Melody's Muse ✓

22. Carmichael - Heart and soul

I can't help but laugh. I suppose I should've expected as much. 

Michael is seated next to Alyssa's spot. He's wearing a black suit and a red tie, the same shade as Alyssa's dress. He glances up at me from his phone, I don't think I've seen him talk to anyone since I got here. I've been meaning to ask Alyssa what in the world she sees in him.

"Hey Melody, nice to see you again." His expression is difficult to read. Not happy or sad, but also not very neutral either. Maybe a bit aloof, as if he'd rather be anywhere but here right now. I definitely need to ask Alyssa how the two of them even ended up together. "Do you mind if I ask you some things about your music?"

My heartbeat quickens and my throat feels dry. 

Oh my god. 

I had completely forgotten about the interview I did with Cole. Is it too late to take it back? How could I even ask for something like that?

Cole immediately notices my discomfort though. He peers at Michael from around me. "Oh hey Michael, I have some things about the newspaper to ask you about." 

"Yeah, go ahead," Michael says.

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I prop my elbow on the table and rest my chin on my palm. Everyone's listening as Alyssa and Kappa Sigma's president, a ridiculously tall brunette named Luke, give their welcome speeches.

They're full of inside jokes I obviously don't understand, but I can appreciate that they seem to be landing well with everyone else at least. I notice Michael out of the corner of my eye. It looks like he probably couldn't care less about what's happening right now. Scowling, he's writing a long email on his phone. Some newspaper emergency, according to Cole.

Dinner is definitely nothing to scoff at. It's a five course meal; charcuterie boards with expensive cheeses and meats, lobster bisque, caviar, wagyu beef, and miniature cakes decorated with intricate details. The costs of joining Greek life Alyssa told me about are starting to make sense.

After dinner, a girl rushes over to Alyssa and whispers in her ear. Her eyes widen. "Oh crap, let's go." She looks at me apologetically. "More presidential duties call." She quickly stands up and the two of them scurry out of the ballroom.

A girl wearing a bright pink gown steps up to the mic. She looks vaguely familiar from the party. I scour my mind, flickering through the blurry faces. Carmen, was it?

"Hey everyone!" She grins, and her teeth are so white that it makes her wide smile just about glow under the bright spotlights. "Before you step onto the dance floor with your lovely dates, we have a special surprise to get people in the mood."

There's a quiet rustle of murmurs among the crowd. Curiosity even gets the better of Michael, as he glances up from his phone to see what Carmen is talking about.

"We have a very special guest tonight," she gushes. "Alpha Delta Pi's president, Alyssa, has a cousin visiting from out of town right now!"

Wait, what?

"Her name is Melody Aria, and she's a super duper famous piano player!" Carmen uses her hand to shield her eyes from the spotlight shining on her and scans the ballroom. "She's here somewhere..."

Things begin moving in slow motion as my mind struggles to comprehend what's happening. I can't focus on my thoughts as my heart starts to pound so hard that it feels like it's going to break through my ribs. I look for the nearest exit, but before I can bolt, Carmen spots me.

"Melody!" Carmen leaves the stage and rushes over to me. She grabs my hand and tugs me out of my seat. My knees feel weak and wobbly, I have no choice but to be dragged onto stage with Carmen.

She shoves the microphone into my hand and gives me a big thumbs up. "Introduce yourself," she whispers. I feel like a deer caught in headlights, too stunned to move - despite how much I want to sprint off of the stage. The glare from the spotlight blocks most of my peripheral vision. It doesn't make me feel better though, I'm still hyper aware of the fact that there are over two hundred people here.

All staring at me right now.

My trembling fingers feel cramped and stiff around the microphone. I feel my face starting to heat up under the hot lights. My throat feels like sandpaper and words refuse to come out. Carmen whispers something to me but I can't hear her over my heartbeat pounding in my ears.

I have no idea how much time passes before I suddenly hear quick footsteps. I feel a familiar hand rest against my back, and the microphone is pried from my cold and clammy hands.

"Hey everyone, vice president of Kappa Sigma here," Cole greets everyone with a charming smile. A couple of whistles and cheers come from the crowd. The room stops spinning and I take a moment to breathe, though I'm nowhere near calm. "Melody and I actually have a duet planned. I promise she plays much fancier pieces than this one, but she had to simplify things down to my level."

The spotlight follows us as Cole leads me to the glossy white grand piano. "What duet?" I whisper to him, panicked.

"You know Heart and Soul, right?" he whispers.

I nod.

"I'll play the secondo, you play the melody," he quickly says, and lets me sit down on the right side of the bench first. I have so many questions but no time to ask any of them.

It's a cheerful and simple song. Easy to play, easy to listen to. I taught Alyssa to play it with me when we were six. Even without a metronome, we manage to play at the same tempo, I follow Cole's tapping foot as my guide.

I take a peek at Cole from the corner of my eye. It's the same look he always has when he's focused on playing. A look of serious concentration, yet his easy-going aura still shines through. 

For a moment, it's as if the room is empty. The bright glow of the spotlights leave my surroundings in darkness. It's suddenly just the two of us here and I forget about the hundreds of people in the room. The heavy feeling of dread resting in my chest begins to lift and it's replaced with lightness and warmth. I've played the piano for over sixteen years now and I've never felt this feeling before.

Before I know it, the song is finished and everyone is applauding. Cole gives everyone a playful bow, while I hurriedly rush off the stage. 

Cole quickly catches up to me on our way back to the table. "Thank you for that, Cole," I say gratefully. "When did you learn to play Heart and Soul anyway?"

He gives me a slightly embarrassed smile. "I've been practicing a little bit every day before I go over to your place. I thought it'd be fun to surprise you," he explains. "The surprise came much earlier than I intended though."

I pull him into a tight hug. His arms are strong and his chest is firm. Carmen makes another announcement, inviting people to the dance floor, and slow music begins playing.

"I'm not much of a dancer," I mumble. Mom enrolled me in ballet when I was little. That didn't last for long, the shoes were too tight and I hated the music. One can only listen to Swan Lake so many times before they want the swan to fly away and the lake to dry up.

"Neither am I," Cole snickers. "Want to head out? We can find somewhere better to be."

"Sounds good," I laugh.

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A/N:

I love this chapter so much 🥺 Does anyone else have terrible stage fright? 🙈

Thanks for reading!