Jacob Collins has got to be the worst possible human being I've ever come across.
I was angry, so angry when I got to know what he did with Luna and why he did it. I knew he had a thing for her the minute he laid eyes on her, and I've heard him say that he would totally hit on her even though she doesn't like it.
And that's just disgusting when you get to know what he really means by that.
But that's just not it, Collins threatened Luna about my participation in the competition. He has a strong belief that Luna did something to get me on the board because, in his eyes, I'm that dumb, talentless guy who doesn't deserve any of this. His ego doesn't let him believe that anyone else, other than himself, can be good or even better than him.
So, when Luna told me everything about what happened, I took a decision.
I will not take part in ‘The Musical Souvenir’.
I don't want to have anything to do with the one-time event that will cause me or my friends any harm. I don't care if I lose my chance or whatever, but the people close to me wandering around with the constant risk of bullying is a big no.
But, I got defeated in that argument.
Luna Rose managed to win over me, yet again.
“Everything is gonna come in between you and your success if you don't start to believe in yourself. And there's no chance me or even Josh and Syd are going to let you just back away from that one golden chance which is right in front of you, because of some stupid bloke, who does not have any other thing to do other than go around bullying people and proving how powerful he is. You are not going to back away from ‘The Musical Souvenir’ because it's not just your dream, it's ours too.”
These were her exact words, I remember them like the back of my hand. Of course, I countered back many times but at the end of the day, she still manages to somehow twist my decisions.
I didn't want to go home either. Because she was still a bit disturbed after we finished packing Gemma’s presents before going to sleep and I didn't feel good about leaving her like that. But unfortunately, when I mention I'm not planning to go, I got a call from mum.
So, obviously, I had to go.
Now, it’s been four days since I've been away from the flat. I felt homesick for all these four days. I loved seeing my family again after months and had a wonderful time but, you know when you get too used to a place it starts to feel like your own and overall you miss that atmosphere, that's what happened to me.
I started to miss every single thing that I'm used to seeing every day.
I was starting to miss Luna, too.
My eagerness started to build up as I turn left on the street that leads to our apartment building. I wouldn't have been this excited if I was allowed to call any three of them. I don't know what those three are planning but I have been banned from calling and texting them for as long as I'm with my family.
Eventually, I turn the wheel and spot an empty parking slot near a familiar car. My lips curve upwards when I park the car bedside Luna’s and get out.
Her car is her which means she's home.
The smile on my face drops when I remember she rarely uses her car these days. I take my bag from the passenger’s seat and shut the door. There is no guarantee that She’ll be home.
I let out a sigh and lock the car, walking away from the car parking. While walking toward the street I remove my phone from my pocket to see if I got any reply from them to my text ‘I’m coming back today.’
But my screen was empty.
I roll my eyes and put the phone back into my pocket. So, without wasting any more time, I carefully crossed the street and walked into the building.
As I walk through the corridor and wait for the lift to come down, I again take out my phone. I see her name on my display as soon as I open the recent. With one click on her name, I wait with my phone to my ears to see if she picks it up or not.
But the call went straight to voicemail.
My brows furrow as I step into the lift, eventually pressing the floor button, and give her a ring again. But she doesn't pick up so, I called both Josh and Blondie simultaneously. The worry builds up in me when no one picks up my call.
When the lift stops at the floor, I quickly step out and storm towards the flat. I put my phone in my pocket when I turned around the hallway and got closer to the door. I wasn't sure if she was home or not so, I take out the key from my jeans and open the door.
“Luna...” I call out her name as I kick my shoes near the stand. “Are you home?”
My lips pursed in confusion when I was met with silence. After removing the bag from my shoulder, I walk further inside the living area.
My shoulders relaxed a little when my eyes catch the attention of the messy blanket on the couch along with misplacing of the cushions. The curtains of the balcony window weren't closed unlike they are every day.
“Luna?” I drop my bag on the couch and step toward her bedroom. “Are you alright? Are you in here?”
I twist the handle of her room and it opens, revealing her empty room. I slowly blink when the whiff of her perfume hit my nose as soon as I step in. It was unusual to see Luna's room this messy with an unmade bed, and books scattered on the table.
