The Art of Being MX

26

I sat in Rosan's break room after school, writing and crossing out lyrics, and rows over rows of words. I had a pencil behind my ear, and I held another one in hand.

Just in case.

When I got a song, I read it, and then go into the closet to grab my guitar. I sit back down, set it on my lap, and start strumming.

"I found myself between the lines,"

I write down a few notes on the side and then continue.

"Between the love and lies,

And between the pain,

..

I woke up with fear,

Fearing to make them sad,

Fearing disappointing the world,

Now I'm here to risk it all.

I don't want to live in fear,

that's why I'm here today.

Once upon a time,

I sang in front of a crowd,

Risking it all and landed here,

A trace of curious souls saw the mask,

Followed by the ne—

The door opened, and I stopped playing. Rosan walks in and sits on the couch. "Slight problem," she says. "Your sister's here."

My eyes widen, and I collect my papers and toss them in my locker. I run and place my guitar in the closet. When I see no evidence of music, I nod. "What is she doing here?"

"Looking for you." I nod, and I walk out of the room. Where I see her looking through some vintage clutches. When she spots me, she smiles, and we meet halfway.

"Hey, wanna grab a bite?"

I nod, and then we were out the door. I get into her car, and she pulls out of her parking spot. "Tommy's Diner?" I nod.

"So what's up?"

She gives me a look, the same one she had when she took my favorite pants and made patches out of them and was afraid to tell me. "I'll tell you in the diner."

I just nod and glance out the window.

At the diner, we order, and then the waiter leaves. I turn to Riley, waiting for her to spill the beans. "So what's got you on the verge of shitting your pants?"

Her eyes widen. "You could see that with just one look?" I nod. "Wow, um okay well I have something to tell you."

At the diner, we order, and then the waiter leaves. I turn to Riley, waiting for her to spill the beans. "So what's got you on the verge of shitting your pants?"

Her eyes widen. "You could see that with just one look?" I nod. "Wow, um okay well I have something to tell you."

I give her a look. "Yes, you have made that painfully clear."

She moves her bottom lip side to side, which was a tendency of her's whenever she was nervous. "Okay," she says after a minute of just annoying me. I was curious as to what she wanted to tell me that she thought that I'd get mad about. The waiter came with our food, faster than I thought, and left. "I, so, um, I took a shirt from you by accident and make a crop top out of it please don't kill me."

I stared at her, it was obvious that she was lying. When she's ready, she'll tell me the truth, so for now, I just shrug and grab my fork before saying, "Tell me something I don't know."