𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙰𝚛𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝

Better Version

I did as I was suggested. The following weekend after my lack in the studio, I met up with my friends and we were out.

One weekend out of LA, away from the hustle, just out in the moutains.

Saturday night my friends and I set a campfire, sat there with drinks and my friend even brought his guitar. The more we sang songs, the more my head started working again. It was like a lightning then.

My mother always used to say that things will come themselves, if we just let it be. So I did. I just let things be for the night and sang along to all the songs, until I eventually found myself in my own lines.

Obviously today I come beaming into my studio, not wasting any more minutes to sit down on my laptop and write down what the campfire night brought into my mind.

My fingers fly over the keyboard at a pace it's not been in a very long while. Word after word my page fills. The melodies already preparing in my head as I keep writing and writing. Only when Sarah joins me in the studio, I realize that I've been writing for three hours already. My fingers hurt, my eyes burn, but I couldn't be any happier.

"Y/n! This is amazing! Look at you. Oh just look at you." My manager beams from happiness as she sees the pages I already wrote. The smiles on our faces are bright.

"I know, right?! This is it. This is it, Sarah!" I stand up from my chair, neverminding my almost numb legs from all the sitting, I fall into Sarah's arms. She tackles me in a hug. Relief washes over the both of us.

"I knew there was something." Sarah mumbles against my shoulder, squeezing my body in anticipation. "Make it a routine to just... break free." I'm met with her sincere eyes as we pull away and my manager's right. I should more often break free from the hustle and bustle and just be. Sometimes it's about being and letting be.

"The label will love it." Sarah speaks with conviction, as we both sit down on the couch. I look at her happily and nod.

"Now now, I only wrote like three songs today. I surely won't have a flow like today everyday from now on. Be patient, before you inform the label." I tell her with a soft chuckle. "I don't even know the title of two songs, nor the album." I add, frowning a little bit in confusion.

"What's on your mind Y/n?" Sarah, who observed my reactions carefully, asks.

"I want my album to be something that shows the new me. The Y/n I became over the past two years. Grown up, wiser, stronger and better. The title should hold it, but not give away too much already." My words come out thoughtful.

"I see where you come from. The title doesn't have to give away too much, but also should state something." Sarah runs her finger over her lower lip repeatedly, a habit she has when she's thinking. "You're back from a dark time. Wiser, better, stronger and grown up. A new you. A better version..."

"A better version!" I repeat after her, interfering the trailing off of my manager.

Sarah looks up at me. The confusion written in her face soon turns into a big smile and "Ah!" Causing me to chuckle amused. "A better version. Better version! Y/n you smart-ass." She laughs brightly, overwhelmed by the mind work of me.

"Better Version. That's just it." I repeat, trailing off into my thoughts. The smile on my face however is constant.

"Good work today Y/n. I'm super proud of you. I have always been." My manager sincerely states as she stands up, extending her hand for me.

I take her hand and stand up as well, my eyes all on Sarah now. "Are we going?"

"Yes. I think this is enough for a day. Three songs, hallelujah." Sarah giggles and shakes her head, before she leads me outside and down the street to our bar.

Soft music in the background fills my ears as my manager and I take our seats.

"What's for you today?" Sammy, the Barkeeper approaches our table with a megawatt smile. Sarah and I order our usual and Sammy gets to work.

"Sarah, Sarah. When are you talking to him finally?" I smile amused, shaking my head in a taunting way. "This is hilarious."

"It's not! He's surely off the market. Besides that you are definitely not a one to tell me about dating or anything close to it." Sarah shoots back, giving me a victory wink.

"If you never ask, you'll never know." I just state with a shrug. To my luck Sammy brings our hot chocolates and the cake, "thanks dude!"

"You're welcome guys!" He beams as he turns to head to some other costumer. My eyes follow him, checking Sammy out.

"He'll soon be off the market if you don't move now." I nearby tell my manager, earning a playful punch on my shoulder.

"Sush and don't look after him like he's some prey." Sarah grumbles, unamused.

"Besides that I am lesbian, I'm not the only woman throwing my eye on him." I playfully wiggle my eyebrows and look obviously at some other woman in the bar. "Just saying." My hands rise in defense, as I chuckle amused by Sarah's awful look.

"What am I supposed to say then, oh all so wise Y/n?" She rolls her eyes, shaking her head. We both sip on our hot chocolates and eat some of the cake, in silence.

Just as I'm about to speak up again, I notice Sarah's attention being far away from me or her food. Following her gaze, I'm surprised that she's for once not staring at Sammy but two women in deep chatting.

The older one has blonder hair than the younger woman. Their conversation seems to be pretty heated. Probably about their stressful lives as wives and mothers.

I shake my head and throw a chocolate sprinkle at Sarah, getting her attention back again. "Hi there. What's up with those women? You know them?" I curiously ask.

"Huh? No. Yeah. I mean, I don't know." Sarah frowns, clearly overwhelmed with the situation. I chuckle amused and shake my head. "What's so amusing?"

"Oh nothing. Nevermind. I'm just not sure if any of those two is an intersex." I state along, biting my lower lip. "But they're definitely hot though. I won't be a burden here." A smirk plays around my lips.

"What?" Sarah gasps, her cheeks flush. "No. No! Jeez Y/n!" She's overcome by a little, amusing outburst, making me laugh heartily.

"You're just so easy to fluster." With a sigh I calm my laughter down and steal another look at the two women. This time I'm met with a pair of mesmerizing green eyes, making me gulp for a moment and quickly turn my head back to look at my manager.

At this it's now Sarah who giggles quite amused. I get it, karma lives. Nevertheless we spent a few more hours chatting, as people came and left and the evening appeared.

My manager and I step outside into the cold autumn air, colorful leaves flying around us with a gentle wind caressing our faces.

We bid our goodbyes with a hug and safety wishes and part our ways. As I walk home, I can't help the smile on my face all the way. Today has shown me exactly what not only my mother taught me about letting be, but that I definitely shouldn't give myself up just yet. Today my better version was finally born.