My brows twitch when my eyes land on a big book with a dark grey background and a black vine-type design all over the cover. From the doorway, it didn't look like it would be her notebook.
Curiosity got the best of me and I stepped toward her table after walking around the bed. I feel my lips twitch upwards when I see a slightly glowing moon crescent sticker in the middle of the front cover. With a quick look back at the wall in front of her bed, I realised that it was that same sticker which glows in the dark.
A small smile still dangling on my lips, I pick up that book. Well, I think it's the scrapbook she talks about sometimes. I never visibly saw this on her table but I remember catching a glimpse of her doing something in it before going to work.
My fingers brush the corner of the hard front cover of the scrapbook before I open it.
Oh, hello there!
Welcome to (hopefully) the best year of my life. I hope at least this year will bring something worth fighting for.
enjoy :)
Luna Rose.
I read the text written on the first page, and that middle line caught me off guard. I don't know what she meant by that but it sure did not sound very satisfying.
I hope at least this year will bring something worth fighting for.
That line keeps repeating in my head as I turn through a few empty pages of the book and finally my eyes stop at the 3rd page where first I see a photo of the beautiful sunrise sky which I believe was taken from the park behind our building. A smile forms on my face when I see a doodle around that photo with a ‘Good day’ written under it.
I notice more random flower photos and doodles on those pages but my eyes grab the attention of her photo on the bottom right corner of the right page. It was the photo of her first-day outfit she took through the mirror. A small smirk appears on my lips when I see her face lightened up with a big grin in that picture, looking genuinely excited.
‘I think, I manage to look just like you, mum.’ This was the description written underneath it with a small heart.
She looked beautiful that day.
I got out of my daze when my phone vibrates in my pocket. So, I quickly put down the book and pull out my phone from my pocket. But before I even receive it, Luna cuts the line. Then I called back but this time she cuts the call.
What is going on with this girl today?
Before I put my phone back into my pocket, I got a message.
Luna: If you're home, go and check the fridge, quick!
I blink at the text and furrow my brows. That was a vague text but I decided not to question it further and shove my phone back into my pocket. But before I turn around, my eyes fall on the picture of me in that notebook. So, I stop to take a look at it.
A grin cuts through my lips when I see a photo of me in a black t-shirt and a grey striped shirt over it, standing on my knees to carve the top lid of the pumpkin and preparing to turn it into Jack-O-lantern. When I look away, I see photos of Sydney and Joshua with their extreme focused faces of pumpkin carving. This time, there were Halloween-themed doodles on that page along with a little one-line description for the three of us.
‘Extreme struggles of Mr Miller.’ Joshua.
‘Blondie, the best!’ Sydney.
‘Carving styles by Styles :)’ Me.
I laugh and shake my head at her terrible attempt to make a pun. My eyes wander over the page and I see the final result of our Jack-O-lanterns on the ending of the right page. Those flappy insects came back when I notice a picture of the two remaining ones alongside the picture of me, lightning the candles inside of the lanterns.
‘Good job, H.’ She had drawn the arrow pointing to my lantern along with this note.
Luna...you're doing it again.
I shake my head with a sharp inhale and a small smile. I close the book, not urging myself to look further into it, and set it down on the table like it was before.
Taking a few steps backwards, I eventually turn around, walking out of the room. With a quick pause, I lock the door and walk toward the kitchen. My legs halt when I see a sticky note on the refrigerator.
With my brows slightly drawn together, I step towards the fridge and take out the note from the fridge.
‘The second you see this, get out of the house and come to Josh’s. We have a little surprise for you ;) -Luna’
Surprise? For me? At Josh’s?
I take a slow step back while keep thinking about every possible surprise I could get at Josh’s house. When I fully got into the corridor, I put the note in my pocket and stroll out of the door after a quick pause for shoes.
A surprise? Really?
***
Within 10 minutes of driving from our flat to Joshua's house, I couldn't stop thinking about the surprise. I may be thinking too much but I can't remember the last time I got a surprise where Syd and Josh are involved other than that strip club visit on my 19th birthday.
So, I park my car on the road two or three feet across from his house. With a quick twist of the key, the engine stops and I get out of the car. After making sure I locked the car, I walk around and stride toward the house.
