DC-PHD-CH6
In a small comfy little café called Husky's Escape, near the University of Washington in Seattle, a bunch of university students relaxed as they listened to a teenager on the small live performance stage while they enjoyed their drinks.
ꭉꭉ
Oh, her eyes, her eyes
Make the stars look like they're not shinin'
Her hair, her hair
Falls perfectly without her tryin'
She's so beautiful and I tell her everyday
Yeah, I know, I know
When I compliment her, she won't believe me
And it's so, it's so
Sad to think that she don't see what I see
But every time she asks me, "Do I look okay?"
I say
When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
'Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for a while
'Cause girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are
Yeah
Her lips, her lips
I could kiss them all day if she'd let me
Her laugh, her laugh
She hates, but I think it's so sexy
She's so beautiful and I tell her everyday
Oh, you know, you know
You know I'd never ask you to change
If perfect's what you're searchin' for, then just stay the same
So don't even bother askin' if you look okay
You know I'll say
When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
'Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for a while
'Cause girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are
The way you are
The way you are
Girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are
When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
'Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for a while
'Cause girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are
Yeah
ꭉꭉ
As he finished the song and stepped down from the stage, he was greeted with a round of enthusiastic applause and cheers, especially from the couples who were in the café.
"Another great song, as usual, Cain." The main waitress of the café, a 20-year-old blond girl by the name of Emily Sarge, said as she tucked in a strand of her hair back and greeted the attractive teenager, who often made her wish that some laws weren't the way they were in their society.
"Thanks, Em," Cain replied with a smile as he went back to packing his guitar in his case. Emily looked at the gorgeous teenager and sighed internally. Cain was extremely handsome and built like a Greek god, not to mention he was talented as a singer.
He had come to Seattle with dreams of starting a career as a musician. However, he underestimated the corruption and filth that went unnoticed in the industry and refused to compromise his morals and principles.
As a result, a few weeks after trying to make his debut, he was nearly out of his savings and was reduced to performing in a small café like Husky's Escape to make ends meet and was living in the small storeroom of the café where they usually stored the café's junk items as he could not afford any other living arrangements or find a suitable roommate.
"Hey, Em?" Cain suddenly called out, bringing Emily out of her thoughts, "Did you get any news or rumors about someone who would be willing to have me as a roommate? It's been more than a month and I am literally going crazy."
"Sorry, Cain. No luck so far.." Emily started to say when suddenly a bright flash of inspiration hit her, "..Wait. I forgot, silly me. There was one group I know that was looking for a roommate."
"They are students at the University of Washington. Two Girls, One Guy. They have this huge duplex that they are renting, and their current wave of expenditure has left them with the need for some money."
"As such, they are willing to sublet one of the rooms that they don't use that much. Will that be okay for you?" Emily asked.
"Are you kidding me? Compared to what I have now it's a dream, Em." Cain said excitedly, "Thanks, Em. I owe you one."
"Oh, come on. What are friends for?" Emily said, feeling her stomach do flip-flops when Cain smiled like that. It didn't help that despite being a teenager he was six feet tall and built aesthetically.
"Anyway, I will talk to them and fix up a meeting. What do you say tomorrow evening? Right after your performance?" Emily asked.
"Sounds great." Cain said, "I will see you tomorrow then. Good Night, Em."
"Good Night, Cain," Emily said, watching him go away with longing and resignation. No matter what her stupid hormones made her feel, she could not act on it. 'At least not yet anyway', Emily thought with a smile.
"Now, I need to convince those three to act on the random discussion they were having that day in the cafe and make them actually rent out the room," Emily muttered to herself as she went to take an order from a customer with a smile.
-x-x-x-
Next Day, Early Evening.
Olivia Moore had just finished the last of her class of the day and was getting out of the building to meet her companions when Olivia saw her gorgeous best friend Peyton Charles, accompanied by Olivia's handsome boyfriend, Major Lillywhite.
All three of them were roommates too along with being friends for a long time, living together in the large and comfy duplex they had managed to find by luck when they first joined the University of Washington.
