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- >Coffee and cigarettes
- >That’s about what you had to your name, at the moment.
- >You are Anonymous, and you are stuck in the band room at the moment.
- >Well, less “stuck”, more “better here than anywhere else.”
- >Your studio flat, quite frankly, reeked like corpses and was covered in trash bags.
- >So much for fresh start after juvie.
- >Sure enough, you skipped town and arrived to this city.
- >Hell, you even enrolled into the local high school (which was a miracle in itself.)
- >But it looks like old habits die hard, especially when there’s no motivation for change.
- >In just few short weeks, your new apartment started looking like a landfill.
- >Thus, there was nothing waiting for you there.
- >And it’s not like you had made any friends to hang out with during your time in CHS.
- >Really, most of the students avoided you like a plague, and rumors run rampart.
- >Which was just fine with you.
- >After all, it’s what made your current situation possible.
- >Cigarette on the lips, thermos of tar-esque coffee next to you, and an old guitar in your hands.
- >You were as close to heaven as you had been in six months.
- >You feel a slight tingle as your fingers fly on the neck, sliding up on an open A-string.
- >Whorehouse Blues echoes in the silence of the dusk-dyed school.
- >Thought you doubted the pair of raspberry-colored eyes looking at you recognizes the song.
- >You hum to the tune you were playing and act like you didn’t notice.
- >Whoever was spying you from behind the door wasn’t exactly Big Boss.
- >But other than the occasional hushed whisper, she wasn’t bothering you.
- >Still, you couldn’t but to overhear the conversation… or, at least, one side of it.
- >Sounded like she was on the phone.
- >”T-the band room’s a no-go! Someone’s in there! Someone weeeeeeird!”
- >”No, I can’t! He’s, like, three times my height! For realsies!”
- >”You do it, Aria!”
- >”N-no, but, I---“
- >”Nuh-uh! You are!”
- >Oh boy. Looks like you had stumbled upon something troublesome.
- >You took a drag from your cigarette and heaved the smoke through your teeth.
- >This might turn ugly if things went south.
- >The only thing you could hope for was that this wasn’t some student-utilizing hunt for delinquents.
- >If it was just some idiot looking for a place to stash her booze, that you could cope with.
- >Hell, you might have tried to buy a bottle.
- >But if this was connected in any way to that Principal…
- >Shit, the memory of your first meeting still gave you shivers. That ma’am was not to be messed with.
- >But! Back to the present.
- >Namely, the door of the band room slamming open.
- >”S-smoking on the school’s premises is, like, illegal, you know!?”
- >Hoo boy.
- >Blue and purple. Hair on an energetic ponytail that bounced to the rhythm of her breathing.
- >Whoever this girl was, at least she knew how to leave an impression with her style.
- >Still, the confident image was marred by how she was shaking.
- >Her whole body seemed to scream how confronting you was the last thing that she wanted to do.
- >But seeing, and more importantly, smelling her left you relaxed.
- >That smell that hung around her… you knew it all too well.
- >Small grin forms on your lips.
- “I know. I just don’t care. What’cha gonna do, brother?”
- >Clearly not the answer she was looking for. The girl tilts her head in confusion.
- >However, she recovers just as quickly.
- >”I’ll… I’ll report to Principal Celestia! And I’m not a brother, but with the Student Council, you know?”
- >Wow. It had been a while since you had heard a lie that bad.
- “No you won’t. In fact, you’re not with those goons. From what I can see, you’re just trying to make me leave.”
- >Bullseye. The girl recoils in a surprise.
- >”H-how did you know!?”
- “Mostly judging by the state of your clothes, and your smell. It’s been a while since you showered, huh?”
- >Another bullseye. She was now holding onto the door as a support.
- >Looks like you had hit closer to home than she wanted.
- >“Is it… like, that obvious?”
- >She looks rather embarrassed.
- >The sight was endearing enough that you have to take another drag just to hide your grin.
- “As a former homeless, it strikes a chord with me. Dunno about others.”
- >This seems to surprise her in a different way. She leans a bit closer, eyes wide.
- >”Wait… you’re homeless, too?”
- >You shrug and continue strumming the vaguely familiar chords.
- “Not anymore. I used to be, though. That’s why it’s easy to spot someone in the same situation.”
- >You chuckle a bit.
- “Thanks for the confirmation though. Now it’s clear I have nothing to worry about.”
- >That made her expression quickly sour.
- >It seemed that now that her lie had been busted, she no longer had any idea what to do.
