Finding My Muse - Nicholas Galitzine

Chapter Fourteen: Songwriting

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--Esmerelda's POV--
"How was your shift of free labor?" Kylie asks as I close the front door behind me. She lifts up a bowl of popcorn which I gladly shuffle over to.

I shove some pieces in my mouth before dropping my bad by my door, "Nick didn't show up again," I tell her. She sits up and looks at me genuinely concerned as a toilet flushes from down the small hallway.

"What up?" Harry says adjusting his hoodie.

"Nick didn't show up again," Kylie tells him. He hops over the back of the couch, his arm smoothly sliding in behind her.

"I think he's got like writer's block or something," he says as he takes popcorn, "He was up all night trying to write a song. Apparently something is messing up his process," he adds.

My eyes roll as I walk to the kitchen to make myself dinner, "You know," Kylie says making me turn around, "You could help him out," she says with a wink. She waits until I finish opening the packages of my food to press any further.

"Absolutely not. We haven't talked in like almost two weeks," I point out to her, "he's also the worst, no offense," I tell Harry.

"Isn't collaboration a good way to expand your own music?" Harry asks pulling that statement straight out of his ass, "I'll buy you pizza tomorrow," he offers.

"I'm not being bought out with pizza again," I tell them, walking back over with a bowl of microwaveable ramen. I hiss as the bowl burns my hand, almost spilling it onto myself as I set it down, "Nick is an adult. I'm sure he can figure it out on his own," I assure them.

The two of them but they both give each other a knowing look. The kind of look you give your best friend when you've talked about this before, "Are you two planning something?" I ask narrowing my eyes at them, "Think about it. He hates me. I dislike him. How would I even help him with this? Besides shoving a guitar up his ass," I ask, mumbling the last part.

"Fine. Let a fellow musician get swallowed into the hole of lost potential. Just because you couldn't get over a little feud to help him," she says making us all burst out into laughter.

"Nah, he will be fine. This happens all the time. But I thought I could try and wingman after hearing about your night at the frat," he says as Kylie punches him.

Glaring at the couple I stand up and start walking to my room, "This is unfair. I should have a boyfriend that I can team up on you guys with," I mutter trying to shut the door with my foot.

"Babe, he's right upstairs," Kylie yells back making me scoff.

Stupid music major problems. Why should I help? Nicks a pompous dick who's got a royal stick shoved up his ass. What next he wants me to bow down cause he's got an accent and a dumb face? As if. By the time I start to eat my ramen, it's started getting cold. With YouTube on the screen, I managed to finish the cup in record time.

It's one of those nights where every time I try to do something I get bored. I need to do homework for my classes but I'd rather jump out the window. There's also the song I've been writing for weeks that I haven't come close to finishing. After staring at the guitar in the corner for a solid fifteen minutes, I stand up and grab it. My songbook is shoved into my pocket as I go into the living room. When I grabbed my keys the couple started teasing me, "I'm going to the roof. That twat or whatever other British insults there are will just have to suffer," I tell them opening the front door.

The snow up here has basically all melted from the sun beating down on it all day. But without it, the breeze is deathly. I set the guitar down where it's not wet and shove my hands into my pocket. There's no way I'll be able to play it without my fingers breaking off from the cold. The cars below are almost nonexistent this late, "Is this the part I tell you not to jump?" A man asks making me jump. I turn around and see Nick. His tall frame is covered in a black jacket with a scarf popping through.

"Jesus, give a girl a warning before psycho murderer jumping out of nowhere," I tell him as I try to get my heart to calm down. His hands are shoved into his pocket as his eyes wander to my guitar, "Why are you up here?" I ask.

He shrugs his shoulders while slowly walking over to me. His hands reach out and rest on the ledge as he looks down, "It's a decent view," he says.

"This means you're talking to me again. Or should I prepare myself for another week of silence?" I ask. There's a hint of a smile on his face as he turns away. His shoulders relax as he stays silent.

"I don't think you could be silent," he says making me widen my eyes. I grab my guitar off the ledge and contemplate smacking him over the head with it. He should be grateful I don't have the kind of money to buy a new one, "Oh come on. I'm joking," he says as I start walking to the door.

"I get we have this whole banter thing going on. But it kind of got ruined when you kissed me and ignored me. I'm not some girl you picked up at a party," I tell him putting my foot down, "I like Harry and I'm saying this for him. Get your shit together. Go to the internship and figure out your songwriting. Ignoring your problems doesn't make them go away," I tell him. I give him a moment but he stays silent, leaving me to walk out and rush back to my room. I'm never leaving it ever again.