WILLOW
Summer places the box with cupcakes in the middle of the table after we take a seat in the back of the library. There's a few people here, no one wants to actually study on a Saturday evening- but I guess we are not studying. There are no books or pens on the table, not a laptop, nothing. I have no idea how are we doing this in the first place. Summer stares out at the window like she's looking for something-someone, maybe she's feeling just as nervous as I am. I can't help but stare at her rosy cheeks filled with soft freckles. I wonder if her lips are just as soft as they look- God, what am I doing?
Summer seems uncomfortable, her hand plays with the golden bracelet she's wearing, I notice the little 'S' in it when she turns it around.
"Want some coffee?" she whispers so low if we weren't in a quiet place, I wouldn't have heard her. "There's a coffee shop right there I could-"
I shake my head. "No, I'm fine. Thank you." I say tilting my head as she keeps staring at the window. She seems alert, looking and waiting for something. "I, uh... I've been going back and forth with my phone. You know, looking for a song, but nothing sounds ballet worthy."
She laughs, the sound bringing butterflies to my stomach that I ignore. Her soft brown eyes finally find mine. "I know I only do ballet performances but I'm a contemporary dancer, too."
Contemporary dancer, got it. I have to search the meaning on google. She chuckles again. "You have no idea what I'm talking about, right?"
A smile forms in my lips. "No, I'm sorry."
Her face lights up, the corner of her eyes wrinkling when she smiles. "It means I'm great at improvising movements. Contemporary focuses on multiple dance styles, giving me the freedom to express my feelings with my movements. While ballet is something more structured... delicate, elegant." she explains making me notice she also uses her hands when she talks, expressing herself with her body- making her look even more beautiful.
"Oh, so..."
"So, I can dance to whatever you like. Don't worry about it." her nose wrinkles.
"Even sad songs?"
"Oh, specially sad songs." she grins. "Wanna show me what you have?"
A loud sigh escapes my lips. "I... honestly don't have much. None of my songs are finished and I don't think they'll be good enough to make us win."
"Oh, shut up." she rolls her eyes with a playful smile. "You've been selected for the winter program. Not everyone gets that chance, I'm sure you're talented and your songs are great."
"I'm not saying I'm not talented, I know I am-" she raises her brows at me. "What? It's a fact." I shrug, smiling when I hear her laugh. "What I'm saying is I need to make something better for the winter showcase and for you, obviously."
She runs a hand through her hair, the sparkle in her eyes making impossible to look away. "We'll come up with something. We have time, right?"
"Three months." I nod watching her open the box with muffins and placing one in front of me- but not her. "What about you?"
Her eyes move to the muffin in front of me, she hesitates for a few seconds before wrinkling her nose and shaking her head. "I already ate."
"You brought this just for me?"
"And your friend, if you want to share." she giggles.
My heart flutters at every sound she makes and I completely ignore it. "Oh, no. Maya's not seeing these." I say, grabbing the chocolate chip heaven in my hand. "Too precious for me to share."
Summer throws her head back when she laughs, lighting up her entire face. "I know that feeling. Sometimes Lauren, my aunt, has to make enough to feed two entire families because we don't share her food. It's too good for us to give it away."
"Well, you gave it to me."
"As an apology for being late." she points out, her gaze slowly turning to the window with a frown between her eyebrows.
I notice immediately how perfect her profile is but I brush the thought away when Summer freezes, she literally stops breathing for a second and her brown eyes widen. I tilt my head to the direction she's watching and I don't see nothing.
The brunette in front of me turns around in her chair, her back on the window and tries to hide her face with a beanie she had on her bag.
"What's wrong?" I ask almost in a whisper.
Her eyes flush, brown eyes losing its sparkle and I absolutely don't like it. Summer frowns, pressing her lips together with a loud sigh. "Nothing. Can we... Can we go to your apartment? Or mine, I don't know. I have... I just, I think you can show me the songs better if we're alone."
Her big hazel eyes are pleading, making my heart melt at the sight. If I've known her better, I'd say she's scared. "Uh... okay, we can go." I say, she doesn't waste any time standing up and grabbing her things faster than I can comprehend.
"My car is parked across the street." she murmurs, I don't know if for herself or me but I hear her.
She starts walking outside the library and I follow her, always looking down like she's hiding from something, which makes my chest squeeze and the urge to ask what is wrong and if she is okay takes over me.
Before I can say anything, I notice I just agreed to come to her house, where her moms live. My brain feels foggy. Why did I say yes? I couldn't invite her to my dorm, it was a complete disaster and so loud I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have any peace right there- and my stupid mouth said yes before I could even think about what was I agreeing on.
Summer stops herself in front of a black SUV and I try hard not to gasp aloud- I could easily live inside that car. She unlocks it and gestures me to get inside the passenger seat, she gets behind the wheel and I stare in awe of how small she looks inside this big ass car.
