On my way out of Link's I see a brochure next to the cashier. I take it since it reminds me of something, but I don't exactly know what. It says:
NYC Talent Competition 2017
Then I remember clicking on the add and entering the competition's webpage. I fold it and stuff it in my backpack. I walk back home humming and whispering the lyrics of a song I don't know the name of, but that was played on Link's that morning.
Between the miles of open road
I lost sight of what might matter the most
I stumbled into the great unknown and found
That time won't slow down
When I get home I shout, "Grams! I'm home!" while closing the door.
"Hey honey!" she shouts from the second floor. I walk up the stairs and head to her room. She's knitting something when I get to her room. "Hey." she says happily.
"Hey Grams." I say kissing her forehead. "What are you knitting?" I ask looking at the dark colors of the fabric. It's obviously not for Emma.
"Oh!" Grams says looking at the piece of fabric surprised and hiding it behind her back quickly, "It's a surprise." she says laughing a bit. I laugh too.
"Okay then. I'll be in my room." I say leaving.
To take a breath and then take it in
To think of places I'll go I haven't been
To pour my heart into everything I've found
Time won't slow down
I place my backpack on top of my desk and let myself fall over my bed. I stare at the ceiling and exhale. I recall all that happened this morning. My headphones broke, I met Noah, and I took the NYC Talent Competition brochure. Thinking about that... I say in my head. I, then, sit at the edge of my bed, reach for my backpack and take out the brochure. I stare at it some seconds before opening it.
The front part has the title and some drum sticks as a background. In the inside, paragraphs appear. Some words are written in bold letter and instruments like guitars, violins and pianos cover the background. At the center part of the brochure three pictures are shown. The first one shows kind of like a concert focusing from the upper part of the stage and looking down to the band playing below. The second shows the same concert, but this time the focus is on the audience being kind of covered by the silhouette of the lead singer. The third and last picture shows the band holding hands about to do the standing ovation from the crowd's point of view.
I scan the brochure and read small things like:
Entry: $9.99
Send your video to our e-mail address before the 15th of July!
You could win $1000!
I close the brochure and leave it on top of my desk. I would love to participate and everything, I'm just REALLY shy about singing alone in the stage. The last time I sang alone was on the 6th grade on Music class. I almost puked because I was afraid. Then my phone rings. I check who is calling and see Zack's name on the screen. "Hi." I answer the call.
"Hey J. What are you doing?" Zack says over the phone. He sounds tired, like if he just ran and he's catching his breath back.
"Nothing. What's up?" I ask confused about his tiredness.
"You're on TV! Channel 14!" he says excited.
"What?!" I say running down stairs to the living room. Emma is sitting on the sofa watching Gossip Girl on Netflix. "Emma! Channel 14 now!" I shout as soon as I get to the last step. Emma turns around, sees me and changes to channel 14. Link's cashier counter appears on the screen. A man standing behind the counter, which is probably Link, is saying goodbye to a brown-haired girl.
"Hey! There you are!" Emma says pointing at the girl in the screen. Then I stop walking look at the brochure's mini stand take one and leave the shop. I didn't realize I was being filmed!
"Are you watching?" Zack asks through the phone.
"Yeah! It was me." I say laughing. "Is it the news about Link's winning the record store thing?" I ask.
"Yep." Zack says. "They were talking about Link's award when you showed up!" Then, in the screen, a boy with a skateboard on his hand and a guitar case on his back appears.
"I'll call you later." I say to Zack, and cut the call before he gets to say bye. I go to contacts and search for Noah. When I find him I call the number shown. The phone rings several times. Please answer, please answer. I think.
"Hello?" Noah asks from the other side of the call.
"Hey. Noah, you're on TV! Channel 14!" I say.
"Yeah! I know! I saw you too!" he says enthusiastically. "Cool, right?" he asks laughing. I just stay silent watching him in the screen. He seems taller and his hair is perfectly placed. "Hello?" Noah asks making me wake up from my trance.
"Yeah. I'm here." I respond blushing a bit, realizing I got lost in him.
"Hey, do you want to meet tomorrow at Link's again?" he asks. What? Meet again? Is this like a... Wait no, it can't be. We just met like today. I think to myself.
"Umm... Me?" I ask taking my attention away from the TV.
"Yeah, June. You." he answers laughing a bit at the end of YOU.
"Umm... Yeah, sure. I mean, I don't really have anything else to do. Not like I don't have any social life or anything, because I do. What I mean is-"
"Great. At 12 PM then?" he asks interrupting, more like, saving me from embarrassing myself any longer.
"Yeah... At 12." I repeat exhaling and blushing A LOT. Then I hang up before I end up embarrassing myself more. Oh god, oh god, oh god. Why am I worrying? We're just friends. Are we? JUNEE! Concentrate! So we're going out tomorrow on a date- NO! It's not a date! It's a friendly meeting. What am I thinking?! My thoughts shout in my mind and I don't notice Emma looking at me.
"June... Who was that?" she asks.
"No one. I mean, Noah. A friend." I say turning off all the thoughts and questions.
"Friend?" she asks slowly standing up from the sofa. She's looking at me with a grin on her face.
"Yeah. He's just a friend." I say backing up a little since I know what's coming.
"JUNE! YOU LIKE HIM! YOU TOTALLY BLUSHED! OH MY GOD!" Emma starts freaking out and grabs my shoulders. "I'll do your make-up tomorrow. I'll dress you up tomorrow. We'll make everything perfect!" It's funny when Emma starts fangirling about something, but it's not fun when she's fangirling about me. She starts shaking me by the shoulders. "MY LITTLE SISTER HAS A CRUSH!!"
"Emma! Stop! I don't have a crush on Noah!" I say while making her stop the shaking. "I just met Noah today on Link's. It's not a big deal. He's just... he's super handsome." I say giving up and blushing.
"MY LITTLE SISTER HAS A CRUSH!!!" shouts Emma freaking out and laughing with me afterwards.
YOU ARE READING
Strings
RomanceJune always wanted to become a musician, but she didn't have the confidence to begin learning. Noah, on the other hand, has been playing the guitar for ages. One day they meet at a record store, where their paths cross together, maybe forever. A sto...
