Confessions of an Ordinary ME

Chapter 25

"I'll start writing the song. I'll try to come by tomorrow to give you a copy." We were standing in front of our house awkwardly. His face was gloomy and down.

"You don't wanna come in?" 

"Nah, I gotta get home." He waved good bye and turned around. 

"Joe!" I find myself always watching him walk away, so I called him. 

"Thanks for today. I haven't been nice to you. Let me make it up to you." When he turned around, his face lit up and smiled. He came running back and handed me a paper. 'Has he been holding this since this morning?' I thought to myself. Without saying another word, after he handed me the piece of paper, he walked away. 

I slowly entered the house, Gabriella is at the garden. "Where have you been?" 

"Oh I was out with Joseph." 

"Really? I thought you hate him." 

"Well yea, it turned out that he was kinda nice." I kept walking while she was asking. By the time I answered that he was nice, she'd probably nag me to tell her about today. 

"Wait up! Tell me about today!" As expected; but of course I know her so well already. I hurriedly ran to my room and locked the door. I giggled. 

"Hope! Come on!" 

"I'm tired Gabriella. I'll tell you about it tomorrow!" 

"I hate you!" 

"I love you too Gabbie." I assumed she gave up. I sat on my bed thinking about today, then I realized I was still holding a piece of paper.

#312 Pierre Avenue, Lourde Heights Private Road, Paris France
013-882-0091

Seeing it was his address and phone number made me smile. 'What an easy-to-get guy' I thought to myself. But no, I'm not even planning on getting him. I don't even think of him that way, nor thinking we might end up together. I don't know, I just don't see us together. And again I realized, he lives in the same exclusive subdivision, and he lives just around the corner. My house address is #300. Come to think of it, he never came here with his pick-up truck, and plus today, he came at 8am - 'no wonder' I finally put it all together.

--- 

I fell asleep and the cold breeze from my balcony woke me up - chilly. I went to my balcony and stretched; I looked over, they were having fun. That moment right before the sun sets, Gabriella was playing her guitar, Esme was singing and Manuelo casually drinking his coffee. But there's something else; someone is playing a beat-box drum. 

"What are you doing here?" I hurriedly went down. 

"You're awake. Joe came by to give you this." Gabbie handed me a music sheet. 

"I've finished it. Sorry I got excited so I wanted to give you as soon as I can." 

"Don't be mad, you guys have time to practice anyways." I probably ruined the mood, I feel bad - I hate myself. Esme went inside to begin making dinner, Gabbie had a phone call and I don't know where Manuelo went. I was left alone in the garden with him, holding the sheet music while he was staring at me. 

"Alright let me hear it." 

"Its called I Need You." 

"That sounds so cliche. Okay, go on." 

"Picture perfect memories
scattered all around the floor
Reaching for the phone 
cause I can't find it anymore..." 

His voice enveloped the silence, I can't help but smile. I don't know why, I'm not supposed to, the song is supposed to be a sad and broken song. 

"That's it." I didn't realized he stopped singing. His voice took me to a different dimension that's why. 

"That's it??? You came here just to present me four stanzas?" 

"Yea, well, I wanted to write with you." As soon as he said that, he offered me a pen. I chuckled and thought that it was absurd, but the mood around us was steady, a little too steady. Fireflies started lighting the surroundings even for just a little ray of light. 

"Fine." I took the pen and sat down. He kept playing the melody on background as I sat there peacefully with eyes closed, thinking of the right words to write. I'm getting in sync with the music, letting my heart absorb the feeling that the melody is making me feel. All I can think of was Mikhail. I added the unsent message I wrote on my phone, it kinda went well with the theme and title of the song. 

'Its a quarter after one...' I whispered. 

"What's a quarter after one?" 

"1:15?" 

"I know, but what do you mean?" I showed him the sheet and read the lyrics that I added. He liked it and started singing it. It suits him. 

--- 

Its Monday and I'm frantically nervous. I walked the hallway to my music class with my bag and guitar hanging on my shoulders. I never realized there were a lot of students in this school. Why do I feel like an apple in an orange tree? I feel envious that everyone has a talent of making good friends. My only friend was my cousin, which in fact don't count as a friend. 'And annoying Joe' a voice inside my head said - it made me chuckled. 

I stood outside the music room, I saw Joe sitting at the far end of the row with one seat available on his left. I remember this very scene, back at the audition - 'typical'. I didn't realized that seat on his left was saved, his bags were on it. 

"Hope!" He saw me, waved at me and pointed at the available seat. I assumed he was saying he saved it for me. I rather not. 

"Seat with your pair please." As I entered the room, walking on a different direction trying to seat somewhere else, I didn't realized our director was already inside and announced just what I tried avoiding. I had no choice.

"Okay first up Joseph Hart and Vaugn Shea." 

"Hope." 

I tried correcting her, and immediately regretted my decision, I bit my lip. I took my guitar, he sat on his beat-box drums. I looked at all our classmates, and they were all staring. Our director was glaring waiting for us to choke at least. She seemed a little strict and terror - like she has hunger in scolding somebody. 

Joe started making a beat, I started singing - I thought she was disappointed. Her face melted as she heard our voice blended beautifully. I myself was shock hearing our voices perfectly went well together. I can't believe it either. 

I'm singing a song about Mikhail that I wrote, and yet I'm with Joe; I'm singing it with Joe. Its a song about two people, but he's acting like he was the guy. But why am I not angry that he's trying to be Mikhail? Why do I feel like he's trying to fill in the void?