"There's no one at the apartment." she promises like she could read my mind a few seconds ago. "My sister's at practice and my friends... I have no idea, I haven't seen them much."
I let go of a breath I didn't know I was holding. "You have roommates?"
She nods, sending a text on her phone before starting the car. "I live with my childhood friends and, well, my sister. Indy and Violet are graduating next year and then it'll be just Rory and me."
Her phone rings and she frowns, but I don't ask anything about it. I notice the windows are tinted and she looks at peace right here. "And when she graduates? I mean, she's older than you, right?"
"Yeah, but we'll live together. Our moms bought it for us."
Her. Moms. Bought. An. Apartment. For. Her.
Before I can even say anything, her phone rings and we both look down at it. The words Mama with a little heart next to it almost makes me jump. Is she going to talk to one of her moms like... right now?
"I'm sorry, I have to take this. If I don't they're gonna show up at the apartment." her nose wrinkles and I nod, telling her to go on as I take my phone out of my pocket to pretend I'm doing something but it's difficult to ignore her voice, although I don't listen to the other side of the conversation.
"Hi... Yes, mama.... No, they didn't see me... I have no idea but can you-... Yes. Thank you.... I'm with a... friend? We're doing a project together... Yes, don't worry... 'kay, love you too."
She immediately turns on the engine and starts driving to her house and asking me about the songs I write. I happily explain how I just wrote what I'm feeling, the lyrics coming to my brain like any other thought I have- I also tell her sometimes forming a melody around a song is the most difficult time but for me, it's fun. Just playing around with different sounds and notes- writing, singing, creating is something I always enjoyed. Summer listens to me the entire ten minutes drive to the building. She asks questions and I answer, her face lighting up when I explain something she didn't know- it's kind of cute how excited she gets about learning something new.
We leave the car once she parks in the building's parking lot, Summer seems so much serene than she was at the library. Her body relaxes as she presses the button with the number 11 on the elevator.
"What happened back there?" I can't help but ask, my voice echoes in the small space.
Summer blows out a heavy breath and stares down at her feet. I'm about to tell her I'm sorry- I shouldn't have asked but she interrupts me. "There was a... paparazzi at the library. They're always around when I leave the studio. I managed to lose them, that's why I was late but somehow they found me and I didn't want them to see me with you it was not going to be fair to you, seeing your face in the media and being paired with me..." her eyes soften, looking up at me. "I just didn't think it was fair to you."
Oh.
Okay, I guess that makes sense. The way her body tensed up when she looked outside the window and how she wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. How she offered me to go to her house instead of a public place. I don't forget who she is but knowing and seeing it are two different things.
My heart speeds up at the thought that she was protecting me from her world. Maybe Summer doesn't like that part either. How should I know? I never thought I was going to hang out with a famous person. Is she really that famous? Jesus, a paparazzi was following her! Is that even legal?
"Oh." I swallow hard. "I, uh... yeah. I didn't see anyone."
She laughs nervously, running a hand through her hair and she doors open, she walks and I follow behind. "They're pretty good at hiding but I've got a little experience with them."
I nod. "Right."
"Don't worry, though. My mama is handling it. She always buys pictures if we're not too late. Sometimes it's fine but it can be a lot." she takes out a key card and places it in a white door, then she writes a code and the door opens. "I mean, I'm still getting used to it. I know I should've already since this has been my life since... I doesn't matter. My mama's dealing with it, don't worry."
She makes room for me to enter the apartment and I suck in a breath when my feet touch the hardwood floor. This is not an apartment- this is a fucking penthouse. Floor-to-ceiling windows, showing off almost the entire city of Vancouver. It all seems too fucking expensive and delicate- I don't dare to touch anything as I follow Summer to who knows where. This is a place I've only seen in movies. Billionaires movies. There's a TV bigger than the bed from my dorm, a large couch, a bookshelf filled with books, picture frames and plans everywhere. The kitchen is something out of pinterest- I swear I have this exact same kitchen saved in one of my boards.
A smile forms in my face when I notice the album vinyls in one of the white walls.
"You have Taylor Swift albums in your wall." I whisper almost so low I'm afraid she doesn't hear me but her soft chuckle tells me otherwise.
"Oh, yeah." she turns around, raising her brows. Amusement written all over her face. "We're swifties in this house. At home we have a doormat that says I hope you like Taylor Swift and cats."
"Do you have a cat?"
Her nose wrinkles as we walk to the stairs. Her apartment has two floors! "No. I've always wanted one but mom said it was a lot of work."
"Ow, it probably is."
We go through a hallway, it has four doors and Summer opens the last one. "It's fine. Lauren has a cat and a few years ago I found out my mama brought it for me but she gave it to them because of my mom." she enters the room and opens her arms. "Welcome to my favorite place in this apartment."
