Worlds Apart

Chapter 33

"Guilty as Sin"

~~~

I was so bored.

Alessia was gone for practice and wouldn't be home for a few hours and I was waiting—The gate buzzed. I looked down at the app on my phone.

Finally.

I ran to the front door just there was a knock on it. I swung it opened and smiled.

"Finally."

"Is that a good finally?" Taylor laughed.

"Yes." I shut the door after she walked in. "I've been bored."

"Where's your fiancée?"

"Practice. Do you want anything to drink or do you just want to get to it?"

"I'll be alright for a while. This is going to be so much fun."

"I'm so excited."

Taylor and I made our way to my in-home studio. I had called Taylor a few weeks ago to see if she'd want to write a song with me for my album. I've already announced the album but this was my finishing touch on it.

The studio was one of my favorite rooms in the house. The walls were lined with acoustic panels, and the floor was covered in a plush rug that Alessia had found. The space was intimate, but it had a grand piano, multiple guitars hanging from the walls, and a state-of-the-art recording setup.

Taylor's eyes lit up as we entered. "This place is incredible, Brooke. It's got such a cozy vibe."

"Thanks," I replied, smiling

We settled in front of the piano, Taylor on the bench and me standing beside her. I placed a stack of blank sheet music on the piano's lid and handed Taylor a pencil. "Okay, so I've been thinking about a title: 'Guilty as Sin.'"

Taylor nodded, her fingers lightly grazing the keys as she considered the phrase. "I like it. It's evocative."

I picked up my guitar from its stand and began strumming a few chords, feeling out a progression that might suit the mood we were aiming for. Taylor hummed along, her voice a soft, guiding presence as we shaped the song. We fell into an easy rhythm, bouncing ideas off each other, the air crackling with creative energy.

As we worked, I couldn't help but marvel at how natural it felt to collaborate with Taylor. She had this incredible ability to tap into raw emotion, and her insights were always spot on. I watched as she jotted down lyrics, her brow furrowed in concentration.

"I'm thinking something like," Taylor began, her voice steady as she sang, "'Drownin' in the Blue Nile, He sent me "Downtown Lights".'"

"Love it," I said, nodding. "change he to she. I'm writing this album about me and Less. About this past year."

Taylor's eyes picked up and her lips turned into a smile. "This is going to be awesome."

We spent the next hour refining the lyrics, the words flowing more freely with each verse. Taylor's pen flew across the page, and I found myself scribbling down chord changes and adjustments to the song. By the time we had a rough draft, the song had taken on a life of its own.

"Should we try recording a demo?" I suggested, glancing at the clock. It was nearly 4 PM, and Alessia would be home soon.

Taylor agreed, and we moved over to the recording booth. I adjusted the microphones while Taylor tuned her guitar. Once everything was set, we took our places.

The first take was a bit rough, but we quickly found our groove. Taylor's voice was pure magic, effortlessly playing on the emotion we had poured into the song.