My heart within the strings

Chapter 2: Spark of Aspiration

          It's been a while since the classes started, and the scenery new to wondering eyes is now a mere ordinary setting under the light weather, the trees slowly change phases as colored leaves fall and lay on the circular benches, students come and go, shifting amble feet stepping on the hallway and can see the rays of sunshine at the little glistening floor, the impassive faces seemingly blur as gazing upon a time, hearing dozens of voices resound in low echoes through the empty corridors, rooms that students studies and learning that stretch the mind to its core. As the teacher completed writing on the whiteboard, she stolidly faced the students _"This is the end of our lesson discussion for today, Please take note of all the key terms on the board, we will have a quiz tomorrow. Goodbye class"_ she informed strictly as students replied goodbye to their teacher walking out and leaving the class, Colton was sitting near the window room still wandering outside the view, thinking about the past question running through his mind _"What happened before?"_ he murmured, all of a sudden, a discern orotund voice shouted his name _"Colton! Let's take a break"_ Charles beams a smile. They pass the hallway and see again the great ambient outside, the great blue sky depicts enlightenment and peace as the pavements show the slightest view afar where it is close enough to see their destination _"How are your songs you have written back then?"_ Charles curiously asked as Colton delightedly answered _"Well, Same old, same old... The question is how's my new songs I'm working on these days"_ He replied, mildly raising his eyebrows as he widened his eyes a little bit _"My bad, sir..."_ they giggled for a while then Charles added _"New songs? How interesting, I wish you all the best for your music career"_ Colton nodded as he heard Charles wishing for him _"Let's just keep in touch no matter what, and support each other, through ups and downs"_ Colton uttered, all of a sudden they arrive to the canteen seeing the space is not filled with students, supposedly crowded as it used to be, the chair and tables are occupied by minimal student enjoying their own company, the stalls well prepared their displayed beverage and foods to sale, after Colton and Charles buy, they go outside and look for a vacant bench nearby the field that still under the shade of the tree branches, the canteen is not distant yet so they still can able to hear the speaker playing soft orchestral music that calms the atmosphere of the surroundings as walking back to the pavements.

SOFT ORCHESTRAL MUSIC

          On the other side, there is a place where some people seek pacifism, the familiar scent of the room naturally turns the senses, and the old features of shelves and the books fit the ambiance of depicting a nostalgic view with a few students sitting the other table, reading and whispering, the beam of light can't be found however windows are open for calm breeze to enter, silence is a must, it can be seen in every corner of the room as a sign of venerability, some are standing in the front desk of the librarian on duty to give back the book has been borrowed, a quiet place indeed, where knowledge and information can be found through physical material, additional of the matching the peace resound by the small speaker placed on the table to be listened by the people surrounding it _"You do really! Like something instrumental?"_ the guy's brows knitted in peeve at the continual sound _"We need a peaceful melody to calm our minds"_ she half-smile encouraged as she read her book then the guy replied _"Like your music, so boring"_ the girl sighed then she closed her book quickly that few can hear the clapped in the room, she rolled her eyes toward the guy as she replied _"It's what you called Lo-fi, you airheaded  lazy dump!"_ the guy slowly gazes and blinks _"What did you say? You twit reading four eyes"_ she giggled and replied _"Maybe you don't have taste in..." - "Calm down, Fiona Elliot-Clarkson, chill!"_ Colton tapped her shoulder as he joined the conversation _"You're here!"_ Vinz bug-eyed looking behind to Colton seemingly wandering around _"Who? Me? I think I'm not, maybe I'm just lost my way! I'm still in the hallway walking earlier"_ Colton showed his crinkled eyes as he mockingly replied _"Dude! Come on! I'm being nice here!"_ Vinz whined while scratching his head _"And don't call me by my complete name, it reminds me of my dad blaming me for his misplaced key!"_ Fiona exclaimed as she pulled Vinz towards her to give Colton a vacant sit beside them _"You're not missing a thing, you're missing the news"_ Appealing Fiona and Vinz's eyes darted towards Colton _"I backed out of the addition"_ puzzled and appalled as Colton replied with a delighted smile _"Wha... What? Why? You said you want to join the competition this year because, in the previous year, you were late for the audition, now! You back... Ba... Backing out all of a sudden?"_ Fiona's stuttering in confusion can be heard in her mild abrasive voice, then Vinz added _"What's the matter?"_ Vinz asks and waits for Colton to tell the reason for his decision _"From the beginning, you know me, I love singing but there is something that makes me, you know? much more..."_ Seemingly the breeze slowly passing through the sign clung at the ceiling granted felt like changes of the ambiance, tables in between the bookshelves and chairs column to it now baring the emptiness of the sprawling hall of the library, the medium size book cart steadily supports the ladder, thoughts of daydreamer finding words to start _"I feel somehow that the essence of joining the competition is not me, maybe? It's like... proving who is the better, winner is the best of course, I hate the feeling of being compared or other person compared to me."_ Colton emotionally said as he clenched his jaw then gave a half-smile and continued _"Since I was in elementary, I know how it feels like to be compared and belittled, just to let you know, I've been thinking about this... What is my dream I do want to pursue? What is who I wanted to be?"_ Fiona and Vinz apprehensive wondering thoughts that make them stare at the abyss _"See? You think about also the same question as I have but the thing is...

