heart strings♥

chapter two

They were eight years old~

"Alex!" Raysa said running towards him with outstretched arms for a hug.

"Raysa!" Alex said, doing the same thing Raysa was doing. They gave each other a big warm embrace before pulling away and they headed for their usual place. They always do the 'calling out before hugging' routine.

People have been mistaking them as twins since they are so scarily alike. They were both into music, they are both reckless, happy-go-lucky, stubborn, adventurous, and easily bored. Being with each other to them is as easy as breathing.

"I heard Miya has a crush on you," Raysa grinned. Recently, she had noticed that her friends were starting to take notice of her best friend. Sure he was cute, but she had never really thought of him as an interest in love. They were eight for crying out loud.

"I don't like her. She's creepy," Alex said making a face as he set his guitar on his lap.

"Why?" Raysa asked trying hard not to laugh. She knew Alex wasn't comfortable with being the center of attention. He detested it. Unless it was her attention he was receiveing. He also didn't talk to the other girls much. He didn't even talk to the ones in his class. He rarely said anything to her friends, and they were monosyllabic. When Alex found out that some girls had a crush on him, he made a very unlikable face.

"She follows me around with her eyes and giggles whenever I pass by," he mumbles, disgusted by the mere thought of her. Raysa cracked up.

Since they met, everyday has become fun. Alex has been taking guitar lessons and Raysa has just started her voice lessons. Alex has learned all the different chords and Raysa completed the lyrics for their song.

"Hey Raysa," a boy said. Alex' guitar-playing messed up the moment he saw Ben. Alex knew that he like Raysa before he even met her. It irritates him whenever he tries to talk to his best friend. Alex knows Raysa's too dense to know that Ben likes her, and he knows he's more important to her than any of her other friends... he still doesn't like to share.

Some of the boys in his class have been taking notice of her. Well, why wouldn't they? She was really pretty, Alex thought. But she was his, he though smugly. And it irritated him when the other boys were trying to get close to her. They were like a pack of bees trying to get near the flower. And he was her protector.

"Oh, hi Ben," Raysa said, hiding the annoyance she felt about the interruption he caused in Alex' music. She didn't like it when someone interrupts them. She always thought that being with Alex was so fun even when they do nothing but talk and sing. Ever since she met her best friend, she stays after school for his company while she waits for her brother. Her friends have teased her because she and Alex enter each other's classrooms whenever they please.

But do not think that their friendship is all laughs and smiles. For the past seven months they've been together, their fights have been childish and hilarious.

Their first fight was about the chords of their song. Alex wanted to start the intro using a C, but Raysa wanted to use a G. Their pride got the better of them and soon, it wasn't just about the chords anymore, because none of them wanted to be the first to back down.

Their fight lasted for two days. On the  second day, it was raining, muddy, and cold. Even though they were mad at each other, they still met at their usual place. Alex had no umbrella. The guard was asleep so he didn't notice the two children under the tree. Alex was soaked while Raysa was dry and grinning happily at him as she held his guitar safe from the rain. He couldn't stand her stupid grinning face, so he scooped up a handful of mud and threw it in her face. Raysa cried, and Alex immediately regretted what he did. He came closer to check if she's okay, only to end up with a face full of mud. Raysa laughed at how he fell so easily for her trap. A muddy war began, and ended their bickering.

Ben sat next to Raysa, Alex pulled Raysa's hair towards him. "Ah!" Raysa said. "Listen to this will you?" Alex said. And when he started strumming, Raysa recognized the song. She was about to sing when Alex whispers, "Don't." He didn't want Ben to hear Raysa's angelic voice, he wanted her all to her self. But Alex forgot that... the more you warned or forbid Raysa, the more she'll want to do it, a common trait they both possessed. And so she sang.

Alex sighed in defeat, so he just sang with her.

Raysa's heart skipped a beat, not knowing why, but she was very happy Alex joined in. She really liked his voice, it always complimented hers. They locked themselves in their own world, only hearing the guitar playing and the sounds of their blending voices.

Clap, clap, clap... followed by more clapping. They stopped and blinked. They weren't just with one person anymore. Half the kids and their parents and guardians heading home have sturned to stop in front of them, clapping.