- >”Aww, now I went and messed up. Aria’s gonna kill me. For realsies, this time.”
- >The sight before you made the old guitar in your hands seem real interesting all of a sudden.
- >Damn girl had the perfect “kicked puppy” moment going on.
- >You almost felt like Indy before the Arc of Covenant.
- >Keep your eyes shut, Anon!
- >And so, a moment of awkward silence falls over the room.
- >You do your best to fill it with the sound of your guitar, but it’s not really working.
- >So, eventually, you succumb. To a degree.
- “You know, I’m not moving from this room… but I don’t mind other people here.”
- >This catches her attention.
- “So if this is your hangout or whatever, I’m not driving you out.”
- >”Really? Even if I’m…”
- >She left those words hanging in the air stiffly.
- >Looks like someone else had their collection of bones in their closet.
- “Don’t care, Blue. You don’t pry into my business, I don’t pry into yours. Deal?”
- >The girl before you smiles for the first time. She nods enthusiastically.
- >With a little bounce in her step now, she enters the band room and looks around.
- >However, just as quickly, she looks back at you, a little confused look on her face.
- >”I’m Sonata, by the way. Not Blue.”
- “Whatever you say, sister.”
- >”And I’m not your sister, either. At least I hope I'm not!”
- >You heave a heavy sigh and grimace. This was going to be a chore.
- “I know that. It’s just… it’s just a saying. Don’t mind me.”
- >”Alrighty, then I won’t!”
- >The blue-haired girl, Sonata, is quick to lose her interest in you.
- >Instead, she makes a beeline straight for your thermos, with curious sparkle in her eyes.
- >She peers into the container, only to draw immediately away like the sight had burnt her face.
- >”W-what’s that!? It looks, like, boiling asphalt!”
- >You smile a bit smugly.
- “Never seen real coffee before, I take it?”
- >”I’ve seen coffee, and that’s not it! That’s… that’s just something evil!”
- “Never knock something before you try it. Didn’t your mama ever tell you that?”
- >Your lopsided joke has a bit of a surprising effect.
- >Sonata’s expression droops, and she shuffles around awkwardly.
- >”Umm… I dunno. I don’t remember my mama.”
- >Well shit.
- >Now you went and made things depressing.
- >… Or so you thought, but it looks like the girl’s forgotten about it already.
- >Indeed, she’s busying herself by pouring some of your coffee to the cup.
- >And, surprisingly enough, she’s humming along with the tune of your instrument.
- >Chuckling in relief, you return to strumming your guitar.
- >At some point, Whorehouse Blues had morphed into Jessica.
- >You hadn’t even really realized it.
- >Was it because of this girl’s perky aura? Sure, she still seemed bit uncomfortable around you, but…
- >Underneath that shifty way she held herself seemed to shine some sort innocence.
- >At least enough to brighten your mood a bit.
- >”Eugh! Uagh! G-gaah!”
- >You are snapped from your thoughts by sounds of pure disgust.
- >Looking at its source, you see that Sonata has already had a taste of the coffee.
- >She’s currently writhing on the floor, doing her best cerebral palsy impression.
- >”It… It tastes like death! For realsies!”
- “And yet it makes you feel alive. Grand are life’s mysteries, huh?”
- >Sonata responds by making puking sounds and wiping her tongue with a napkin.
- >Eventually Sonata seems to calm down, or, at the very least, get the taste out of her mouth.
- >She sighs in relief and sits down on one of the amps close by.
- >You frown at the sight a bit.
- >It’s not like the girl can weigh that lot, but still, that’s just rude.
- >She notices your expression, and grins sheepishly.
- >”So, umm… what’s your name?”
- >Here comes the forced ice-breaker.
- “Anon.”
- >”Anon? I’m Sonata! Nice to meet’cha!”
- “Yeah, I know. You told me already.”
- >”Oh! So I did.”
- >She giggles in delight.
- >Looks like this one’s easy to amuse, at the very least.
- >After a moment of silence, she crosses her legs and leans against them.
- >”So, like, what are you doing here, Anon?”
- >You grimace again. Looks like small-talk is unavoidable.
- “What does it look like I’m doing?”
- >You try to convey your annoyance with your tone.
- >Such subtle message misses her by couple miles and crashes into some runaway big rig out in Nevada.
- >”Well, it looks like you’re smoking illegally and hiding away in the band room, playing a guitar.”
- >Sonata manages to even look proud at her answer.
- >It was just a rhetorical question, you nitwit.