The entire place screams Summer. Romance books everywhere, point shoes, picture frames all over the wall- with her family, her sisters, her friends. I notice the little ballerina in one of her bookshelves and baby point shoes next to it, melting my heart. It's all pink and delicate, fragile, beautiful- just like her.
"I moved out a few months ago. I don't have much here but I do have..." she walks to her closet and comes back a minute later holding an ukulele. "This! I thought it could help."
"Do you play?" I ask, sitting in the chair behind her desk when she takes the bed.
"No, my mom got it for me when I was fourteen but I never learned how to play."
I want to teach her- Nope. I did not just think that. "How old are you?"
Brown eyes narrow in suspicion. "Never ask a woman her age."
I roll my eyes, my lips turning into a smile. "Oh, come on. I can find out through internet if you want."
I immediately tense for my words, thinking we're not in the making jokes phase yet but Summer laughs loudly, shaking her head. "I turned eighteen last August."
I gasp- she was seventeen a month ago. "You're a baby."
"Oh, shut up." she rolls her eyes. "What are you? Nineteen?"
"I'm turning twenty on March."
"You're still nineteen. Only a year older than me." she shrugs. "My mom-"
"Okay, wait." I hold up a palm, interrupting her. "You keep saying your mom and mama, which I know they're different people but I have no idea who is who."
A laugh escapes her and she covers it up with her fingers. His brown eyes are shining brighter somehow. She looks full of life. "Mom is Mia and mama is Luna."
I nod, her laughter bringing a smile to my lips. I notice every time she smiles, I smile- It's like she brings happiness into the room she is in, without even trying. "Got it. Now, proceed."
"I don't even remember what I was going to say." she grins. "Come on, sing to me one of your songs for the showcase."
I look down at her ukulele, even this looks expensive. I give it a few test strums, tuning it up, feeling those deep brown eyes following every movement. "None of my songs are finished."
"It's fine. I just want to hear your voice."
My stupid heart starts beating faster at her words. "Need proof that I know how to sing?"
The grin she gives me makes her eyes crinkle adorably. "I do, actually. Can't just take your word for it." she presses her lips together, shrugging her shoulders. "Impress me."
"Oh, I will." I lift my brows with a smile and I don't miss the way her cheeks turn pink. Adorable.
I plop the ukulele in my lap, searching for the right tune. I take a deep breath, playing the opening cords to one of my favorite songs I've ever written and I start to sing.
I know a lot of people who are too shy to perform in front of strangers, but that isn't me. Music is an escape for me. When I sing, the world disappears, everything around me fades away as I get lost in the song I'm playing. When the sound of my voice fills the air, I don't look at Summer because I'm already elsewhere. Lost in the melody and the words, and the peaceful sound of the ukulele.
I love this song, I really do- I wrote it when I was seventeen and I've always thought it was going to be my song for the winter showcase. It's been sitting in my notes app for years. My heart feels lighter when I sign, even if they words are almost painful- I am telling my story, somehow.
Two minutes later, the final note lingers in the air and the room falls into silence. I float back to the present, opening my eyes and finding deep brown eyes watching me in awe. I don't know what I expected when I started singing. For her to applaud? Praise me? Maybe even mock me? I don't know, but Summer sits in her bed with her lips partly open and a expression I've never seen in her face.
"Did I impress you?" I try to fill the air with a joke.
She shakes her head, with widen eyes and my heart sinks to my stomach for a second before she speaks. "Are you kidding me, Willow? Your voice is..." she searches for words for a moment. "Can't even describe it. It's beautiful and the lyrics? Holy shit. You wrote that?"
I can't control the way the blood rushes to my cheeks. "Yeah. Two years ago."
"The lyrics and your voice... It felt like you were about to rip my heart off my chest."
A soft laugh escapes my lips, but she's dead serious when she says those words. "You are so going to win the showcase." she says with a yawn.
You. Not we. You.
"Did I bore you?"
Her eyes widen. "Oh, god. No. Your voice is just really peaceful." Summer smiles at me. "I really think I could built a dance to that song?"
I ignore the way my heart races. "You think so?" she nods. "But... I don't know if I want to do this song, yet."
"It's fine. We have time but we have that meeting with Queens next week."
My lips part to give her an answer but the sound of footsteps on the hallway makes me freeze. "Sunny? Are you home? Mom told me what happened."
My gaze finds Summer's and while I must look like a scare puppy, her face lights up at the sound of her sister. "I'll go tell her that I'm fine. I'll be back."
"It's fine. I should probably go, anyway." her eyes flicker with sadness for the smallest second- I barely catch it. "We covered that I can sing and you can dance to anything I write." I laugh.
"I, uh... Do you-" whatever she was about to say dies in her mouth when her door flies open and her sister comes into view.
Her sister who probably-absolutely hates me, I might add.