Short Stories :P

{113} The Band | May 25, 2023

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I sat in the garage that stood right beside this abandoned house while my fingers strummed the guitar strings. It was located in the middle of a thick and damp forest. After my friends and I discovered this place, we claimed it as our own. We could be trespassing, and maybe someone does live here and it's not as abandoned as we thought, but as long as there's no one kicking us out, this place was ours.

My friends and I usually come out here to practise the songs we've made to perform. A few years back, we decided to start a band of five-- and now we've actually become quite popular.

My eyes were shut as I played my guitar. I've always enjoyed playing the guitar. It allowed me to escape all of the stress and pain in my stupid little life. It gave me a sense of freedom, a one way ticket to this place I've made up in my head where I can just be happy.

After the song ended, I slowly fluttered my eyes open again, being welcomed back to the real world. I stood from where I sat, setting my guitar down beside me. Tami-- the lead singer-- and Logan-- the drummer-- (who are siblings) were both away for the summer holiday, therefore they couldn't make it. Which meant it would just be Gemma, Jamal and I.

All of a sudden, the garage door opened, Jamal standing right at the entrance; he played bass. He slowly walked into the place, coming up to me.

Jamal and I were never close, we were more mutuals than friends. But there was always something about him that made me want to be around him-- as if he was a magnet, always drawing me closer to him.

"Gemma's sick-- she can't make it," He suddenly said, his voice deep and raspy. I could feel my stomach churn as he spoke. "Guess it's just us."

A small smile spread on my face as I sat back down on my chair again, resting my chin on the back of it so I could admire Jamal's tall and built frame, with his aglow and melanin skin and thick pink lips and crisp brown eyes.

"Take a picture, it lasts longer." I could hear him say, snapping me out of this trance. "Sorry! Sorry-- I just.. blanked out." I then exclaimed, leading to Jamal chuckling under his breath, muttering a quiet, "It's fine."

"So, guess there really isn't a point in practising today, since no one is here. How about we just... hang out?" The dark-skinned boy spoke again, glancing over to me with his famous smirk that's always made me weak in my knees.

Even if Jamal and I never really spoke to each other, I've always felt this sort of... connection with him. Being around him alone might be awkward, but still so-- safe. I wanted to be around him all of the time. He was like-- he was like my safe place, the only other place that allowed me to feel happy; like when I'm playing guitar.

It was just so comforting around him. Like when the warm sun is glowing on your skin, and how the chilling pool feels as you dip your feet in it on a hot summers day. How I felt around him, this emotion I just can't seem to put my finger on-- it just felt so beautiful.

"Sure." I finally replied, shifting my gaze so I wouldn't be continuously staring at him creepily.

The dark-skinned boy walked over to a chair near mine, plopping onto it as his eyes trailed all over my face with this endearing gaze that gave me goosebumps wherever his eyes landed on.

"I feel like I don't really know you. Well-- I've known you for years, but not really know you." Jamal stated, my head hung low as I was too nervous to even look up in his presence.