- >Don’t look so smug dammit!
- “I suppose it does. In other words, I came here to be alone.”
- >”Oh! So, how’s that working out for you?”
- >If your hands weren’t focused on the strings, you’d have them have a quick pow-wow with your forehead right about now.
- “Oh, it’s working out great. Just marvelously, in fact.”
- >Even though your voice is dripping with sarcasm like venom from snake’s fangs, it goes unnoticed.
- >The blue-haired goof next to you just smiles happily.
- >You once again focus on the guitar in your hands, trying to ignore the drill-like gaze of the girl.
- >If she was really supposed to drive you away from this room, she’s not going that good of a job.
- >… Or, maybe she is.
- >This silence between you two is getting pretty unbearable.
- >You eventually decide to break it.
- “So? What are you actually doing here?”
- >”Oh, we usually sleep here since the place is unlocked, so Adagio sent me ahead to make sure nobody was here.”
- >The girl happily blabs on, without a care in the world.
- >”But since it turned out you were here, she and Aria were like: ‘Get rid of him, now!’ and stuff.”
- >The happy expression makes way for a pout as Sonata crosses her arms.
- >”But, like, how am I supposed to do that? You’re huge! And look scary! And—“
- >Suddenly, she clamps her hands over her mouth, looking shocked.
- >Well, it was about time she noticed she had just ratted her true intentions.
- >You chuckle and turn your attention back to the guitar.
- “And you just blew your plan, so I have even less intention of moving from here. Way to go, goof.”
- >”Oh no, what’re we gonna do now? I don’t wanna go back to the streets…”
- >Ignoring her, you bring the current melody to a close, and let your fingers rest for a moment.
- >You reach for the still-steaming cup of coffee and take big swig.
- >The lava-like substance fills your mouth, and for a moment, you feel at peace.
- >Satisfied, you stump your cigarette in the makeshift ashtray.
- >All while trying to ignore the girl despairing next to you.
- >”See, we got kicked out of home few months ago…”
- “Uh huh.”
- >You feign disinterest.
- >It’s not that you’re totally against talking with Sonata, but her situation is none of your business.
- >Therefore, you pluck a few notes instead, fumbling for any melody to fill the silence.
- >She simply fidgets her fingers, looking rather downcast.
- >You can only hope she’s not the type to confine in total strangers.
- >”We… we did something pretty bad.”
- >Oy vey.
- >”We were pretty nasty before. Like, super nasty. And we wanted to use lotsa people for our own gain.”
- >You didn’t want to hear this. This had nothing to do with you.
- >Couldn’t she seek a counseling session from someone professional?
- >You were just a delinquent hiding away in the band room, goddammit!
- >”But we got caught and then, um… we were punished. They took away what made so dangerous.”
- >”After that, we’ve been scraping by. It’s been super hard. Everyone hates us, after all…”
- >You focus on staring at the guitar strings.
- >The sight of something glimmering in Sonata’s eyes is not something you want to intrude upon.
- >You have that much respect for her.
- >”And Adagio and Aria hate everyone else. So nothing’s getting better. Nothing’s fun anymore.”
- >”It’s not like I wanna go back to way things were. We were mean to each other back then, too.”
- >Sonata sighs and looks down at her hands.
- >”I just wish the three of us could still have some fun. Even if it was just us…”
- >And with that, she falls silent once more.
- >You’re left to fill the room with some notes that sound grating even to your own ear.
- >Even if you did tune the guitar before starting.
- >Strange, that.
- >Eventually you simply give up, and reach in your pocket for another cigarette.
- >As you light it up, you glance at Sonata.
- >Her eyes are now staring at the floor, and her expression could put a whole dog pound to shame.
- >Goddammit, you were not used to dealing with girls like this.
- >Why did she just suddenly show a vulnerable side to a guy she barely knew?
- >Who does that!?
- >You folded your arms and leaned back your chair.
- >You stared at the smoke rising from the tip of your cigarette, gilded by the light of the setting sun.
- >Strangely enough, the sight makes words form your lips.
- “You know… nobody goes through this life and does everything perfectly.”
- >Sonata looks at you, surprise written all over her face.
- >She really didn’t expect that.
- >Suddenly, Sonata snorts in amusement, and a hint of a smile rises to her lips.
- >”That’s… Brad Paisley, right?”
- “Huh?”
- >”That’s from Brad Paisley’s song, isn’t it? I thought it sounded familiar.”
- >Now that you think about it, yeah, it was.