My lips curl upwards into a smile when I catch a glimpse of Luna in a purple turtleneck jumper and light blue jeans as I walk into the front yard. Her hair was styled in two braids which to my knowledge were French braids.
My heart skips a bit when her bored self which was leaning against Joshua's car, changes into a fully excited face with a large grin the second her eyes fall onto me.
“Harry!” I wave back, trying not to lose my posture by her enthusiastic giggle and wave.
“Hey.” I try to act casual.
My pace slows down when she jogs toward me with a smile breaking through her features. I felt a noticeable jump in my heart when instead of stopping in front of me, she comes to my side, wrapping her arms around my body.
Oh.
“Hi! I've been waiting for you for half an hour.” my eyes widen and I was left speechless when she gives a little squeeze to my body and looks up at me with a smile. “How was the little vacation back home?”
Oh, wait, I have to speak.
“Oh...uhh- It...uh..it was great...yeah.” I slowly rest my free hand around her shoulder and looked down at her, I swallow dry when I see her frowning at me. “What?”
“Why are you stuttering?” she squints his eyes and tilts her head sideways. “Are you hiding something?”
Yeah, the heat spreading through my face and the racing of my heartbeat.
“No!” I scoff and blew a raspberry. “Obviously not.”
Oh for fuck's sake...
I watch as she pouts with a little frown on her face but I mentally sigh when she shrugs and loosen her arms around me. Before I get time to feel the disappointment, she stands in front of me and takes out a black sleep mark from her back pocket.
“Put this on,” she orders.
“What? Why?” I ask confusingly.
“Jesus Christ...you’ve got too many questions.” I watch with a confused frown as she grabs my hand and shoves the mask in it. “Put it on, Harry. I'm not kidnapping you.”
I just stare back and forth between her and the mask in my hand. What these three are up to, I have no idea whatsoever. I can just hope it's not anything bizarre.
“Oh, come on.” Luna whines. “Don't think too much.”
“Okay...” I mutter and put on the mask over my eyes. “Now, what?”
I felt two hands wrapped around my left forearm immediately. I try not to let the corner of my lips twitch up when I felt her fingers brushing on my skin.
“Let's go.”
I blindly take steps in the direction Luna dragged me. “What is that surprise you wrote on that note, Luna?”
“You're heading towards it, have patience, H.”
I could feel the mischievousness laced in her voice as we walk further. Eventually, she stops at the track, making me halt too. My brows crease behind that mask when I hear the sound of the door sliding.
“Are we in front of the garage?”
“Mhmm.”
“Hey-” I wave my hand in front of me, trying to grasp onto something when Luna leaves my side. “Hello? Can I remove this?”
“Wait-No!” I quickly remove my hands from the mask when I hear Josh’s voice. “Syd! Grab it!”
“Where is it?! I can't find it.” I hear Sydney’s frantic voice coming from a distance.
“Look behind the cushions, it's gotta be there.” It was Luna this time.
“Got it!” Sydney laughs.
What the hell is going on?
“Yeah, Now, Harry,” my attention shifts entirely to Luna’s voice. “When we count up to three, you take off the mask. Got it?”
I give her a thumbs up and bring my hands up to the mask.
“One...”
“Two...”
“Three!”
I rip the mask off from my eyes like a band-aid when I hear Sydney's count of three. I blinked a few times to get my vision steady and when it was done, I look straight ahead of me.
“Surprise!”
My body flinches and I curse under my breath when the sound of two party poppers from both sides exploding with confetti hit my ear. I regain my posture and take a single step forward into the garage meanwhile the confetti was still falling on all four of us.
I was speechless.
The garage is changed. Fully. Changed.
The two side walls of the garage were painted in dark beige colour. On the left side of the wall, there were posters of some of my favourite music artists and bands neatly glued to the wall, which looked just like I wish it would. And on the right side, Joshua's four guitars were lined up perfectly on the hook instead on the ground. The speakers, the CD player, the karaoke machine, the microphone, and the USB port hub were all stacked up in the corner along with a newly added mic stand beside it. The vinyl record player and the CDs were collected neatly on the table beside the stack in the corner. And now the wall in front of me was covered in a red metallic fringe curtain which shone under the now powerful golden lamp in the middle of the room. In front of the wall, Sydney's black drum set was set in the left corner with a stool for her to sit on, near the poster wall.
