photograph // darren espanto

chapter seven - get a job

Lei

I walk in the studio with Darren then snap a picture of it on my camera. We then walk into a recording studio and it just looked so cool. Other than photography and travel, music was one of my favorites too. I've been so caught up in those, I only just listened to music. Maybe I should start singing again...nah, no need.

"Woaaaah look at this soundboard though!" I say in awe, running my fingers through it. I then snap a picture with my camera

"Hey don't touch or move anything there. Anyways, when the producer comes in, don't act too...I don't know, you" Darren says.

"Oh shut up" I tease, punching his arm. I take a few more snaps then I see the door open. Ignoring Darren, I smile then run up to the man at the door.

"Oh my gosh. It's you! You're an amazing guy. Like, you've made amazing music for people like Darren, and others. I mean, I could look up to you! Well, honestly, I don't really look up to you. But, your still an amazing man" I say all in one breath. I glance at the man and he looks shocked, but impressed.

Darren puts his hands on my shoulders then backs up away from him.

"Um, sorry po, sir" Darren apologizes. "This is my friend, Lei" I happily wave at him then give him a handshake.

"Leah Reyes. Student. 10th grade. 15 years old. 16 in a few weeks" I say still, shaking his hand quickly. I realize i've been shaking his hand for like 10 seconds then quickly let go.

"Hm, cute. Lemme guess. You're 100% pinoy, you dyed your hair, you're wearing a Green Day shirt, meaning you have a liking of rock bands or pop punk bands. Also, you're wearing bracelet blings and have a sorta edgy look. There's a camera strapped around your neck, so i'm guessing you like photography and...travel..?" The producer said all in one take. It was complete silence in the room after, and my mouth was slightly open in shock.

Close that mouth Lei, you'll catch flies. I finally break the silence. Although he got one thing wrong.

"Woah. You knew all that after one look?" I asked, impressed.

"Galing, no?" Darren said as he leaned in. "He knows, people"

I open up my camera then quickly take a back camera selfie with the producer. I have my mouth open while smiling while he does an awkward smile.

"Lei!" Darren says, sounding a bit embarrassed.

"What? I need memories, school's been a bore" I say as I look at our picture. I scroll a bit through my camera then I hear the producer talk behind me.

"Hey can I see your camera for a bit?" he asked. I nicely handed it to him then he looked a bit through my pictures.

"Wow. New York City...Tokyo....Melbourne," he says as I see his thumb pressing the 'next' button. I see an impressed smile spread across his face. "This is very nice. Professional even"

"Haha, salamat po. I've been working on some sick effects and color schemes" I say proudly. He nods his head then hands me back my camera. It's dead silent once again.

"Oh yeah. Um. I'll leave you guys alone for your meeting. Haha" I say awkwardly, then walk out the door.

Darren's POV

Lei left the room. She's so cute.

"She's very...interesting. Nice and colorful personality. Free spirit. Talent. Artist. I wanna know more about her" He said as he gets on his phone.

"You want to get to know her? I barely even get the chance" I joke around.

After a meeting about my album and songs and all that, I went back to Lei, then dropped her off home.

Lei confuses me. Does she like me? Does she think of me as a friend? Does she just think of me as some famous guy that talks to her?

–

Out of boredness, I just watch random videos on YouTube. Then I started watching covers of my songs, everyone's reallyyy good. They deserve to be known. I then came across something on my recommendations. I look closely and see that the girl looks just like Lei. In the thumbnail, she was smiling, holding a ukulele, she had a beanie on, a big sweatshirt, and it looked cold. I pressed on the video then started watching. It was a cover of Creep by Radiohead on the ukulele.

I pressed play on the video. It was Lei. She can sing?! And play the uke?! She waves at the camera, smiles, picks up the ukulele, then starts to play. Lei then started singing. I was...shocked. The more she kept singing, the more I kept getting into it. As she sang the lyrics, I looked at her eye and saw they were a bit...sad. She sings the song with so much feeling. It's so sweet but somehow dark at the same time.

After the video ends, i'm really impressed and surprised she never told me she can sing. I look at her YouTube account and see she only has 3 videos. One was a cover of Riptide by Vance Joy and the other was Can't Help Falling in Love. They were all on the ukulele. I decided to click on the Can't Help Falling in Love video. She was just wearing a messy bun and tank top in it.

"Um, hello. No one's probably gonna watch this but...hi. I'm doing this just for fun so sorry if I suck" Lei says in the video. I smile at how cute and nervous she is in this.

"Alright, this is my cover of Can't Help Falling in Love" She says then smiles. She then starts strumming her ukulele.

Lei Reyes. Really something.

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ohhhh gosh guys sorry i've been pretty busy for school and I've been procrastinating everything, even this story. I've been practicing my writing a bit. :)