- >You hadn’t even realized that when you spoke it.
- >Still, the words had felt fitting considering what you had just heard.
- >At the very least, the words had some positive effect on the girl.
- >She no longer looked like her pet had been crushed under the body of her dead mother.
- “So… you listen to Paisley?”
- >Sonata nods after some hesitation.
- >”Um, sorta. Adagio wanted us to focus on one genre, but I couldn’t help but to experiment a bit.”
- >She scratched her cheek, looking a bit embarrassed.
- >”But, like, I wasn’t really good at singing in any other style, so I just listened to CDs.”
- >”Since, you know, we were preparing for the competition.”
- >Suddenly, something hits you.
- >It was like puzzle-pieces that had been nagging in your head were locked in place.
- >You had heard about this girl and her friends before.
- >When you arrived not too long ago, you heard some rumors.
- >About some sort of “Battle of the Bands” that had happened.
- >And how some girls participating in it had used some… questionable means.
- >You never heard any details, but you could guess that one of those girls was now before you.
- >Suddenly their insistence of sleeping in the band room made all too much sense.
- “So, you sing, huh?”
- >To emphasize your actual point, you plucked the first few notes of the song you had just talked about.
- >”O-oh, um, not really. Not anymore. I just… I just sound terrible now. For realsies.”
- “Hey, it’s not like I’m Setzer or anything, either. You should sing if you want to.”
- >Sonata waves her arms hastily.
- >”It’s alright, really! I’m… I’m fine.”
- “Oh. Well, suit yourself.”
- >You shrug and continue playing. It’s a bit of a shame, but you can’t really force the girl.
- >You let the melody flow from your fingertips.
- >Its hopeful tones fill the band room, mixing with the orange light pouring in from the outside.
- >You have to admit, it wasn’t a bad choice at all, considering the atmosphere.
- >Of course, it would have been better if there was someone to sing along with it, but alas.
- >Even if she had hummed along with you before, if she didn’t want to sing, that was that.
- >You just let the first part of the song repeat itself.
- >It was relaxing in itself, but it was also an invitation.
- >At the very least, you wanted to let her know that skills or no, she was welcome to join in at any time.
- >… Even if you didn’t know the reason why you wanted that.
- >Suddenly, you hear it.
- >It starts faint, hesitating, almost too quiet to hear.
- >But as you don’t react to it, it gains some strength surprisingly quickly.
- >It’s a feminine voice.
- >And it’s coming from next to you.
- >”Y-you over think things, you say what if w-we’re not meant to be…”
- >You glance at Sonata.
- >The girl’s hiding her face beneath her bangs, and you see a pink flush on her cheeks.
- >Her fingers are fidgeting faster than before, but it’s from excitement, not shame.
- >With a faint smile rising to your lips, you take a drag from your cigarette and continue playing.
- >Soon enough, the two of you are recreating that song you both knew.
- > [YouTube] Brad Paisley - Make A Mistake With Me (embed)
- >The further you continue, the more confidence Sonata’s voice gains.
- >Sure enough, when she gets enough strength behind it, you can’t help but to wince a bit.
- >It’s bad. Really bad.
- >You understand why she’d be so hesitant to sing these days.
- >But at the same thing, you can’t help but to marvel at the earnest passion behind it.
- >She may sing horribly, but she sings straight from her heart.
- >It’s been a while since you heard such innocent love towards music itself.
- >It’s enough to make you forget the lack of skill as you lead you two into the bridge.
- >You lose yourselves into the music, and let the world around you fade away momentarily.
- >There’s nothing else important at this very moment.
- >Just the sound of the old acoustic guitar you’re playing.
- >And the untrained voice of Sonata accompanying it.
- >The orange-dyed band room in otherwise empty school.
- >The smoke of your cigarette slowly rising towards the ceiling.
- >The cheerful smile spreading to the lips of the girl next to you.
- >The rhythmic tapping of your foot that you barely even realize.
- >The soft clapping of Sonata’s hands as she paces herself to the melody.
- >It all mixes together to create what you can only describe as a “moment.”
- >It doesn’t matter whether either of you is that great at playing or singing.
- >What you’re creating right now is still, undoubtedly, music.
- >After all, it’s coming from two people enjoying what they are doing.
- >It only takes that much.
- >Just like that, the awkward pauses and forced conversations are swept aside.
- >What is left is understanding.
- >In such a simple way, you’ve found the right tune to connect yourself with this girl.
- >Human interaction is surprisingly easy, after all.