It was breathtaking.
I couldn't find the words to describe the feeling. But it was exactly like what I wish my music space would look like. My eyes couldn't believe the room in front of me was real and not a dream.
“Did you like it?”
My gaze shifts from the posters at the end of the wall to dark haired girl peeking from the side with a silly smile on her face and hand tied behind.
“Huh?”
“Did you like the surprise, H?” my eyes shift to Josh. He walks beside Luna, Sydney closely following behind. “You didn't say anything.”
“Please don't say you hate it.” Sydney gives me a pleading look. “Well, at least not in our face. We worked hard.”
“Shut up, Blondie!” Luna clicks her tongue and shoots a glare at Sydney by her left side. Then, with a tight-lipped smile, she turns to me. “No, but like, seriously, did you like the surprise?”
“I love it,” I say, looking directly at her. “I don't know how to define it, but I loved it. I loved it so much.”
Her face blossoms into a large smile as she looks at Josh and Sydney by her side. My lips curl upwards when she gets wrapped in a hug by both Joshua and Sydney.
I've never got this type of surprise in my life and that's the special part about these three. They manage to do the least unexpected thing and make me happy like never before. I may not be smiling or grinning with joy right now but there's no denying that I feel like one of my dream come true.
In situations like this, I don't know how to express my feelings to the person in front of me. And it just results in them thinking that I don't appreciate what they did for me, but it is the complete opposite. I get too overwhelmed with joy that I forgot that it needs to be put in words.
The three faces in front of me turn around to face me. I feel the water collecting in the corner of my eyes when Joshua grabs me by my arm and pulls me into a group hug. With a smile on my face, I throw my arms around Josh and Syd by my side and look at Luna in front of me.
“You have no idea how much relief we felt when you said that,” Josh says, keeping his arm on my shoulder. “I was seriously considering hiding our phones into a locker because of the amount of time I stopped Sydney from calling you and asking for your advice on things.”
I laugh, dropping my head down when Sydney kicks him on the shin. “Shut up, you dimwit. I didn't do anything like that, Okay Harry, he's lying.”
“I am not.”
With a grin, I shake my head and look up. But my breath hitches in my throat when I catch sight of Luna’s eyes on me with a tiny smile on her face. My smile slowly drops when I see a shimmer in blue eyes.
Don't look at me like that.
I think she got out of her daze when her brows twitch and she blinks a few times. She quickly looks away and slightly backs away from the hug.
“Jesus Christ, calm down.” Sydney's hand gets removed from my shoulder when Luna breaks her from the hug. “Stop kicking each other, you're not in middle school.”
“He called me a leaking tap!” I snicker but quickly calm down when Sydney shoots me a glare. “Don't laugh, Harold.”
“Hey...” I whine when she taunts me with my least favourite nickname.
“Okay, enough.” Joshua leaves my side and walks in between with his arms spread. “Enough, darling.”
“Shut up.” He hisses and snatches his hand back when Sydney slaps his hand away.
“Okay, okay,” I watch with my brows raised as he steps towards the door while looking at her over the shoulder. “I have so many ways to charm you, babe.” With a sly smirk, he slides the door.
Oh god.
“Jesus Christ.” my gaze turns to Luna as she dramatically throws her hand in the air and walks away to the small table in front of the couch in the corner.
Confusion washes over my face when she removes the plastic cover from a stand on the table which I think was a vertical lamp.
“What's that?”
She looks over her shoulder with a smile as I take a step forward. “It's a lamp.” she takes off the cover from the round on top of the stick.
“A lamp?”
“Yes, Harold.” Sydney comes to my side. “It's the best, just wait and see. Right, Lou?”
“Yup,” Luna says as she untangles the wire from around the stick. “I guarantee you, H, you're gonna love this one.”
H...
Okay, calm down.
I clear my throat and shake off the stupid thoughts in my head. I patiently watch as she fully untangles the cable and turns the lamp around, facing the three of us, and goes around to attach the cable to the switchboard.
