Dusk & Dawn

Chapter 10

I woke up Friday morning, an uncharacteristic excitement bubbling within me.

'Tonight is the night—I get to perform!'

With that exhilarating thought, I practically leaped out of bed, eager to embrace the day. I swiftly prepared myself for university, the anticipation coursing through my veins. In the kitchen, Lexi leaned against the counter, engrossed in her phone, texting and giggling.

"Oh my God, Zach, you're so bad," she murmured under her breath, a coy smile playing on her lips.

"Lover boy texting you?" I teased, puckering my mouth and mimicking kissing sounds.

"Shut up! As a matter of fact, he is," she replied, her voice filled with a hint of excitement.
"He said he's playing tonight and wants to pick us up."

"Us?" I choked, water nearly going down the wrong pipe.

"Yeah, you and me. Mason's coming too," she said mischievously, her smile widening.

"You mean 'you and I'," I corrected, attempting to play the role of a smartass.

"And I can't go—I have my first gig tonight, remember?" I leaned against the arm of the couch.

"No biggie. We can go see the boys first since they're playing early tonight, and then we'll all carpool our way to your show. It's a win-win," Lexi said, clapping her hands once and rubbing them together with an evil, excited grin. Suddenly, it all made sense.

"You told them about my job, didn't you?" I accused, pointing directly at her. Yet, deep down, I was grateful. The idea of having their support was growing on me.

"Who, moi?" Lexi exclaimed, placing her dainty hand over her heart in a mock display of innocence.

"I'll get you back, just you wait," I warned, though a smile tugged at the corners of my lips. In truth, the thought of building a friendship with Mason was a thought that was beginning to grow on me. I playfully pushed Lexi toward the front door.

"Come on, woman, we'll be late for class if you keep standing around, making ridiculous life plans," I chuckled, giving her a playful nudge. We laughed and playfully pushed each other, enjoying the light-hearted moment. Eventually, we managed to make our way to the lecture hall just in time for class, ready to dive into our studies.

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The first two periods of the day were music classes, and I found myself standing just inside the doorway, wondering where to sit since Lexi had a different class. I hadn't made many friends outside of the band.

Suddenly, a strong arm linked with mine, and I turned to see none other than Mason, his tattooed arm entwined with mine. He looked down at me with a mischievous smile.

"You never said anything about arm linking, ergo, the linkage." he said in a raspy voice, nodding towards our linked arms.
"Where are we headed?" I asked, curious.
"To the middle rows. Best seat in the house for acoustics, trust me. I've done my fair share of trial and error," he explained, confidently placing his books on the desk.

Was he suggesting I sit next to him?

"Uh-oh, someone's looking a little too robotic," he commented, imitating a stiff robot with a monotone voice.
"Let's loosen up those hinges a bit, Tinny," he said, pretending to oil my joints with his finger. I couldn't help but bite my lip, trying to suppress a laugh, and took a seat beside him.

Tinny? If he gives me another nickname, I might just have to stab him with my pencil. I couldn't help but smile to myself.

As the lecturer discussed the songs available for our practical exams, Mason leaned over and started writing on my notepad.

MASON: So, you've got your first gig tonight?

ME: Yeah. Lexi said you guys were coming?

MASON: Wouldn't miss it, even if there was a zombie apocalypse.

I chuckled at the thought of Mason as a tattooed zombie. A shirtless, tattooed zombie...

I blushed, feeling guilty for entertaining such thoughts. I quickly lowered my head, hiding my embarrassment behind my hair. Mason gently nudged me and mouthed, "What's wrong?" I didn't want to get any closer, so I wrote my response on the paper.

ME: Just thinking about the songs on the syllabus.

One of his eyebrows quirked up, indicating that he didn't believe me.

MASON: You're a terrible liar.

I glanced at him, realizing he had been observing me closely. How did he notice those things unless he was actually paying attention? Part of me wanted him to notice me, but at the same time, I wanted to get through this year of uni without distractions. I squinted at him playfully.

MASON: You have a tell. You can't look people in the eyes and you start playing with your gloves.

As I was reading I looked down at my hands and sure enough I was fiddling with my gloves. I squinted at him.

"Okay, Sherlock S. Holmes," I whispered, waving him away jokingly.
"What does the 'S' stand for?" he asked, looking confused.
"It stands for 'smart ass'," I replied, not realizing I had said it loudly enough for the whole class to hear, including the lecturer.

"Mr. Ambrose and Ms. Eden, you two will be the first to choose and perform your practical exam next week. You'll have a week to prepare, but remember, this is an improvisation exam to test your ability to work together as a duet on the spot," Ms. Roberts announced, her hair bundled atop her head like a birds nest, bouncing as she spoke..

A duet with HIM? What had I gotten myself into?

"Mr Ambrose? Would you please come and pick a song from the musical hat?" Ms. Roberts asked. Mason put on his most sycophantic smile and bit his lip as he descended the stairs to draw a song.

Once Mason returned to his seat, I couldn't contain my curiosity any longer.
"What did we get?" I asked, covering my face, anticipating the worst. He gently pulled my hands down, slipped the paper inside, and closed my fist. A devilish grin spread across his face as his eyes locked with mine.

Just as I was about to open my hands, the bell rang for the break.

"I gotta go meet Zach. I'll catch up with you later," Mason said, grabbing his books and exchanging high-fives with some guys on his way out. I waited for the rush of students to subside before making my way to the door. After cramming my books into my bag, I uncrumpled the paper in my hand. It read:

"I Really Like You" by Carly Rae Jepson.

Fantastic. At least we didn't have to rehearse together. Engaging in music practice had always been an intimate affair for me, and I couldn't help but feel a tinge of embarrassment whenever someone walked in while I was practicing an unfinished piece. As I gathered my belongings in preparation for the next lecture, a newfound sense of gratitude washed over me, replacing my initial hesitation. Perhaps Mason and I could truly be friends, I mused, allowing a flicker of hope to ignite within me.