Mesmerized | ✓

13

Candace's house looked nice, even nicer than the one Carl had taken him to. In contrast to his clearly strained relationship with his parents, the girl's house seemed to be filled with love and amity. Candace was an only child so it was just her and her parents but Yuli could just feel the warm and friendly atmosphere floating all around the house.

The girl took him upstairs to her bedroom and Yuli noted how different it looked from Carl's cramped little flat. The room was spacious with a big double bed, a walk-in wardrobe and even a balcony. A wooden acoustic guitar was standing in one corner and a keyboard in the other. It looked like a bedroom straight out of one of the many movies he had watched.

"Yup, my parents are quite rich." Candace said plopping down on the bed. "Can't do anything about it so I might as well enjoy it." She said with a shrug but also an easy smile on her face. Her sadness and fear from before seemed to be mostly gone and the girl looked laid-back and relaxed. In contrast to Carl, who always looked like he was on edge with him.

Yuli chuckled looking at the various pictures stuck to a crock-board above a desk opposite the bed. Some of them were of Candace's parents, others were of a group of young people that Yuli assumed were her friends and there was even one of Carl and her, smiling together into the camera. Looking at his friend like that, Yuli noticed that Carl looked nothing now like the guy from the picture. He hardly ever smiled, he had dark circles under his eyes and he seemed older.

Well, apparently that was how it was supposed to be, Yuli concluded. Everyone was in charge of their own happiness and Yuli was just doing what he had to do to ensure that his dreams would come true, regardless of how it affected other people. "You don't have to explain yourself." Yuli said taking a seat next to Candace. "You're just making your best of the assets you've been given."

"I guess." She said and grabbed her guitar. "So what do you think we should perform at the wake? Do you have any ideas?"

Yuli had to admit that as much as he loved watching human films he had little appreciation for their music. It just sounded bad to him. It was like listening to an animal being tortured and making the weirdest of noises. It also meant that he didn't know any songs by names. "I don't know. Do you have something in mind?"

"Actually, I do." Candace admitted with an excited smile on her face. "What do you think about If I die young? I know it's cliché and a bit depressing but I really love this song." She said. "And I think your voice would be perfect for it. What do you think?"

The name didn't even ring a bell. "I'm sorry but I don't know this song." Yuli said simply.

Candace frowned. "Are you shitting me?" She asked. "You must be shitting me. It's only a song from one of the most iconic bands in history."

Yuli half-smiled. "I'm sorry. Could you sing it for me then?" He asked realizing that he had never actually heard Candace sing.

"Ugh, okay, sure." The girl said tuning the guitar. "I don't need much of an excuse to sing a Beatles song." She said.

Yuli waited for her to start singing anticipating something amazing, something that maybe would make him feel something for Candace. He waited for her voice to enchant him. But when she sang the first few verses Yuli already felt disappointed. Yes, she could hit all the right notes but her voice was mediocre at best. Back where he was from, she would be laughed at or maybe even cast out for poor singing skills.