"Hey, there!! What are you two doing here?" Olivia asked, surprised. Generally, they would meet in the Cafeteria or the Husky's Escape café near their university once they were done with their classes. It was rare to see them come to meet her right out of the medical building.
"Hi honey," Major said as he gave Olivia a quick hug and a kiss before pulling back, "Actually, Peyton and I were done with our classes early today so we went to Husky's Escape to wait for you."
"There we were approached by Emily about our discussion the other day about whether we should add another roommate to deal with our growing University expenses. Turns out that she had someone who was looking for a place to stay and was willing to take the smallest bedroom we had without issue."
"Major, you know my concerns about adding an unknown person into our household like that," Olivia said. She was the only reason that the decision to add more roommates was still in the discussion phase.
Olivia was a Straight-A Student and dedicated to completing her medical training with flying colors. She didn't want any creep with hidden intentions or annoying habits joining them at their home and making her life chaotic.
"I knew you would say that," Peyton said with a smile, "Which is why what we found out about this person is going to relieve you."
"What do you mean?" Olivia asked.
"It's a kid, Liv." Major said, with a touch of sympathy and pleading in his tone, "He is an orphan teenager around 15-16 years of age, who came here trying to make a career in the music industry, only to fail in his attempts for now. He currently plays part-time for Husky's Escape."
"It's actually very surprising that we never crossed paths with him since we go there often and he has been playing there for almost two weeks." Peyton said, "Emily is vouching for him heavily, saying that he is very well-mannered, polite, and respectful with everyone. Not to mention, very good-looking and tall."
Olivia sighed and pinched her brows as Peyton said that. She looked at Peyton, who had a slightly curious and daydreaming look on her face, probably wondering if that kid was as good as Emily said.
That was a hidden weakness of her best friend, she was a sucker for tall good looking men. She was not stupid or gullible despite that, but being tall and good-looking was a common factor for a majority of Peyton's flings.
Olivia then turned to look at Major, who had a hopeful look along with those puppy dog eyes. That was the problem with her boyfriend, he was kind to a fault when it came to kids in need.
Major just could not see a suffering kid without wanting to help. In fact, his dream job was to join an NGO or some other organization where he could actively make a difference in society.
Olivia sighed once again before turning to her two roommates, "Okay fine. We will meet him at least and talk to him once before making a decision. I am not saying I am completely open to him joining our home, but I will consider it for the sake of you two."
Peyton and Major grinned at each other and high-fived. Olivia saw this and pinch her frowning brows once again. "Why do I feel that I will regret this?" She muttered.
"Oh loosen up will you, Liv." Peyton said as she looped her arm around Olivia's and started dragging her towards Husky's Escape, "Think about it. At the very least, we will have our own personal musician to keep us entertained at the times we are frustrated during college exams. Not to mention a potential eye candy to distract from the stress."
"Hey, he is a minor." Major protested weakly from behind as he followed them closely.
"Chill out, Major, I am studying law, remember?" Peyton said while rolling her eyes, "It is not against the law to have eye candy as long as you don't try to eat it." Olivia and Major let out two groans while Peyton laughed at their misery.
-x-x-x-
Cain strummed his guitar lightly as he sat on his stool on stage and prepared to sing one of the last songs for the day. It was a song that he had first sung when he tried to make his debut. He had sung it once before at Husky's Escape when he first started but was for some reason feeling like he wanted to sing it again today.
"Hi Everyone. I am going to sing something very special to me, something with which I first gave making my career a shot. Even though I didn't succeed, I have not given up hope. I hope that you guys like it instead."
Centering himself on the stool and humming the melody internally, he noticed three customers who entered the Husky's Escape at that moment from a side-eye glance, before focusing on his song.
The next moment, a breathy melodious voice left his mouth.
ꭉꭉ
We don't talk anymore
We don't talk anymore
We don't talk anymore
Like we used to do
We don't love anymore
What was all of it for?
Oh, we don't talk anymore
Like we used to do
ꭉꭉ
"Hey there guys," Emily whispered as she arrived next to the three customers that Cain had noticed entering the café, "You made it just in time."
