sonder » c.h.

five

"You have to perform tonight," Luke said, running a hand through his effortlessly lazy hair. Calum had told him about how he had invited her and Ashton to the mic night. But he had not expected Luke to tell him he had to perform, especially when he knew that Calum didn't like performing.

"Luke," Calum warned. "You know I don't perform. I don't even have anything to sing," he sighed, sagging back against the sofa. He knew he was just being dramatic, and that he had a million and one things that he could sing, but just the thought of being in front of the crowd made him cringe.

Especially with her amongst them. He didn't want to mess up in front of her.

"You and I both know that's not true," Luke huffed, rolling his sky blue eyes. He suddenly stopped, disappearing down the hallway. Calum wanted to follow after him, but remained seated. He returned shortly, tossing a book into Calum's lap. "I know you keep this hidden underneath your mattress. These songs are gold, Calum. Any of them are worthy of being performed tonight."

Luke sat down next to Calum, ignoring his glare. Calum had thought his songbook location had been a secret, but he always knew Luke was a snoop so it was no surprise that he finally figured out where he had been hiding it. Calum opened the small notebook, paging through his own scribbled handwriting.

He remembered each one, where he wrote it and when. They were little pieces of him that he had written down, containing his emotions and little quirks that only Luke knew. It contained pieces of his life, of his thoughts and what he wanted out of his existence.

They all felt too personal to be singing to complete strangers.

He sighed, stopping one on of the last songs he wrote. It was one of his most emotional ones he wrote when he was struggling to figure out just who he was in the world. He was a small boy in a large city, but he couldn't figure out if he was much more than that.

"Okay," Calum finally agreed. For some reason, his mind had changed. Reading the words he had quickly scribbled down, he felt an intense need to scream them out. He had never felt that way before, but for some reason now, he needed people to hear them.

He needed her to hear them.

"You're serious?" Luke asked, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. Calum nodded. "Wow, I never thought this day would come. Let's get your guitar packed up and head down to the café now!" He said, clasping his roommate on the shoulder.

Calum rolled his eyes, but got up from the couch, following Luke into his bedroom. His acoustic was propped up in the corner, ready for its time in the limelight. He grabbed it, pulling the case out from beneath his bed.

"Do you need anything?" Luke asked, standing at the end of Calum's bed. Calum could tell that he was nervous and excited at the same time. He could only compare him to the likes of a proud father watching his kid ride bike for the first time.

Calum shook his head. "I think I'll be okay," Calum said, placing his guitar in the case, making sure he had a pick among other things. He closed the case, latching it shut and then standing, meeting Luke's eyes.

"She's going to love it," Luke smiled, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.

Calum knew that Luke has heard him sing before, in the shower or sometimes late at night when it was just him and his guitar that existed in the world. But now, he was ready for everyone else to hear him.

"Let's just go," Calum said, taking a deep breath. Luke agreed, both of them grabbing their jackets before making their way out onto the crowded streets. They wanted to arrive a little early to add their names to the list so they could perform. That, and so they could claim a good table for their own.