Meriliya Sanchez (Ongoing Editing)

Chapter 19

Hey, don't worry I just left so you could sleep. I hope you remember what I said last night. Not to worry about anything, okay? Meet you at school.

Mitch :)

I left her house and make sure it was locked and left to go home. The drive was mostly silent except for the slow music playing from the radio. I turned up the volume letting that keep me company. A couple of songs played and I couldn't help but think of her. I know what it means if I consciously think about her but I don't want to admit it because it's pretty obvious 'we' will never happen.

I pull up onto the driveway and get out of the car after locking it. I stroll around the street and go to one of my favourite places. I spend time alone. It's pretty late and I have school tomorrow but I just want some time alone before I go in the house. I sat myself on the ground, crossing my legs in front of me and sighed. I looked up at the sky and just stared at the distant stars.

An hour or so later I went back home. I went upstairs to my room and showered and fell flat on my bed. Not long after I hear my mom crying in the other room. I get up and quickly walk to her room.

"Mum?" I knock on her door and open it slowly, finding her on the floor. I walk towards her and sit next to her on the floor and pull her to me. She continues to cry and I try my best to calm her down. It's probably because of my dad.

"Go to sleep, Michell." She whispers and I nod my head no and stay there with her.

"Not until you fall asleep, mum" I responded and waited until she fell asleep which took about fifteen to twenty minutes.

-

*Meriliya's POV*

After school I scurry through the hallways and make it to the lobby. I have to be there at the studio in an hour. I'm pretty nervous but a good one. I take a cab just in case the bus delays and make it to the studio in twenty minutes. I thank the cab driver and walk past the gate giving my name to the entrance of the studio.

I have to say this place is way better than how I imagined it. I walk past the sliding doors and I walk a little further and the lobby comes into view. There were people walking around, some getting into the elevator and some talking to the receptionist and some seated at the couch. Quite a busy place.

I take a seat on one of the chairs and just wait not really knowing what to do now. As if right on cue, a young looking man approaches me. I stand up holding the strap of my bag tightly.

"Hello, you must be Meriliya." The young man says, shaking my hand.

"Yes, I am." I smile. "Are you the person who spoke to me on the phone the other day?" I asked.

"Yeah. I am Justin" he smiled. "Shall we get on with it then?" He gestured for me to follow him.

I followed behind him to the elevator and we walked out when we reached the third floor. I slowly take in my surroundings, already liking the place. I walk behind him and soon he opens the door to I think the boss's office.

"Ah, so you're the one who called. Meriliya, right?" The boss I think says. He looks young, like in his mid-twenties? Why is everybody so young?

"Yes, sir" I answered him.

"Please, take a seat." I thank him and sit on the chair that's in front of his desk. "So, you sing?" He asked.

"Yes, I do."

"Can you maybe sing something?" He asks. Okay, this is not what I expected. "Justin, why don't you also sing with her?"

"Sure. Are you ready?" Justin looks at me. "Do you have a song in mind?" He asks and I start thinking.

"Um 'Shadows' by Sabrina Carpenter?" I suggested.

"Yeah that's nice." He says and Google the lyrics and gets the music ready.

Once everything is set, I move a step back and take a deep breath. I can do this. I just have to sing, something I've always loved doing. I can do this. Okay. I close my eyes and open them a second later.

"We've all got nightmares in our dreams. We look for someone to believe in us
And show us the way, and make it okay. The world can be dangerous." I start off with the first verse, Justin sings along.

"There's something so rare in your veins, not a single thing I would change and oh, if you only knew.How I see you. Would you come alive again, alive again?" I sing at the same pace.

"I, I, I, I, I. I need you to understand that I don't mind your shadows. 'Cause they disappear in the light. I don't mind your shadows. 'Cause they look a lot like mine, and listen to me, it's okay to be afraid. Just walk like you're never alone. I don't mind your shadows, your shadows. Baby, I don't." I finish off with the chorus like I've always practised when I'm alone.

"Justin, come here" the boss calls him and Justin walks to his table. They discussed a few things, well, they were whispering actually for like five minutes straight until the boss called my name.

"You're taken." He says and I mentally scream. I got it! I got the job!

"Oh my gosh! Thank you so much!"

"You have talent and we are really looking forward to working with you." He says and I nod my head in response. "Would you like to go over some of the details now or you wanna do them the next day?" He asks.

"I'm fine now sir."

"Okay and you can call me Mr. Charmont" he smiles. "Okay so, Justin here is who you'll be mostly working with the songs and the music, so on. Since in the application form, you had mentioned part-time, I'd like it if you come at four and your shift ends at eight. Sounds good?"

"Yes sir, I mean Mr. Charmont" I correct myself.

"That's it then. Any questions? Or do you have any issues with the times?" He goes on with questions.

"I'm good, Mr. Charmont" I confirmed.

"Good. I'm very happy, Meriliya. I'm sure a lot of good things are gonna come out of this" Mr. Charmont says and I thank him once again and leave his office. Sigh. Oh my gosh, I can't believe I got the job!

"Hey, congrats. So you and I are gonna have to first get to know each other, become friends. You don't want to go on like this everyday right?" Justin says. Oh. I didn't even notice him.

"Thank you. I'd like that very much" I smiled and Justin walked me back to the lobby and I left the building after thanking Justin again.

-

"Um hello? Eddie?" I answered the phone. It's twelve midnight and here I am getting up in the middle of the night to my phone vibrating.

"Hey uh, I'm sorry I'm bothering you-"

"You're not bothering me, Eddie" I say

"Okay, um I know it's late but um can you get ready, I want to take you somewhere." He says.

"Take me where? And now? You do know that it's a little past twelve right?" I ask him, laughing a little.

"You'll see. Will you come with me? Please?" I sighed, wiping my eyes.

"Okay. I'll be down in a few minutes." I said and slightly heard him say 'yes!'.

"Thank you. I'll meet you in a few, alright?"

"Mhm" I mumbled and tossed my phone on the bed and got up to get ready.