Rooftops and Guitars

Chapter 1

How? How do I do this? What even is math? What even is life? Will it have a devastatingly huge impact on me, or humanity as a whole, if I just don't do this one problem? With my luck, probably. I think to myself as I attempt to do my math homework. Maybe I'll be able to focus better if I'm not listening to music. I reach beside me for my iPod to turn my music off when I notice that 1) My earbuds were never in my ears to begin with and 2) My iPod is dead regardless. Oh well, I'll just try to ignore it. I can do this, it's mind over matter.

(Five minutes later)

You know what? Screw it! Whoever came up with that " mind over matter" shit has never had to put up with this! I am going to find whoever is playing that guitar and confront them like a civil human being.

I got up off of my bed began speed walking angrily down the hall until suddenly I ran into a 14 year old sized object heading the opposite way. "Could you run into me faster next time? I don't think I spilled enough spaghetti on the wall." My little brother, Collin, said gesturing to the fresh spaghetti mess on the wall. "Can't talk now, I have to go yell at whoever is playing that guitar." I explained trying to get around him. "Oh, are you going to going spill spaghetti on them too?" He asked sarcastically. I ignored him as I continued to walk towards the door. "What, you aren't even going to help me clean this up? You caused this!" Collin yelled as I exited the house.

I stood in the yard and looked around the neighborhood, trying to figure out who was playing that awful instrument. I was just about to give up and go back inside when I noticed something- no wait, someone on the roof of my neighbor's house. There was a boy, about my age, sitting cross legged on the middle of the roof. And guess what instrument they were holding in their hands? I marched over to their yard and glared at them. No, restrain yourself Baisil. Be civil first.

"Hi, um, sorry to interrupt. Could you maybe, like, play quieter or go inside and play? I can't really focus with the guitar in the background and I have algebra homework that's due tomorrow so..." I said to guitar boy. He smiled and stopped playing. "Thanks. Again I'm sorry to bother you it's just really difficult to-" "Why don't you join me?" The boy asked, still smiling. " I, uh, what, I don't." I sputtered confusedly in reply. " I don't think I should, I just, I have a lot to do and, uh, yeah." "Okay." He said and began to play even louder. Wait, is he playing louder? After I politely asked him to not? What an asshole!   "Please, I'm asking this guy to guy here. Human being to human being. Could you please play softer or something? I need to get back to my homework!" I practically yelled at the boy. He just smiled again. The jerk. "Okay, but only if you promise to join me. Here, on the roof." The boy yelled down. I looked back at my house, knowing my algebra was inside waiting for me, and then back at him. This process continued a few more times until finally I looked back up, defeated. "Fine. As long as you stop." I yelled from the ground. He placed his guitar beside him and raised his hands to show he didn't have some secret guitar that he would begin playing the second I climbed onto the roof. "There. I kept my end of the deal. Your turn." He said to me proudly. I sighed and began looking for a way up.