"Is that him?" Peyton whispered back, as her eyes were stuck to the handsome figure playing the guitar while singing.
"Yeah, isn't he breathtaking?" Emily said back, a twinge of jealousy arising in her as she saw Peyton looking at Cain with a definite interest in her gaze.
"He is pretty good." Major agreed, as Olivia silently nodded at the side. Even though she was still conflicted about the roommate's decision, it was no question that the kid was talented.
ꭉꭉ
I just heard you found the one you've been looking
You've been looking for
I wish I would have known that wasn't me
'Cause even after all this time, I still wonder
Why I can't move on
Just the way you did so easily
ꭉꭉ
"Damn," Peyton whispered, "If he is drawing from real experiences and singing that, then I will smack that girl for making him have that pain in his voice."
ꭉꭉ
Don't wanna know
Kind of dress you're wearing tonight
If he's holding onto you so tight
The way I did before
I overdosed
Should've known your love was a game
Now I can't get you out of my brain
Oh, it's such a shame
ꭉꭉ
"Overdosed?!" Olivia whispered urgently to Major, "Is the kid a junkie? Major, we can't have that!!"
"Calm down Liv, it's just a song. Enough songs have been written about drugs, thanks to the rappers and their art, and therefore it's not difficult to just borrow from their experiences and write the lyrics. Doesn't mean the kid did drugs himself." Major calmly defended Cain, calming Olivia down.
ꭉꭉ
We don't talk anymore
We don't talk anymore
Like we used to do
We don't love anymore
What was all of it for?
Oh, we don't talk anymore
Like we used to do
ꭉꭉ
I just hope you're lying next to somebody
Who knows how to love you like me
There must be a good reason that you're gone
Every now and then I think you might want me to
Come show up at your door
But I'm just too afraid that I'll be wrong
ꭉꭉ
"Okay, I am not misunderstanding this right?" Olivia turned to the other two, "The kid is talking about sex now!!"
"Calm down Liv, for god's sake." Peyton rebuked, "You are acting as if you and Major didn't do the deed when u were barely 18. So get off that high horse."
"Moreover, as Major said earlier, just because that song has the lyrics don't really mean it translates to him actually doing the deed. Innocent until found guilty, heard of the expression right?"
"Yeah," Olivia conceded.
"Good. Now stop overreacting, I want to listen to it." Peyton said as she turned her attention back to Cain.
ꭉꭉ
Don't wanna know
If you're looking into his eyes
If he's holding onto you so tight
The way I did before
I overdosed
Should've known your love was a game
Now I can't get you out of my brain
Oh, it's such a shame
ꭉꭉ
'Damn, I know he's is just a kid, but those lines sung by that voice is getting me to feel things I should not.' Peyton thought as she bit her lower lip slightly.
ꭉꭉ
That we don't talk anymore
We don't talk anymore
We don't talk anymore
Like we used to do
We don't love anymore
What was all of it for?
Oh, we don't talk anymore
Like we used to do
ꭉꭉ
Like we used to do
ꭉꭉ
Don't wanna know
Kind of dress you're wearing tonight
If he's giving it to you just right
The way I did before
I overdosed
Should've known your love was a game
Now I can't get you out of my brain
Oh, it's such a shame
ꭉꭉ
That we don't talk anymore
We don't talk anymore
We don't talk anymore
Like we used to do
We don't love anymore
What was all of it for?
Oh, we don't talk anymore
Like we used to do
ꭉꭉ
Don't wanna know
Kind of dress you're wearing tonight
If he's holding onto you so tight
The way I did before
I overdosed
Should've known your love was a game
Now I can't get you out of my brain
Oh, it's such a shame
ꭉꭉ
That we don't talk anymore
ꭉꭉ
Applause rang out in the café as Cain finished this last song for the day and took a slight bow after getting off the stool. As he made his way off stage, he saw Emily come to him along with the three customers he had seen entering the café just as he had begun his performance.
"Cain, let me introduce you." Emily said, "These three are Major Lillywhite, Peyton Charles, and Olivia Moore. And as you three already know, this is Cain, your prospective future roommate."