“Okay, ready?” she looks over her shoulder with her finger ready to press the button.
“Yes!”
“Fuck, yeah!”
Josh and Sydney respond simultaneously. Then the eyes turn to me.
“Oh.” I blink, straightening my posture. “Yeah. Yeah, I'm ready.”
“Great.” she smiles and with a quick touch, she switches off the light of the room and turns on the lamp.
I quickly close my eyes when the bright golden light hit my eyes. So, after a few seconds, I slowly open my eyes and blink a few times to get adjusted to the light.
It was indeed a bright golden lamp. My gaze stops at Sydney, Joshua, and Luna in front of me, looking behind me in awe.
So, without questioning anything, I slowly turn around with a frown. But my face twists into utter disbelief when I see the room shines in yellowish golden sunset colour.
Holy shit.
I see my shadow on the wall so I scoot out of the radius of the light. And it was phenomenal. The red fringe curtain was now shining brightly under the golden light and overall the middle of the room was brightened with a golden glow.
“Holly shit.” I glance at Luna beside me when she mutters with a proud smirk on her parted lips. “I did not expect that.”
I shift my eyes back onto the glow in front of me. I just couldn't get enough of how beautiful shadow it casts on the room in a circular frame.
“You know what,” Joshua comes to the front. “I was wrong about the lamp looking odd in here.” he goes to the side and grabs one of his guitars from the wall and puts on the strap around his shoulder as he continues. “My garage has never looked this beautiful.”
He stops slightly to the right side from the middle and riffs his guitar. A smile forms on my face when I see the lamp highlighting features of his face.
With a chuckle, Sydney also moves away from the couch and strides toward her drum set, eventually sitting down on the stool. “I'm so pumped for this, oh my God.” she dramatically shows off her drum stick twirling skills before a short rhythmic drum beat.
“Harry,” my eyes shift to Josh. “Come here, to the middle.”
“Harry,” I glance at Luna beside me. “You're too quiet today. Is everything alright?”
I can see the concern genuine in her eyes as she looks at me. But again I don't know how to express the feeling right now.
“Yeah, I'm great.” I slightly turn to her. “I'm just a little overwhelmed with this. I can't figure out why you all did all of this.”
I startle when Joshua grabs my arm and takes me to the middle of the room, right under the lamp. I watch as he takes the mic stand from the corner behind us and places it in front of me with a mic attached to it. He comes in front of me, grabs my hands, and leaves them around the mic.
Wait, what?
“How does it look, Lou?” I glance over my right shoulder when Sydney speaks. “Does it look like that?”
“Yes,” I look back at Luna briefly eyeing the three of us. “it does look exactly like that.”
“Awesome.” Joshua chuckles beside me and strums his guitar.
“Wait, what is going on?” I took a step back, removing my hands from the mic, and frown at the three of them. “W-what are you talking about?”
“We’re talking about a band, Harry Styles.” My head turns to Luna, leaning her back on the wall with arms folded in front of her.
“Don't you remember?” she raises her brows. “We decided to make covers for YouTube to boost up your confidence before the competition.”
I blink, trying to remember the conversation. “No, no. I'm not ready. I'm not doing this.”
I'm nervous to do this.
“Why?” Joshua comes forward and stands in front of me. “H, we did this for you, Luna did this for you.”
“What?” I question.
“Yeah,” Now Sydney got up from her seat and walk towards the front. “We did suggest the covers on YouTube thing but this-” she waves her arm around. “-all of this is purely Luna’s idea. She wanted to do this.”
I was too dumbfounded to speak further.
“Look, we had an idea which was just recording cover like you do karaoke, that was our vision. But we just have a little change of plans now.” Josh removes the guitar from his shoulders. “And you said yes to it. If you weren't ready then why did you accept the idea?”
“Because it was just a stupid thing I was going to do in my room, on my bed, not like this!” I state. “It wasn't supposed to be this big of a deal.”
“It's not that big of a deal.” Luna leans off the wall and steps forward. “Everything will be okay. Just instead of a karaoke-like cover, you're going to record your own version with real instruments and that too with the help of your own best friends.”
“We didn't decide on that.”