"Showing greatness to inspire is the quest and not proving you're the best among the rest"


           After the phrase Colton spoke, he stood positively and continued _"I wanted to be a Singer-Songwriter!"_ - "Ehhhhh!"_ Fiona and Vinz glance at each other before reacting, blinking eyes questioning what the ears heard, Vinz added _"Just kidding, It makes sense to me, don't worry, just to let you know Fiona the four eyes, I heard some of his songs he wrote and most of it about Chanel"_ Vinz smiled then Fiona pulled Vinz's hair that makes Colton chuckle _"I've thought we're done to this already!?"_ Vinz pouted as he mockingly gazed to her eyes that make Fiona stopped as she mildly blush, Vinz notice it for a second likewise he blushes too _"It seems that she is the reason I want to be a songwriter, she may be the person that sparks my inspiration when it comes to the songs I wrote that you heard.. but not my aspiration"_ Colton said to Vinz as he faced him with a simple blithe smile, Colton was surprised by someone unexpectedly hugging him behind _"Because our dreams tend to expand, Colton"_ Clare loosened her arms and looked at Colton after she includes herself to the conversation _"I didn't expect you will be here, how's the exam?"_ Colton asked, Clare's arms still wrapped around Colton's neck as she replied _"Ah! It is very stressful but forget that! I want to hear your story"_ She sighs deeply, and Colton pats her hand as he comforts her _"All right, as I was saying, songwriting is something I'm ambitious of, and I love it, this is what I wanted to be remembered, the legacy I want to create, the Musician's body dies but the soul he put through the songs will live"_. The time passed by as the place remained the same, they picked up their bags after a long conversation and brought a moment of blissful laughter as they ambled to the pavements that lead to the short-distance terminal which is usually student-used for convenient transportation going home, the traffic light turns red same as the pedestrian signal flashes, many students standing on both side of the pedestrian waiting for the old signal light turn fluoresce green, it's getting cloudy all of a sudden that made some slightly grip their umbrella, no hint of a storm coming but change color phase above emits by the sunset towards the sky, lies beneath the shadow of previous moments that turn into a memories.

A MILD BUMP TO THE SHOULDER

          Consciously return to the present time _"Why so many people out there?"_ Charles curiously says as he goes to the crowd of people to see what caught the students' attention, Colton is still standing as the glistening floor is now hardly to be seen by the eyes while students keep coming and going with a nimble pace in the opposing direction, the low voice murmurs create a volume of sound that causes to attract people to look beyond the crowded space, then another mild bump has been felt by Colton as the ambiance change once they walk pass the hallway, open button white polo shirt with the black guitar hard case carrying one of them, word of mouth can't able to ignore that starts layered the hallway another vibrant echo _"Another fan girls over there."_ Charles leans his elbow to Colton as he smirks and gazes at them, all of sudden the impression now reflects how they show themselves to the crowd, the essence of popularity, getting attention without saying words. The aesthetic attire in a uniform formal, by noticing the atmosphere of the surroundings he knows what is the huge news.

With no hesitation, Colton said _"We will join the Battle of the Bands"_.

"What???"