Matching Notes

Part 1 (?)

A song is just a bunch of notes shoved together. An artful song is one that has inspiration and purpose behind it.

He didn't think he was so great at piano, but to other peoples' minds, at least from what they'd said, he was incredible. Comparatively, he figured, he might be pretty good, but from his standpoint, he could always be better.

However, he didn't usually listen to others' comments. Not until he met her, at least. It was at a concert, one of which he was performing in. He had a rather large piece to play, one that took about ten minutes. It was one of the only songs he enjoyed: one that a man had written to his wife dying of cancer. It was his final gift to her as she passed; it had purpose, and made his hands move across the keys in slow, sorrowful movements and in lightning-fast excitement and terror. Artful.

He had performed relatively better than usual this concert, and in a good mood, decided to watch the performance after his with an open mind for once. On the stage came a girl, not particularly pretty or special in any way, but yet one thing clutched at him, sending shivers down his spine, setting his neck hair on end, and gluing him to his seat.

Her voice.

She had incredible range, and captured so many emotions while standing so incredibly still he didn't think it was possible. He despised watching or listening to anyone, yet he was captured this one time. He hadn't heard her name. What was it?

After her performance, the last of the concert, he went backstage to meet her.

They had met eyes. He couldn't ever recall exactly what they'd said, but it turned out they had both been looking for each other to compliment the other's performance.

She was the only real one he could listen to. She could listen to others but he stood out. They were music partners in the making. Destined? Probably not.

They were immediate friends, two random unconnected notes put together by luck that just randomly, completely by chance, harmonized. Every so often, he would come by her house to practice on his keyboard and get feedback, or she'd come by and sing for him. They soon created a Youtube account and started making videos together, after realizing their potential. Once a week or every so often, they would perform a small duet or improvised tune. When their base grew and requested to know them better, they started to every so often produce non-music videos. It got more and more frequent, too. Their small hobby leaped to a semi-career. They were texting, calling, or visiting each other every day, their friendship growing, them becoming more comfortable.

Soon they became full-fledged Youtubers. A million viewers, and a new channel, "DailyNote". They moved in together, composed songs, talked, did live streams and concerts, and slowly worked on becoming perfect-pitched in their videos. Every video, she or he would either sing or play a random note, and the other (and the audience) would guess what note it was. It grew in difficulty and popularity with their skill.

With their career and skill, so grew their friendship. Years passed. They were already shipped, and secretly shipped it themselves. They made an agreement that, though it may or may not be artful, or with purpose, or tuned correctly, they'd be together.

Two random notes, completely harmonized.

Years passed. Their channel stayed sharp (or rather, in tune), and thousands of notes had passed.

However, just like every song, everything eventually ends, whether foretold, or abrupt.

One day, she stays longer than usual from the store. She shouldn't have taken this long, but he doesn't worry.

One call. Ring, ring. Ring, ring, He's always found it annoying.

She is unconscious at the hospital, after a car crash. Her life is for naught. She'll be dead by the end of the week, and even that's at best.

No.

He, in shock, drives to the hospital with his keyboard, notepad, and some blank sheet paper in hand. In his notepad is written every video's note, or harmonization, or likewise they had guessed.

She had promised, in one unforgettable video, that if he died, she would write a song filled with the notes they had played each day, and give it to him, just like that one concert years ago, and he promised to do they same if the reverse happened.

It was three days that they cold hold onto her life. A three days full of final goodbye videos to viewers and countless hours of writing and practicing his song. The song ended up a bunch a random notes shoved together. It was with passion and regret and excitement that ended up the most beautiful piece she'd ever heard, so she said, before her eyes shut, her pitch-perfect song ended, his fingers at rest.

Two days later, the same song played on a piano at a funeral.

At home, a video uploaded, titled "Goodbye", and a gunshot fell upon deaf ears.