Perfect together

She is speechlessly staring at him. He brings his head to her, his mouth full. "Try to finish up you food before it gets cold"

She was already satisfied and this just made her anxious so she has lost her appetite.

"I can't. I'm full"

She wakes up to clear the dishes as Jamal already took his last dine. He watches her diligently.

When she leaves to the kitchen, he follows her "No wonder you're this slim"

His words don't register in any of her brain cells until she settles the dirty plates in the sink, ready to be wash.

"What?" her gaze turning to meet his.

"Your music was a good one. I loved it" he covers up leaning against the kitchen island.

She blinks away opening the tap. Water flows and she uses the liquid soup on her left to clean the dishes.

"How about we play sound in your studio? You and me"

Her heart flips "You sing?"

"I was. But not anymore"

She frowns "Why?"

He hangs his head and meets her wiping her hands on a tissue, staring at him with expectation.

"Because—my inspiration died"

She moves over to him "And . . . who was that inspiration?"

He doesn't want to talk about it and she reads from his expression. She suspires "Come on, let me show you my music room"

She walks ahead of him and he comes after.

They enter her studio and he awes at the compactness. "You have everything settled here"

She faints a smile "Yeah. I didn't want to lack"

She faces him and he detects, solemnity in her heart. "I'd be on the piano while you sing. I want to hear your voice"

Tiffy, Eliz and Brehilda secretly followed them as soon as they saw the direction they went to.

They are presently behind the close door of the studio. Trying to listen . . . hoping their friend sings.

On this side, Jamal is settled at the piano. He makes a sound with few keys and Myla bits her lower lip. He's so good. She's not fluent with manipulating the keys as he did.

"Did you ever play for a grand stand or something? Those keys were very professional"

He chuckles "I played since I was a kid. Around the same time I started singing"

She nods and positions herself beside the micro, ready to start singing. They are facing each other and she says, "I'd say something randomly. Since I don't have a song in mind yet"

"Sure. Feel free. Don't be nervous. Relax" he coaches and she takes in a deep breath, trying a few vocal exercises.

He hits a note and she slides in with the lyric. [HIGHLY COPY-WRITE. DO NOT PLAGARIZE]

There comes a time, when you know that things will be ok. That everything you lost will come back in a fold. That the tears you cried will dry out, and they'd be replaced by beautiful memories in good moments.

Suddenly, this cruel world snatches those high hopes. You start feeding on your past, instead of hoping on the future. You start transferring aggression, instead of submitting oppression.

Where do you find yourself? How do you get out of here? So many questions here and there.

And I'd say you're going to find you in me. We're going to stay together. You won't have to worry, 'cause I'd be here to fight whenever.

Nothing will tear us apart. With you I have life eternal. You'd never have to run, 'cause I'd hold your hand. And you'd stay in my arms forever.

Jamal's smile widens. He plays her record and gets in after mastering the chorus . . .

I know things don't easily change, that we must learn how to wait. That fear is not an option when we think we're late, that this life is not about a race or competition, but the end.

Fortunately, the world will always be this hopeless, people living under bridges, instead of staying in houses, consistent brutality in place of an endless security.

Where should you find yourself? How should you get out of here? So many questions here and there.

And I'd say you're going to find you in me. We're going to stay together. You won't have to worry, 'cause I'd be here to fight whenever.

Nothing will tear us apart. With you I have life eternal. You'd never have to run, 'cause I'd hold your hand. And you'd stay in my arms forever.

...

They repeat the entire lyric on record, their eyes drowning into one another, releasing so many emotions and inspirations.

She exhales, her beautiful dimples in display as she settles into a tremendous smile. Jamal has his charm, radiating heat throughout the room, as he stares up at the brown lady ahead of him.

He springs up on his feet and walks to her "Come on in. Right here" his arms are open.

She is astonished as she perplexes on how to reciprocate. She cringes towards him with a slight hesitation. He grins as he tugs her in leaving her bewildered. Her eyes are big circles as he robs his hand over her head.

"I'm proud of you" he lets out

She doesn't want him feeling awkward so she slowly settles in defeat, letting him engulf her properly. Her head rest on his crest while she sniffs his signature whiff. It smells fluffy and gentle. Her hands that are now wrapped over him, slowly grip is shirt to tighten their proximity.

She has never hugged someone like this. Not to talk of the feelings vibrating in her heart, forcing their way out.

A loud applause causes Myla to twitch, jerking out of Jamal's embrace. But it's too late. Her friends had already seen them. Their eyes are wide as it has been from the time they knew Jamal was Jamal.

Jamal is relaxed as he turns to see the girls approaching them, still with those owl eyes.

"W-when did you guys get in?" Myla stunts, tremor catching her impulsively.

This action gains a confused watch from Jamal. Why is she so shaky?

"Just . . . now" Eliz replies

Eliz adds "Where we interrupting anything?"

Myla shakes her head instantly "Absolutely not! We were just . . . singing. And—that's all"

She doesn't dare to look at him as he withholds a chortle. Her head is down. And her hands are doing that thing she does when in an awkward moment.

Her friends look between the two beings, their eyes squinting.

"If you say so." Brehilda mutters, under her breath but capturing to everyone's ear.

Tiffy fakes a cough, draining everyone's attention "We heard both of you singing and said we must see what's going on. Like how could it be that Jamal knows how to sing so well? It's not as if I know him but—I mean . . . y'all are perfect together"

Myla gives her an exaggerated grin. And Jamal shoves his hands into his black pants "She did most of the work here. That's why I was telling her how proud I am of her." he looks over at Myla and she flushes, her cheeks heating up.

She can't wait for this moment to end. How could her friends be so embarrassing? They keep making her burn herself to dead.

"I-I didn't do most of the work without you. So we did this together"

"I'm just going to accept that. But I know what I said." He completes then looks at his wristwatch.

"I should head home now. I have a lot of work"

"Will you come back sometime, so I can hear both of you singing?" Brehilda asks and Myla clears her throat.

"He has work Brehilda"

"Let him a n s w e r Myla"

Myla presses her lip together, with the feeling of stranding her friend to dead right here.

"It's ok Myla. I'd love to come back." he returns his gaze to Brehilda who nods with a chortle, her pink lips winging.

"Alright. I should walk you outside"

He waits for her to move ahead, as a habit from him and she waits for him to do the same, since this is her house.

"I'd just—go ahead" she matches forward, her steps a tad brisk, her friends following afterwards and closing the studio behind them.

To be continued...