- >It doesn’t need much thought put into it.
- >As long as you can find something you both feel is fun, then it’s alright.
- >And this song is the discovery you’ve made with Sonata.
- >You raise your gaze, and notice that the blue-haired girl is staring straight at you.
- >Gone is the sadness that you saw before.
- >It has been replaced with, of all things, gratitude.
- >You’re a bit surprised.
- >You continue playing, but at the same time, you don’t even focus on your hands anymore.
- >The same thing seems to happening with her.
- >You simply look into each other’s eyes.
- >That raspberry-colored stare is drilling itself into your deepest thoughts.
- >For some reason, you feel heat overtake your cheeks.
- >And yet… you don’t break away.
- >After all, it’s just part of this “moment.”
- >Nothing needs to be said or done. It’s just the music and the two of you.
- >And that, as they, is alright.
- >”Sonata! Just *what* are you screeching in here?”
- >As before, the door of the band room is slammed open with quite the force.
- >The sudden interruption makes you strike the wrong chord.
- >Just like that, the song comes to a jarring halt.
- >The two of you stare at the girls standing in the door way.
- >One of them has orange hair the size of the Hindenburg, and a haughty expression.
- >The other one could make a lemon tree blush in shame with the sourness of her scowl.
- >It seems the Poofy Haired One is about to berate Sonata some more, but jerks back after seeing you.
- >”And… who is this?”
- >She asks, folding her arms and glaring daggers at you.
- >”Oh! That’s Anon! Anon, this is Adagio and Aria!”
- >The blue-haired goof next to you has zero ability in reading the mood, it seems.
- >”Oh. So this is *him*. Sonata, wasn’t there *something* you were supposed to do about… this?”
- >Adagio makes a much-telling gesture with her hand, waving a little towards you.
- >This seems to bring Sonata back to the matter at hand, as she grimaces in embarrassment.
- >”Oh, right. Umm, well, you see—“
- “Nah, that’s alright, Sonata. I was just about to leave after this song, anyhow.”
- >Your words catch her by surprise.
- >”You were? But, you said…”
- “I’ve had my coffee and smoked enough to ruin one room. I think that’s a job well done, no?”
- >You grin at her as you pack away your thermos, and return the guitar to its stand.
- >As you get ready to leave, Sonata gets up from the amp and walks over to you.
- >She shuffles a bit awkwardly, but still manages to smile.
- >”Umm, Anon? That was, like, super fun. For realsies.”
- “Yeah. I suppose it was. It was a welcome break from playing alone.”
- >Adagio and Aria look at you two in confusion as you chuckle.
- >It seems they have no idea what’s going on.
- >After saying goodbye to Sonata, you head out of the band room, brushing past the two who interrupted you.
- >Aria merely scoffs at you, but Adagio is giving you a scrutinizing glare.
- >To be honest, it unnerves you a bit.
- >You knew girls like her. They were seriously nothing but trouble.
- >You hurry your steps a bit. The faster you put some distance between you two, the better.
- >As you are about to exit the band room, you suddenly hear Sonata calling out to you.
- >”Thanks, Anon! I’m feeling much better now!”
- >You smile back at her, and give her a small wave.
- >She enthusiastically waves her hand back.
- >”I’ll… I’ll see you tomorrow!”
- >Tomorrow, huh?
- >That was a bit unexpected.
- >But if you were honest with yourself, it wasn’t… unwelcome.
- >You hadn’t really made any new acquaintances at the CHS, after all.
- >As you walk down the corridor, you can still hear the faint sounds of the trio talking with each other.
- >”Okay, Sonata, you were right. That guy was, ugh, super weird.”
- >Sounds like you didn’t leave a good impression on Aria.
- >”I agree with you there… but I noticed a distinct lack of scorn for us. What was up with that?”
- >It was kinda sad that that was what Adagio paid attention to.
- >”Oh, I think he, like, transferred here not long ago! He was really fun! Weird… but fun!”
- >You really didn’t want to hear that from Sonata, of all people.
- >Eventually even their voices faded away as you got closer to the main entrance.
- >It was back to the landfill-like apartment with you, but, for some reason, you didn’t mind.
- >In fact, you were in a much better mood than you had been in a long while.
- >Humming the tune you had been just playing, you threw around the thermos in your hands.
- >The smoke on your lips burned with newfound vigor.
- >You were Anonymous.
- >Cigarettes and coffee were still just about the only things you had to your name.
- >But after today… you also had a new friend.
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