MELODY

MELODY 10

┏ 𝚜𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚕𝚢. 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎. ┐

It had been a week since he had last seen Jackson Star. While he knew that it was borderline obsessive on the amount of times he played Jackson's songs or stared at his picture wondering what he was thinking about, he couldn't find it in himself to stop. It was weird. One second he hadn't cared about anyone, and the next Jackson was all in his mind. His eyes, the way he spoke and the way he was.

He paused typing his notes, staring at the message he received from Adam. Glancing at the lecturer in front of him, he discreetly pulled up the messaging desktop app to read the message.

'Yo, which band you wanna take for the soundcheck?'

Suppressing a sigh, he contemplated on the question he received. He hesitated, just for a second before he typed in his answer. While he thought that it was unfair of Adam to ask which band he wanted to be in charge in before anyone else, he couldn't help but to want to take this chance.

'MELODY,' he had typed.

Adam typed back not even a second later, 'You really like that band, don't you?'

'It's just the only band I really know of.' It wasn't a complete lie.

His cheeks heated when Adam teased him. While he refused to admit that he had ulterior motives to choosing MELODY, he couldn't stop his lips from twitching into a brief smile. He glanced at the people next to him, glad for once he had chosen a row where he didn't have any neighbours next to him.

By the time lecture was over, he was a ball of anxiety and nervousness. It was just the thought of doing sound check for MELODY and being in close proximity of Jackson again had him breathless. It once again jarred him at how he was acting like a fool.

Over a man he had said only a few words to.

What was he even doing?

Walking out of the hall, he struggled with his laptop and notepads, all the while juggling his bag to shove the things inside. As he had his phone in between his teeth, his eyes were glued on his ability to shove his laptop into the opening, not paying attention to his surroundings. He didn't think it mattered, especially when there were little people at the hallway.

And because life liked to prove him wrong, his next step had him slamming against a chest, propelling him backwards from the force.

His heartbeat skyrocketed as he fell to the ground on his ass, one hand firmly holding his laptop against his chest. Phone scattering to the floor and his bag a few feet next to him, hurt flared through his body. He hissed for a second, trying to sort through what happened before he snapped his gaze upwards, ready to apologise. His eyes met with familiar dark ones, halting his words.

Jackson Star stood in front of him, one hand reaching to pull his earphones out of his ears while the other hand was holding onto a guitar case. They stared at each other for a few seconds, neither made a move before the the taller man bent down, one knee on the floor. The grey head bowed his head to properly look at Bryan, eyebrows furrowed.

"Are you okay?" Jackson asked as he looked at the bag. He grabbed it, holding it to Bryan.

Snatching it from his grip, Bryan scrambled to stand up, managing to finally shove his laptop into his bag. He was about to look for his phone when Jackson handed it over to him, this time with eyebrows raised.

"Sorry," Bryan said, cheeks heating up as he took the phone from Jackson's hand. "Thanks."

"Watch where you're going next time," Jackson said with a roll of his eyes. "Could've actually gotten someone hurt."

He bit back a retort, knowing the guitarist was right. Checking to make sure his phone was undamaged, he tossed it into his bag as well, zipping it closed. Slinging it over his shoulder, he nodded.

"I suppose," Bryan said. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm fine." Jackson scanned his face, almost as if he was waiting for something. When Bryan glanced away, awkward under his gaze, the guitarist sighed. He began walking away, tossing one last look at him as he moved to place his earphones back in his ear.

While Bryan knew, rationally, that he should let Jackson go, after all, he had been the one to bump into him, something in him forced him to move. Before he could think twice, he had touched Jackson's wrist, halting him. He immediately took away his hand, taking a brief step back when the guitarist snapped his head to look at him.

Fuck.

Embarrassment settled in his veins as his brain scrambled to say something. He was the one who had stopped the guitarist! Cursing himself for the umpteenth time since he came across Jackson's existence, he opened and closed his mouth. Yet, no words escaped his lips.

"What?" Jackson said, at last.

"Uh," Bryan said, panic washing over him. At the end, he blurted out, "I'll be in charge of your band during the music festival."

Jackson remained quiet for a few seconds before he stood straighter. "You?"

Bryan frowned at the tone in his voice. "Yeah?"

The lead guitarist of MELODY raked his eyes from the top of his head to the ground, almost mockingly before a smirk crawled on his face. "You don't look like the type of guy who knows about music."

A little offended at the accusation, he took a step towards Jackson and said, "Well, I know about your songs, don't I?"

The silence that accompanied that had him backtracking immediately. He was about to open his mouth to speak when a ringtone stopped him. Jackson shifted his attention to his phone, pulling out of his jean pockets. He took one glance at the caller ID before he swiped the screen and answered the call.

"Leah," Jackson said, his voice softer, less annoyed than it had been when he was talking to Brian. "Yeah, yeah I'm coming."

Without another word, he speed walked away, leaving Bryan behind. The shorter male huffed a breath, watching Jackson's retreating back. Placing a hand against his chest, he noted how fast his heart was beating. He frowned, Jackson's face flashing into his mind as he answered the call.

For just a second, Bryan thought Jackson looked so different. So lonely. And desperate.

┏ 𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝙼𝙴𝙻𝙾𝙳𝚈 𝟷𝟶 ┐