Hopelessly Devoted To Music

This Is Me

It was Tuesday morning. Day 2 of my new life at college and like the previous day, I had my Mum drop me and Katie off. However I felt optimistic about this day. I had music performing class for my 3rd lesson of the day and I wanted to find out what sort of stuff people were into and if there was someone who I could potentially work with in the future.

Of course, I had double English to contend with first. But that flew by rather well for me as I got back to basics with what everything was for me. I knew English wouldn't be a major problem given it was only the answering I had struggled upon when doing my exams.

Music Performance was my third class of the day and with it, we were asked to sing a little as a class. We literally belted out Wonderwall and Don't Look Back In Anger. We sung well as a class and we got into a groove in time. And only after that were we asked if any of us wanted to perform a solo at all. A few people did but for much of the class, I kept my mouth shut. However towards the end, I felt determined to give it a shout like why not? So I went looking around for a guitar somewhere in music cupboard but by the time I came back with one, the class was nearly over and it was officially lunchtime. 

I rushed back in and Lucy was still there. Waiting for me. She said "What's this then? A guitar. You gonna go all Ed Sheeran on me now?"

I responded back "Just give me two minutes of your time and I can prove to you I'm not some playboy footballer." Lucy agreed to stay on whilst I performed a rendition of One Song Glory from Rent. A song I loved and still do to this day.

As I sung, her face dropped in awe of what I was achieving. Every last note was heard by everyone in the class as they were departing the room we were in but they all soon and slowly came back in to hear who was singing that song. Jackie even came in wondering who it and when she realised it was me, she was astounded.

Once I finished, I realised the whole class had come back into the room to hear me sing and in an instant, they applauded me like nothing before ever experienced.

Lucy was shell shocked. She couldn't believe what had come out of my mouth and into this theatre room. But as I lifted down the guitar from my chest, she came over and hugged me like nothing before. Feet up in the air as she held on hugging me round my neck.

"Why didn't you tell me you played the guitar that well like that you bloody fool?" She said.

"I just didn't think you would like that. Its a bit of a rock song that is a tad depressing but its one I'm proud of and I've been working on that for the last few months."

"Well you thought I wouldn't like it? I fucking loved that you smart genius." she yelled at me.

Jackie came in behind the class and said, "Well well well. It seems someone has just proved me wrong on a number of levels and maybe your not just some greasy ex-footballer afterall. It appears to me there is more talent than we first expected from you Alex and in fact your sister was right afterall about you. Well done because for a first ever performance from you like that in front of a crowd like this, that was nothing but pure magic. I hope someone filmed that because Alex's sister Katie is gonna be chuffed when she sees it."

Immediately, Katie came into the room as the class was still in awe. She said "I could hear that from the opposite side of the building. It was that loud and that much in tune. I've got to say this. Alex, you've sure done the unthinkable today and I'm so bloody proud of you."

I'd done it. I'd done the unthinkable but the battle was far from over and I knew that like anybody did. Lucy invited me to sit with her at lunch and from that point on, I knew she was going to be something special for me. After eating, we left the college building and walked to the nearby park where we sat on a bench together. She wanted to know a few truths about me.

"So let me get this straight? You score countless goals at football matches for over 10 years, you win trophies upon trophies and leagues like its second nature to you but yet in the last year you had got so fed up with football that you wanted to do music and start singing?"

"Yep. That is correct and ultimately the truth in a nutshell." I responded.

"But why? You had it all in football? Why give up now for music and singing?" she asked.

"Because it drained me like nothing else. I felt like I wasn't learning anymore and I wasn't waking up the same way all excited like I used to. I wasn't developing in the same enjoyable way that I had once done years ago either. You see with music, its creative and like football, when you create something you can jazz it up every now and again. But unlike music, in football, there are only so many different ways you can jazz things up before they become stale and repeated. The whole format of play, train, repeat every week just got tiresome for me and I wanted out."

"So music? Performing? Why that then?"

"It given me a new lease of life. Music is so different like performing in general. You can go from one show to the next and it can be like nothing else. Whereas football, the level can be the same. You might have the odd exceptionally good player who outshines you all but that's as far as it goes. Nothing really changes in football apart from the players. The teams stay the same, the fans are there but nothing changes tactically. I wanna be on a stage one day performing my heart out like nothing else now and who knows? Maybe with you alongside me if you wish to join me at all?"

"Well definitely in time I will. I've got talents of my own that you deserve to see and in time you will. Trust me. I think you and me are gonna get on just fine."

"Well I don't know what you've got planned but come back to mine after we're done tonight? Stay for dinner and all. Could even perform another song or two with you if you like?"

"Fine. Deal. But your cooking alright?"

"Of course. Never in doubt there."

And that was how we hit it off. Me and Lucy like nothing ever experienced before. I felt happy and satisified with how today had gone but I knew the battle wasn't over just yet.