MELODY

MELODY 03

┏ 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚒𝚗 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚢 ┐

He yawned for the umpteenth time today. Staying up until four in the morning listening and stalking MELODY took a toll on him. Especially when he had a nine in the morning lecture afterwards. Exiting the hall once his lecturer dismissed them for the day, yawning once more, he took out his phone from his jean pockets. Checking the unread messages, he stifled a groan when he went through his chat. There were a few messages from Adam asking him to attend a meeting with the Events & Festivals Team and another few from his group mates.

Damn it, he had half a mind to ignore Adam and head back to his room.

But just as the thought crossed his mind, he received another text from his pink-haired friend saying, 'I'll treat you to coffee.'

And really, how could he deny that?

With a sigh and a headache bloomed at the side of his head, he speed walked to the building, located right next to the Science block. Their 'headquarters' to say was located on the fifth floor, in a room too small and packed with too many instruments and streamers and posters.

When he had to get out of the shade he was under in to enter the other building, the sun glared down on him, shining a bit too brightly for it being eleven in the morning. Bitter at it, he adjusted his shoulder bag and masterfully avoided people. He walked past the School of Arts building, making a face as people tried to walk past him carrying large sculptures. While he was impressed at the stuff he was seeing, he really didn't have time to be wasting. Especially when he had to find his way out of this maze of sculptures like a game.

His headache worsened.

Stupid Adam and his ability to sway me into the worst things.

Looking to his right, narrowly avoiding one big piece of canvas from a nearby student, he cursed under his breath almost tripping over his feet. When he managed to escape the sculpture zoo with his body parts intact, he sighed.

And that was when from the corner of his eyes, he spotted a familiar head of grey hair. Tall and pale with those dark eyes he had found himself obsessing over last night, he ended up almost tripping over nothing again just as he was about to take a step backwards.

He couldn't believe his eyes.

The man was leaner in real life, a smile danced on his lips making him look more... enchanting than he had been through the screen of his phone or laptop.

Jackson Star was before him. Walking past him to the elevators located right behind him. He blinked a few times, clearing his throat as he realised he had been staring at the man like he had been an angel. With his face heating up, he tightened his grip on his bag and shook his head from the thoughts.

As much as he tried to stop himself, Jackson's face in real life was now permanently burned into his mind like some tattoo.

Seeing him in real life hit differently.

His heart lurched in his chest and left him a little breathless.

It was foolish. To feel this way about a guy he had seen through the screens. To be starstruck over seeing him in person.

But here he was.

Being that fool.

When he reached the 'headquarters', there were a few people near a square table, almost looking crammed together. "Took you long enough," Amelia, one of the members of the team said, her eyes never leaving her laptop.

Bryan huffed a breath, breaking away from his thoughts as he dropped his bag next to her, sitting on the unoccupied chair. He raised his eyebrows, glaring at Adam, the President of the team. His best friend merely grinned at him, his eyes sparkled in poorly concealed mirth.

Maybe it was because Jackson's face still had him slightly out of it, but he couldn't find it in himself to keep glaring.

"Well?" Bryan said, voice flat. "Why am I here?"

That started the meeting.

"Right," Adam said, running his fingers through his pink-dyed hair. "People, welcome the newest secretary to the Events & Festival Team!"

Bryan took a few seconds to let that sink in his head before he said, "What? I didn't agree to that!"

Sasha, the Vice President of the team hummed, tossing a look at Adam. Bryan dragged his gaze from him to her and back at him, all thoughts of Jackson disappearing at the new predicament he had found himself in. When he tried to look for the joke in his friend's face, he couldn't find it.

His heart sunk to the bottom of his stomach and anger bubbled inside of him only for it to simmer down at the guilty look on his best friend's face.

"Yeah, so, we need a secretary and just, you did such a great job, Bri," Adam said. "Just for this once, can you stay as our secretary? We'll get a replacement after this event. I promise." He crossed his heart with a finger. "Boy's scout honour!"

"You were never in boy's scout, stupid," Bryan muttered. He glanced around the table but they simply stared back at him. "Do I have to?"

"It won't be demanding," Adam said, leaning forward a little. "You even get a certificate! So, you can add that to your resume or something." When Bryan opened his mouth, his best friend added, "Please?"

He rubbed a hand down his face. There was no way he could say no to his best friend when he was looking at him like that. As if Bryan was the only one who could save him. Why did he even care for this idiot?

"Fine." Bryan raised a hand before Adam could say anything. "But just this once. I can't slack off, Adam. You know what will happen if I did."

His best friend's face softened and his lips quirked upwards a little. "I know," he said, his voice quieter than before. "I won't have this distract you too much, I promise."

And that was that. A promise Bryan would hold onto. He nodded at the end, earning a large whoop of happiness from his friend.

"Well, that was nice and all," Raj said, a man cladded in studded jacket and leather pants, "but as Publicity Officer of this team, we should talk about how we're going to sell the tickets. Right now, we're not getting the buzz we need."

"Wouldn't MELODY be enough?" Bryan said, pausing when Adam landed his eyes on him.

His cheeks heated under his stare.

"Well, Jackson Star would definitely be enough buzz, if he was talking about it," Raj said. "But he hasn't mentioned about our festival at all."

"I can get him to talk," Adam said, smiling. "I know him."

"You do?" Bryan said, blinking and then clearing his throat when his best friend raised an eyebrow. "Of course you do."

"Yes, of course," Sasha said, rolling her eyes. "At least you're useful for something."

Adam placed a hand on his chest, mocking a hurt gasp.

"MELODY is our university band," Amelia said, "we'll definitely be alright if they can promote us. Especially Jackson."

It was kind of dumb at how Bryan's heart thumped loudly at the mention of his name. He sat up straighter, taking out his laptop to jot down the meeting minutes, focusing his attention on the task at hand. Maybe acting like a secretary would keep his weird feelings away.

"Right," Adam said, snapping his fingers. "I'll do it. I'll get him to promote." After a beat, he cheekily added, "Especially since Bryan knows them now."

Bryan's cheeks heated up for the second time today as Jackson's face threatened to flash before his eyes. He waved the question off with a cool reply of, "I had to do research when you left me that list of bands to contact. I just thought they sounded cool."

Adam hummed as if he didn't believe him.

And to be honest, he didn't believe that reason either.

┏ 𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝙼𝙴𝙻𝙾𝙳𝚈 𝟶𝟹 ┐