The studio was empty, save for me and the swirling emotions I couldn’t bottle up any longer. Lia had left after giving me one last knowing look, her silent way of saying, You need this time.
The room was dimly lit, the only glow coming from the faint red light of the recording equipment. I plugged my guitar into the amp, letting my fingers glide over the strings without any real direction at first. The familiar hum filled the air, grounding me just enough to take a deep breath.
Music had always been my outlet, my way of bleeding without anyone seeing the wound. Tonight was no different.
Axel adjusted the strap of her guitar, her fingers trembling as they hovered over the strings. The song wasn’t planned; it had come pouring out of her after days of spiraling thoughts and unspoken fears.
I adjusted the mic, my hands trembling as I strummed a simple chord progression—a melody I hadn’t planned but one that felt like it had been buried in me for years, waiting to surface.
She took a deep breath, her voice soft as she began.
The first words came out shaky, almost a whisper. But as I sang, something in me cracked open.
---
[Verse 1]
"Love
Guess you found a way to get through
Got so used to feelin' nothin' at all
For so long, no
Now all I wanna do is love you
But my head is holdin' up my heart
My heart…"
---
The words hit her like waves, pulling her deeper into the emotions she’d spent so long trying to ignore. Her voice cracked slightly, but she didn’t stop.
The music carried her, each note a thread unraveling the walls she had carefully built.
---
[Pre-Chorus]
"And I've seen all the signs
What if they're all lies?
Will it even matter what you say?
Can you make these feelings go away?"
---
Her fingers pressed harder against the strings, her voice gaining strength as the chorus swelled.
---
[Chorus]
"Tell me, is this real to you?
'Cause I can feel my heart again
You're so tempting
But I'm scared, so I'd rather pretend
That I don't love you like I do
'Cause I don't wanna hurt again
I wanna love you
But I'm scared, so I'd rather pretend…"
---
The vulnerability in her voice echoed in the room, wrapping around her like a heavy fog. Axel’s eyes closed as she let herself sink into the song.
---
[Post-Chorus]
"I'd rather pretend
I'd rather pretend, oh, oh…"
---
She opened her eyes, her hands moving instinctively to the next verse.
---
[Verse 2]
"What if I'm at a loss
Hoping you'll come back to me when you're gone?
There's so many ways I've seen this goin' wrong
So many ways I've seen this fall apart…"
---
The words spilled out, a confession she hadn’t meant to voice but couldn’t hold back. Her fears, her doubts—they were all laid bare in the melody.
---
[Pre-Chorus]
"And I've seen all the signs
What if they're all lies?
Will it even matter what you say?
Can you make these feelings go away?"
---
Her voice soared, carrying the weight of everything she hadn’t said to Freye, everything she had hidden from herself.
---
[Chorus]
"Tell me, is this real to you?
'Cause I can feel my heart again
You're so tempting
But I'm scared, so I'd rather pretend
That I don't love you like I do
'Cause I don't wanna hurt again
I wanna love you
But I'm scared, so I'd rather pretend…"
---
Her fingers slowed as the song wound down, her voice softening.
---
[Post-Chorus]
"I'd rather pretend
I'd rather pretend, oh, oh…"
---
The final note lingered in the air, fading into silence. Axel sat still, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. The weight in her chest felt heavier but somehow less suffocating, as if letting the song out had given her space to breathe.
From behind her, a quiet voice broke the silence.
“That was beautiful.”
Axel whipped her head around, startled. Freye stood in the doorway, her expression unreadable but her eyes glistening.
“You…” Axel started, her voice barely above a whisper. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough,” Freye replied, stepping into the room.
Axel’s heart pounded as Freye moved closer, her gaze soft but piercing.
“You don’t have to pretend with me,” Freye said, her voice gentle.
Axel looked down at her guitar, her throat tight. “I’m not good at this… at being open.”
Freye knelt beside her, placing a hand over Axel’s. “You don’t have to be perfect. Just honest.”
For a moment, Axel couldn’t speak. But as Freye’s hand squeezed hers, she felt something shift—a crack in the armor she had spent years perfecting.
“I’ll try,” Axel whispered.
Freye smiled, and for the first time in weeks, Axel felt a flicker of hope.
YOU ARE READING
Anything For Her|Gxg
RomanceWhat happens When Band Member Axele Don-Mori meets Alexia Freye? The two basically fit together, but would the world allow it?
