Chords of Tadhana

Chapter 6: Between the Notes

Aaron Matthews had been trying to escape the relentless silence that had settled around him. It was a heavy, suffocating quiet that filled his mind whenever he picked up his guitar. The music that had once come naturally was now an echo in the back of his mind, a distant memory that felt like it was slipping away. Every time he strummed, it was as though the chords weren't his own. The notes were there, but the soul behind them had vanished.

His bandmates noticed. They didn't press him, but they knew something was off. Aaron could feel their concern, though he couldn't bring himself to talk about it. There were times when Mark, the drummer, would nudge him during rehearsals, asking if he was alright. And Aaron would just smile, shaking it off as if it were nothing. But deep down, it felt like everything was falling apart. His music, his passion—it was all fading.

It wasn't just the music, though. The longer the silence stretched on, the more Aaron found himself wondering about her. The girl who had once been there at every show—the one who had quietly watched him, her eyes filled with understanding—had stopped coming. It had been weeks, and though he kept hoping she'd reappear, the seats in the front row remained empty. It was as though her presence had been the only thing keeping him connected to his music, and now that she was gone, the songs felt distant.

One evening, as Aaron sat alone in his apartment, staring at his guitar, the thought crossed his mind: What if it was never her? What if it wasn't her presence that inspired me, but the feeling of being understood?

His phone buzzed, and for a moment, he thought it might be her—maybe she'd finally replied to the message he had sent weeks ago. But no, it was just a notification from a music streaming app. He sighed and tossed the phone aside. The days had started to blur together, the weight of his unspoken doubts pressing down on him.

It was then that Aaron received an unexpected call.

"Hello?" Aaron answered the phone, half-expecting it to be his manager or maybe Mark trying to check in.

"Aaron?" The voice on the other end was familiar, but not one he'd heard in a while. "It's Emily."

He froze. Emily? The girl from the front row. She was calling him.

For a moment, Aaron couldn't speak. His heart skipped. "Emily?" he repeated, trying to make sure he heard her right. "Where have you been? I... I've been thinking about you."

There was a pause on the other end, followed by a soft laugh. "I know. I've been meaning to reach out, but... well, I guess I didn't know how to."

Aaron ran his hand through his hair, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I haven't been to your shows recently," she started, her voice slightly hesitant, "because... well, there's something you should know."

Aaron's breath caught in his throat. He hadn't expected this. Something in her tone told him that this wasn't going to be a typical conversation.

"I've been listening to your music," Emily said, "but I've also been... watching you. For a while now."

Aaron furrowed his brow. "What do you mean, 'watching me'?"

"I've been coming to your shows because I love your music," Emily continued, but her voice was more serious now. "But it's not just that. I've been seeing something else. Something in your music."

Aaron's pulse quickened. "What are you talking about?"

She paused again. "You're searching for something in your music, aren't you? Something more than just the notes. I think you've always known what it is. It's just that... well, you've been looking in the wrong place."

Aaron's mind was racing, trying to process her words. "I don't understand. You've been watching me?" he repeated, feeling a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "How do you know all of this?"

Emily let out a soft sigh. "Aaron, there's something you don't know. And it's been there all along. I think you've been chasing something, something you think is missing, but the truth is—well, it's right in front of you."

Aaron's heart pounded. The words felt like they were tugging at something deep inside him, something he couldn't quite place. "Emily, what are you trying to say?"

Another long pause. Then she spoke, her voice barely a whisper. "The music you've been searching for—the inspiration you thought was lost—it's not gone. But you need to look somewhere else. Somewhere you haven't looked before."

Before Aaron could ask her to explain further, the line went dead.

Aaron stood there, staring at the phone in his hand. The world around him seemed to fade, as though everything had been placed on hold. What had just happened? What did Emily mean by "you need to look somewhere else"? What was the missing piece she was referring to?

The conversation left him more confused than ever. But deep down, something felt different. There was a shift in the air, like a new direction was about to open up before him. It was as though Emily had given him a clue to something bigger, something he hadn't yet discovered.

But what was it?

And what if the answer was closer than he realized?

The following days were a blur as Aaron tried to process the conversation. Emily's words lingered in his mind, her cryptic message playing over and over again. He found himself restless, unable to sit still long enough to write music, though he knew he needed to. Something had changed in him, but the path forward was unclear.

The uncertainty gnawed at him. But one thing was certain: he had to find the missing piece. The music he had once feared he'd lost was still out there. And now, he just needed to figure out where to look.

Little did he know, the answer to that question was not just in his music—it was hidden in plain sight.