1001 Love Stories Darker

Melody (82)

I remember the moment I heard the most beautiful melody I've ever heard. A song of great sadness and despair girls. Beauty and loss. Something that you only could be seen as a symphony played by one guy, and one instrument. The piano.

I followed the music to an open window of an home and from the street I looked in to see Caleb playing away looking so focused and it was a shock to me.

Out of all people to be ticking the ivory in such a beautiful way I didn't expect it to be our star quarterback.

"Wrong!" Someone shouts and it causes both me and Caleb to jump.

"Come one Caleb, There's no story in this. I wanted a piece with tragedy!" The man shouts as if the song didn't.

"It had tragedy." Caleb said and it pisses me off because it did.

"Just because you play a few sad notes in a slow way doesn't make it tragedy." He says and Caleb looks both angry and sad about this before snatching down the paper and balling it up.

"Hey! I thought it was beautiful with a lot of tragedy!" I shout and they both seem to notice me standing there.

But the man only waves me over and I do so awkwardly.

Caleb only looked as if I was some rare freak show exhibit.

"Do you play piano?" The man asks and I blush.

"No but-" He cuts me off with a hand and I bite my tongue.

"So you know nothing of music, yet you're changing my call? Would you prefer to be his teacher? Could you make sure he get a scholarship in music?" He says pissing me off.

"We'll I may not be able to play music but I'm a writer. I know a good story when I hear one. Even if it's a story of music. Listening to him play I was taken back by the tragedy and loss but also drive and fight. In my opinion it's a story about a protagonist who is frightening against a world that is trying its hardest to destroy him. Each moment of pain gets deeper and sadder and even the protagonist's cords become unsure towards the end. How can you say there's no story!" I scream and he seems to shoot me dead with his eyes.

"Caleb?" He says and I turn to him who I had totally forgot about in my rush to complement his beautiful music.

"What was your piece about?" He asks and Caleb began to blush a bit.

"A guy trying his best to fight a world that's slowly but surely breaking him down." He says and I smile widely.

"See! His music is telling the story he wants to tell. So much so that some music illiterate guy walking past could hear it." I says and the man waves me away and I turn back to Caleb who blushed a little before offering me a smile that I return.

*

I arrived at school Monday morning all ready to tell my small group of friends about the stunning story of Caleb and how I stood up for him.

Only the moment I walked in I was met by Caleb himself.

"Jesse right?" He says and I smile looking away.

"Yeah, about Saturday." I start and he only smiles a bit more before handing me a cup of coffee.

"I'm not sure how you like it, but you seem kinda sweet. So I got you something sweet. If you'd don't like it though, I'll bring you something different tomorrow." He says and I take it before smiling.

"Uh, thanks. But you don't have to be so nice to me. I was just standing up for a good story." I tell him with a soft chuckle but he looks slightly confused.

"No, it's not just that." He says.

"I want to, I'd like it if you heard me play some more. I've added something new to my piece and I wanted to see if you could tell what I've added to the story." He says and my heart flutters.