Rhythm of Heartbreak

Chapter 21: Songs and Lyrics

Jess paced in front of Rick's hotel room, her cold hands holding each other for warmth. The chilly night air made her more nervous as she tried to decide whether to knock or just leave. Thoughts of the previous night played in her mind, mixing embarrassment and regret, making her doubt every decision.

Taking a deep breath, Jess tried to calm herself. What's the worst that could happen? she wondered, her inner voice laced with sarcasm. She exhaled slowly, giving herself a final pep talk before knocking firmly on the door. The sound echoed in the quiet hallway. She waited, straining to hear any sign of Rick, but the silence stretched on. After a few more knocks with no response, she turned away, feeling defeated.

Her steps were heavy as she walked to the elevator. The ride down seemed to take forever, each jolt and pause making her heart sink further. When the doors finally opened, she headed to the front desk, her heart sinking with every step.

"Hello," Jess greeted the woman behind the desk, her voice betraying her anxiety. "I'm looking for information about the guest in room 202. Do you know where he is?"

The clerk, a young woman with a friendly smile, checked her monitor. "The guest in 202 checked out this morning around 6 AM."

The news hit Jess like a punch to the gut. She nodded numbly, barely managing a polite thank you before turning to leave. As she walked towards the exit, her shoulders sagged, feeling deflated.

Just as she was about to step out, the desk clerk called out, "Are you Jess Lynn?"

Jess turned, and the woman handed her a folded note. "Mr. Rick left this for you."

With shaking hands, Jess unfolded the note:

"There's an emergency back in the city I need to attend to. I'm sorry I had to leave first. Let's talk soon; there are things we need to clarify with each other. -RR"

Jess re-read the note, her thoughts muddled. Folding the paper with a resigned sigh, she slipped it into her pocket and headed back to her room. When she got to her room, she was surprised to find Shaun lounging on her couch. "You're still here?" she asked.

Shaun looked up and nodded. "Did everything get sorted out?"

Jess shook her head and sat down beside him. "Rick left," she said simply, her voice carrying a note of defeat.

"What do you need from Rick?" Shaun asked, clearly concerned. Shaun spent a restless night wondering what had happened between them after they both disappear in the camp fire.

"None of your business," Jess answered. 

Trying to steer the conversation away, Shaun asked instead, "How's your head?"

"It's a bit sore but manageable. Thanks for the soup, and sorry I didn't get to eat it."

Shaun waved off her apology. "It's fine. Why don't we try to finish the song today so we can start recording tomorrow?"

Jess nodded, feeling a bit better at the thought of focusing on their music. "I remember a melody I hummed last night while I was drunk. I'm not sure if it's original or something I heard before, but it sounded like this."

She hummed the melody, and Shaun grabbed the guitar from the bed. He started strumming, experimenting with chords to match Jess's tune. "Can you do it again?" he asked, focused on finding the right harmony. Jess's excitement grew as Shaun's chords perfectly matched her melody.

"That's it! Oh wow, you found it!" Jess exclaimed.

Shaun continued to play, and Jess started adding impromptu lyrics, creating a rough draft. She pulled out her phone to record their progress. For the next hour, they were immersed in their work, Shaun's guitar strumming alongside Jess's evolving lyrics.

Shaun sang, "As far as I'm concerned, I regret nothing, but you!"

Jess's eyes lit up. "I like that! We can use it as the ending line for the chorus before we go to the bridge."

Shaun nodded, thinking ahead. "Can I take the bridge? I've got some lyrics in mind. But I'd like you to handle the pre-chorus after that."

Jess thought for a moment. "Do you have a draft for the verses? I want to make sure it fits with what I've got."

Shaun pulled out some notes and handed them to her. "I built on the lines you had yesterday. Let me know if we need any changes."

Jess read through his draft: "I chase my dreams knowing that I will leave you scarred with this sad lonely chord struck in this glorious summit, I lost you I look back and want to hold onto you, will you hold me back? But you decided to walk away and leave me out of the blue."

"'Decided to leave you out of the blue?'" Jess quoted, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

Shaun chuckled. "I was just trying to rhyme some words to fit the melody," he admitted, a bit embarrassed.

Jess smirked. "Well, let's just say your lyricism needs a bit of work."

Shaun laughed. "Do you have any ideas for the pre-chorus?"

"I'm not sure yet, but I'm thinking of responding to your lines. Is this for the first verse?" Jess clarified.

Shaun nodded. Jess took a moment to think, then began crafting her pre-chorus. For the next hour, Jess worked on her balcony while Shaun strummed and refined the melody. When she rejoined him, they harmonized their lyrics and melody, briefly savoring their creation.

"I think we have our song," Jess said softly, awe and disbelief in her voice. "I can't believe we finished it."

Shaun, equally thrilled, moved closer and embraced her warmly. "I'm proud of you," he whispered sincerely. Jess smiled and slowly pulled away, her pride shining through. "I'm proud of you too," she replied.

Their eyes met, showing their shared satisfaction. 

Original Composition:

I Regret Nothing, But You

His Verse:

I chase my dreams knowing that I will leave you scarred
With this sad lonely chord struck in this glorious summit, I lost you
I look back and want to hold onto you, will you hold me back?
But you decided to walk away and leave me out of the blue

Her Verse:

You used to be the massive force that made my life going
But you poisoned my love as I continued believing
You wondered where my affection went, where it went?
As my emotions for you were all spent

Chorus:

Is it too late to say I will fix your broken wings?
Will this melody reach you if I loudly sing?
Will my love be once again your summer rain?
Or will this be my forever wintertime and time again?
As far as I'm concerned, I regret nothing, but you

His Bridge:

You got away, didn't you? In this love affair, I needed you
All along I was the one you were saving
And now I'm on the dark side, maimed from my longing
In my heart it isn't over, come back to me
For I regret nothing, but you

Her Pre-Chorus:

I gave you a part of me
Told myself you were right for me
It's an ache I still remember