9

The next day at school was ordinary, nothing particularly exciting or different happened for the first half of the day. During the English class after recess, my phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number.

"Hey," the message read.

I replied, uncertain of who was reaching out to me, "Hello, who is this?"

"It's me, Haley," the mystery was solved.

"Oh, hey, Haley. What's up? I'm in class right now," I responded, curious about why she was messaging me during school hours.

"I figured. Could you spare a minute to meet me after your class? Dylan wants to see you," she texted.

Taken aback, I shot back, "Is he too afraid to ask himself?"

Her reply was straightforward, "Will you come or not?"

Considering my options, I responded, "What's in it for me?"

Her response was intriguing, "What do you want?"

"I'll let you know in the future," I texted back, deciding to keep her guessing.

"Fine. I'll be waiting in front of your class," she ended the conversation.

"Okay," was all I replied.

As the classroom emptied out at the end of class, I found myself packing my bag while staring at Haley, who stood near the front. Turning to Lucas and Olivia, I told them, "I'll catch up with you in a bit."

With a glance at Haley, they understood and replied, "Alright, just don't forget about that thing."

"I won't, I promise," I assured them, then shifted my attention to Haley. "Shall we, Ms. Attention?"

She rolled her eyes playfully and responded, "Follow me."

As we walked, I pondered aloud, "So, what does he want?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," she admitted. "He just asked me to bring you. By the way, who's Georgia?"

Suppressing a smile, I answered, "Just a random name, nothing for you to worry about."

"I'm sure it's not random. There must be a story behind it. If you tell me, I'll grant you a favor."

I reminded her, "But you already owe me one."

Unfazed, she offered, "Then make it two."

The memory of singing Georgia's name in that song lingered in my mind, a fond, if a bit melancholic, remembrance. I confessed, "Well, if you insist. Georgia was my girlfriend back when I lived with my father."

Haley probed further, "You broke up?"

I deflected, "Hey, you got your answer, right? No more questions."

"You're no fun," she pouted. Despite her playful complaint, I could see her mind ticking, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

[Haley's Commentary]

"I knew it. Georgia was her girlfriend but they didn't break up so what happened to her?"

"But it's so cute… Him singing such a beautiful song for someone he loves."

"I mean Dylan also wrote a song for me but it was…"

[End]

We arrived at our destination, where Dylan and his group of friends were gathered. He greeted Haley warmly, wrapping her in a hug. "Hi, Haley."

"Hi, Dylan," she returned the sentiment, then glanced at me.

He acknowledged me next, "Hey, Liam."

"Hi," I replied tersely. I wasn't here for pleasantries. "I appreciated the song you played at Haley's house, but let's cut to the chase. Why did you call me here? I have another class to attend."

One of Dylan's friends, Carl, interjected, "Mind your tongue, we are your seniors."

I scoffed, "Does it look like I care about seniority? You summoned me out of the blue, and now I'm supposed to show respect?"

Despite my harsh words, Dylan remained calm. "Carl, cool it," he instructed his friend. "I'm the one who invited him." He then turned to me, "Carl's our drummer. Listen, Liam, I'll get straight to the point. I wanted to invite you to join our band. We're in need of a guitar player, and you've got talent."

"But I've just joined another band. I can't abandon them now," I responded.

Carl scoffed at my decision. "Those Rhythm siblings, right? They can't even assemble a complete band. Do you really think you can achieve anything with them?"

"Are you implying your band is going to achieve success?" I retorted.

"Of course. We're the best in our area," he answered confidently.

"By playing 'Moonlight' and doing the audience? No hard feeling Dylan" I shot back. "I don't want to be part of a group like that."

Dylan tried to salvage the situation, "Liam, don't mind Carl. I genuinely want you in our band."

"Thanks, Dylan, but I should get going," I refused his offer. "Care to jam after school? I'll text Haley the address."

With that, I turned and left. I messaged Haley the address of Lucas' house and went back, not to class, of course. I was already very late.

Soon the school ended and I found Lucas, Olivia, Haley and Dylan waiting for me at the school entrance.

Confusion tinged my voice as I asked, "Huh? What are you doing here?"

Dylan, with a knowing smile, replied, "Well, I called you between your classes so I thought I should join you back to your band practice. I might learn something new."

Giving a nonchalant shrug, I conceded, "Good for you, then. Let's go."

"I have a car," Dylan offered.

However, I wasn't keen on leaving my bicycle behind, so I countered, "I will pedal my bicycle. Can't leave it unattended."

Everyone except me went back to Lucas' house in the bar while I was peddling down my bicycle.

[Inside the garage-turned-band practice area]

I arrived a little late, when I entered inside the garage. Dylan and Lucas were jmming together with guitar. Giving their best riffs.

As I settled into the groove with Dylan and Lucas, I felt a mixture of excitement. I picked up a guitar and slid the metal piece onto my finger, ready to let the music flow through me.

[Derek Trucks Solos]

As the first note reverberated through the room, I closed my eyes, surrendering myself to the music. The slide glided effortlessly along the strings, producing a sound that resonated with the deepest corners of my soul. The emotions surged within me, pouring out through each slide, each intricate movement of my fingers.

The music took on a life of its own, carrying me to a place where time stood still. The slide solo became an extension of my being, an expression of my innermost thoughts and feelings. I lost myself in the melodies, allowing the music to guide me, to speak the words I couldn't articulate.

As I continued to play, a sense of liberation washed over me. The worries and doubts that had plagued my mind melted away, replaced by a pure, unadulterated joy. The notes danced and weaved, creating a tapestry of sound that I had never experienced before.

When the final note faded into silence, I slowly opened my eyes to the thunderous applause that filled the room. A mix of disbelief and pride swelled within me. The support and appreciation from my friends washed over me like a warm embrace, and I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming gratitude.