled softly, looking up as the waitress approached, balancing the plates on a serving tray. She passed the platters to each of them, smiling, "If you three need anything else, just call me over. Enjoy your meal."
"Thank you." The three replied almost in unison.
They ate in silence for a few minutes before Rylan lifted his head, swallowing a bite of his French Toast. He licked syrup off his bottom lip before speaking. "You ever think about performing live on, like, a tour?"
"No, not really." Elaine shook her head, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "I like working behind the scenes."
"That's what they all say before they end up on stage," Rylan ginned.
"You trying to jinx me?" Elaine inquired.
"Maybe." Rylan chuckled. "Luca, man, back me up."
Luca glanced up at him, taking a sip of coffee. "She'd do fine."
Elaine's brows furrowed, glancing at him. "You sound sure…"
Luca shrugged, setting his cup down to pick his fork back up. "You don't freeze under pressure."
Rylan gave a dramatic gasp. "He's complimenting people," he mock-whispered, "Is the world ending?"
Elaine nearly choked on a bite of her omelet, trying to suppress a laugh. "Don't make me laugh while I'm eating."
"Sorry, sorry-" Rylan laughed, "I'm just saying, this is record-worthy behavior."
Luca rolled his eyes, "Rylan."
"Hm?"
"Put the food in your mouth and eat."
Elaine covered her mouth, silently laughing at the expression Rylan shot back before doing what he was told. Well, at least we know who the boss is.
They ate their meal, Luca finishing first before picking up the check left on the table, pinning his card into the book to hand to the waitress. She ran the card and returned it promptly.
Luca took a pen from his pocket, filling out the receipts before sliding his copy and his pen back into his pocket. He opened his wallet and put his card in while Rylan finished the last of his smoothie, and Elaine finished her coffee.
"We ready?" Rylan asked, placing his palms on the table.
Luca nodded, standing up from his seat. The three pushed their chairs in, waving to the waitress as they exited the diner outside.
"That was really nice." Rylan smiled, stretching his arms above his head, "We should do breakfast runs more often."
"Agreed." Elaine smiled. "Maybe next time, I'll buy."
"No, you won't." Luca murmured, glancing at Rylan, "And to go out like this more often, that would require you to get up earlier than noon."
"Hey, I get up early… never mind." Rylan stepped away from Luca, who raised a brow. "You headed to the studio as well, Wolf?"
Elaine glanced at Luca, who nodded. "Yeah, that's the plan."
"Okay, cool!" Rylan looked between the two, "I can drive back if you want to ride with her? Or I can?"
Elaine raised an eyebrow, twirling her keys around her finger, "Or one of you can drive my car."
"Oh!" Rylan grinned; however, Luca caught her keys. "I guess it's decided."
Luca rolled his eyes, unlocking her car to open the passenger door for her to get in. Rylan grinned from Luca's car, "Oh, I love this. Go on now, Romeo."
"You are literally impossible," Luca muttered, walking to the driver's side, and launched his car keys at Rylan, who caught them. "Don't wreck it."
"I know, I know." Rylan chuckled, waving. "See you two at the studio."
Luca rolled his eyes, sliding into the car, starting the engine while she scrolled through the playlists on the screen. "Do you have any preferences? Or are you okay with whatever comes on?" She inquired.
"I trust your taste," Luca murmured, adjusting the mirrors.
"Dangerous words," Elaine joked, tapping the screen to shuffle her playlist.
The first thing to play while the car pulled out of the parking lot was something slow and melodic. Elaine nodded slowly along before humming under her breath, her fingers tapping lightly to the beat behind the voices.
"I noticed you tend to do that," Luca commented.
Elaine blinked, looking over at him. "Do what?"
"Hum along to music when you think no one's listening."
Elaine gave a light chuckle, smiling. "Do I? Old habit, I guess."
Luca raised his brows but stayed focused on the road in front of them. "Don't stop on my account."
Elaine tilted her head, leaning back against her seat, still humming with a soft smile. The track faded, giving way to a more upbeat track. Luca snorted, shaking his head.
Elaine glanced over and smiled. She tapped to the beat, and right on cue, the moment the first verse came on, she sang along with it. Luca tapped his index finger on the steering wheel before humming the chords under his breath, perfectly in sync with her voice. Elaine's voice faltered just faintly, looking at Luca in surprise, though she quickly recovered and continued singing. Luca's low tone eventually joined in, controlled and clear.
I didn't expect that. Elaine smiled from her seat as the track faded, "I know why they call you Premise's King of Harmony now. You didn't tell me you could harmonize this well with anyone."
"Well, you never asked."
"Honestly," Elaine tilted her head to look at him, "I didn't expect you to sing along."
Luca gave her a sideways glance, keeping eye contact for a few seconds before refocusing on the road. "You looked like you wanted company."
Elaine shook her head, smiling as she stared out the windshield at the road. She tapped her fingers to the next track, glancing at Luca now and again. "I have a question for you."
"Shoot."
"I was listening to some of the previous tracks Premise of Design has done," Elaine explained before getting to her question, "How many of you can copy vocal tones?"
"We all can, just at different levels." Luca nodded, "Casen thrives in loud vocals, but he can be rather smooth during some verses. Lucian and Enzo can both hit some pretty deep vocals. Enzo's tone has a natural distortion to it, and he can hit deeper vocals than Lucian…"
"The best way to describe Rylan's tone is that it has bounce; his voice is quickly identified by how he raps. He matches with Casen very well."
Elaine nodded, thinking back to a few songs where Casen and Rylan both seemed to control the track. "What about you?"
"I can sing in a variety of ways." Luca tilted his head, "When I was still singing, I mainly did upper range vocals to balance out with Lucian. I can also mimic certain tones, for instance…"
He lifted his hand to the screen, tapping on the search bar. He skillfully typed in Warning by Paradise Royale, then clicked it.
I don't believe I have heard this. Elaine shifted slightly, leaning her head forward to listen. Each note led into the first verse, a voice she recognized instantly as Luca's.
"I was eighteen when this was recorded," Luca hummed, "You'll recognize another voice in there as well."
Elaine nodded, piecing together the voices; each had a distinct marker she recognized from other bands. Then, she heard Lucian's voice follow Luca's. "Wow. You two can seriously dominate a track."
Luca snorted, lifting a hand to his mouth as he chuckled. "That's one way to put it."
Elaine hummed along until the track began to fade and the car pulled into the parking lot of Mix It Up.
She chuckled, reaching to grab her bags, and he lifted a hand, flicking the brim of her hat. "Hey!" Elaine laughed, catching it.
"You look better without it," Luca smirked, stepping out of the car with her following out her door.
"You're lucky I don't throw it at you." She joked.
"You wouldn't risk messing up your aim this early."
Elaine laughed, shaking her head. "You don't know that. I could have perfect aim."
Luca took her bags, giving a humorous roll of his eyes, "Potentially."