Solace

Chapter 3- Waste

The next few days were easy for me.

Aerrin didn't come to meet, neither did I call him after that day, even though he lived a few blocks away, I didn't want to go near that place. But he was here now. And we'll be seeing each other soon, I hoped.

He was busy with the interviews and college stuff, he had told me about, that day. While I had school and a whole lot of stuff that had to be studied. But those days were easier and a lot less constricting. Myra and Leena came over to my place a few times. We studied some anatomy together. We did some shopping together. Dad had sent a lot of money again. Money was never a problem, he made sure of that, his absence was. I missed him. Australia was his home now. His and his new family's. 12 years had passed since I last saw him. I remember that day November 25th, he broke his marriage with my mom and left. Left me, his daughter.

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"So Sofia, are you in or not?" Myra asked.

I put a fry in my mouth and nodded. A Sad movie was a bad idea. I hated sad movies. Myra squealed. It was our first movie together so I couldn't say no. Our group was getting bigger. We were 8 people now. She said bonding over a movie would be a good idea.

"Hey, how did this happen Sof?" Leena asked, pointing at a scar on my forearm. I pushed my sleeve down and moved my hands under the table.

"I think I fell off the stairs. I don't even remember Haha." I laughed nervously. She looked alarmed for a second but then she smiled at me.

I got up abruptly and said I had to go to the bathroom and left the cafeteria.

I was checking myself in the bathroom mirror when I heard it. The drum. Beats so strong, they literally shook me. A shiver ran down my body. I closed my eyes.
"Are you okay?" A girl, standing nearby, asked
"Yeah." I smiled at her and left.

I followed the sound of the drum. It was coming from the music hall (Everyone called it MH) in the basement. So I went running down the stairs towards the MH. A big crowd of students was blocking the doorway. They were all listening. A guitar. Someone started playing guitar in complete harmony with the drum. And then a piano. But the drum picked up the pace and they tried to match its beats, tried to harmonize with it, but failed so the piano and guitar halted and the drum picked up even more speed. The crowd started cheering up. I wanted to see the drummer but the crowd was too thick. I could hear some faculty members shouting on the other side of the crowd. Students started moving and I pressed myself against the wall clearing the space for people to pass. I had to see who it was. The drum stopped.
"Show's over. Leave leave. C'mon off to class." A professor shouted at some students.
"Go to your lecture hall miss!" he said to me.
"Sir I have a study break. No class" I lied. He grunted and found some other students to shout on. The crowd had cleared so I slowly walked towards the music room. My heart beating in my ear. Sitting behind a big black drum kit was a guy, I couldn't see his face right away, blame the bottle he was drinking water from. He then poured all the remaining water over his head and shook it. With his other hand, he pushed his brown hair away from his face. It was really hot in here though the weather app said it was 12 degrees outside.

He opened his eyes and looked at me, water dripping down his forehead I was standing there in the middle of the room, probably staring at him with my mouth open. I closed my mouth and blushed. He laughed. He was laughing at me. I turned around and walked away. Wow, what an asshole, what a waste of talent.

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It was too late to enter the lecture hall now. Professor would send me away anyway, so I went to the library. Sat on the nearest table and pulled out my phone. My face still red from the MH embarrassing scene. Oh please stop! There is nothing to be embarrassed about. Guys stare at you all the time if you laughed at them, would they be embarrassed? Obviously not. Don't stress about it.
"Idiot", I said out loud. I put on my earplugs and put on my favorite song 'Vancouver sleep clinic- flaw' on repeat. Looked around. Few people scattered here and there. I closed my eyes and faded away.