“But now we have,” Sydney speaks. “Listen, Harry, don't worry about the sound. We’ll try our best to match up with you.”
“No, no, no.” I shake my head. “No, it's a bad idea. I don't want you to match up with me, the thing is, I wouldn't be able to match up with you. I don't want people to shit on you too, not because of me.”
“Nothing like that is going to happen, H.” Joshua shakes his head. “And we don't care about who shit on us, we know we will do good and I'm going by that.”
“Yeah, me too.” Sydney joins in. “See, don't do this right now. You're going to do great just trust us, trust Lou.”
I look at her. I felt bad when I look at her defeated face. There was clear disappointment displayed on her face and that was caused by me.
“She's been learning and researching everything about the ways that she can edit your song and video together perfectly.-”
“Video?” I frown. “You're going to do a video of me singing? Is that because why this light, the backdrop and all are here?”
“Yes,” Joshua says. “And that is one of the fantastic ideas. People can see you sing as they did in x-factor. It just attracts more and more views and people towards you, H.”
“H-how are you gonna do that? This is going to be an impossible task. You are insane for this.”
“It's not impossible,” Luna says with her brows furrowed. “Yes, it will take extra effort and patience but I'm ready to do that. And if I find any difficulty, I will ask Noah to let me talk to Brian like he did yesterday.”
“So, he's speaking with you again?”
“Yes.” she forms a small smile. “He talked to me the very next day after you went away. We had a great chat and sorted things out.”
My jaw slightly clenched.
“See, H,” My eyes again meet with Luna. “Just give this a chance. I'll make sure you won't regret it. Please, just trust me.”
I trust you but I don't trust myself, Luna.
“You're doing too much for me,” I feel my voice getting scratchy. “It's making me nervous. What if I failed you too? What if all of this goes to waste?”
“If you keep thinking like that, it definitely will affect your performance.” Sydney states with a firm voice. “So, just let go of that thought and concentrate on your aim.”
I take in a deep breath, run my hands through my hair, and turn around from them. I have no idea how am I going to do this without constantly feeling nauseating in my gut. And I don't know if people are going to like it or not. If all efforts these three put into making this room for me go to waste by people keep hating on them too along with me, I will never be able to forgive myself.
“Harry?”
I felt a hand softly resting on my arm. I let go of the tight grip of my hair in my fist and open my eyes. My face softens when I catch the sight of baby blue eyes shining under my shadow.
“Listen,” Luna slowly removes my hand from my hair. My eyes flash down when she holds them in her own. “Do you trust us?”
I nod.
“Then please just trust what we are planning for you.” she caresses the knuckles of my hand with her thumb. “I'll make sure that you won't regret it.”
“Why are you doing this much for me?” I whisper, keeping my gaze on our hands. “I don't think I deserve-”
“You deserve every good thing in your life and I'm just helping you to achieve it.” I look up at her. I feel the water lining up over the bottom of my eyes. “Can I tell you the secret behind why am I doing this, Harry?”
“Yeah.”
“I'm doing this because I want you to have what I couldn't get,” she looks at me for a brief moment and gives a gentle squeeze to my hands. “The second chance.”
She pauses for a second and takes a deep breath before looking back at me.
“I want you to do what I couldn't. I want you to chase that second chance, no matter how many people try pulling you back. It's your dream and you should do whatever it takes to achieve it even if you have to be selfish for that.”
Every single word coming out of her mouth clashed straight with my heart. I can tell by her voice that she sees herself in me and wants me to complete my dream for her.
I will do it, Luna Rose.
I will do it, for you.
“I'm ready.” her eyes snap at me. “I'll do it. I'll give my best.”
My heart melts when slowly a smile breaks on her lips. I felt a rush of heat travels through my body when she squeezes my hands tighter and pull them closer to her.
“You will?” she asks eagerly.
I nod. “I will”
This time, I was the one to pull her closer to my chest. My heart jumps when she didn't waste any time wrapping her arms around me. So, with my eyes shut, I wrap my arms around her shoulder and rest my head on hers. I felt her arms squeeze me closer when my hand caress her head.
You feel so good in here, in my arms, Luna Rose, and I want you to stay like that forever.