Sing With Me

Chapter Seven

            “So, how is that we have no classes together?” Liam asked as he crunched into an apple and plopped down on the bench next to Zayn.

            “Why would we have classes together?” Zayn chuckled.

            “Well, we are both singers, so I just assumed…” Liam replied, scratching the back of his head nervously.

            Zayn burst out laughing.

            “What?!” Liam demanded, color rising in his cheeks.

            Zayn couldn’t reply as he clutched his sides in pain from his hysterics.

            “Zayn, what’s so funny?!” Liam shouted.

            “I… don’t…” he paused, drawing in a breath and attempting to stifle his laughter. “I don’t sing, you idiot! This is an art school, not a vocal school, Liam. There are other things that people come here for.”

            “Oh…well what do you do then…?” Liam asked awkwardly.

            “I paint. Mostly abstract stuff,” Zayn replied proudly. “I dabble in other things too though; I draw – I’m especially talented at caricatures – I write a bit of poetry as well, but,” he scoffed, “I definitely don’t sing.”

            “You don’t like music?” Liam asked, slightly offended.

            “No, that’s not what I mean at all!” Zayn spluttered. “Music is great. It’s just that…I have absolutely no musical talent.”

            “Anyone can play music; it just comes easier to some than others,” Liam insisted.

            “No, Liam, I’m tone deaf,” Zayn replied. “I really can’t sing.”

            “Well…just because you can’t sing doesn’t mean that you should give up on music completely! You could learn to play an instrument!” Liam grinned excitedly.

            “I don’t want to get into music; I love listening to it, but painting is my one true love,” Zayn sighed, crossing his arms behind his head as he relaxed into the bench.

            “Alright…” Liam replied, slightly disappointed.

            “Speaking of music…have you been working on anything for your next CD, Mr. American-Superstar?” Zayn teased.

            “Not really. I’ve been really inspired by a certain friend of mine, so I’ve had new lyrics running through my mind, but I haven’t been able to piece anything together yet. But, ideas are better than what I had before I met him, which was nothing.”

            “You didn’t write any of the songs on your CD?” Zayn asked in surprise.

            Liam chuckled and shook his head. “No, the record label never trusted me enough to write anything. Plus, I wouldn’t have written anything they’d be interested in anyway… They like to keep things poppy and shallow which isn’t me at all.” Liam sighed as he leaned forward, staring at his hands and resting his elbows on his thighs. “I really came here to learn how to write songs. I’m tired of this persona that management forces me to take on. I felt like I was missing a part of myself, and I came here to try to find it. I want to be true to myself; I want to play beautiful music with lovely piano and meaningful lyrics; I want to move people.”