Chapter 54: Interlude: Alex and Daniel (part 1)
A/N: Sorry I'm so late with this update. I'm struggling so hard with school and didn't have the time to write one. I thought that I'd write a couple and stock up on chapter, so I could focus on schoolwork, but I was delusional. Pls forgive me.
When Alex first met Daniel on the first day of high school, she knew it was meant to be. He was just so... happy and charismatic, and well, handsome. She quickly developed a crush on him throughout the first week of school. He was sweet and they got along well.
They became friends, and she started to pursue him. She gave him gifts out of the blue, and mentioned that she wouldn't mind dating him. At first, he had been completely oblivious to her hints. Then he noticed, but thought he was mistaken. Then he realized she liked him, but was too shy to say anything back. And then he accepted her.
Since then, he had been her rock through tough times, a rock that she loved very much. Whether it had been stress from finals, pressure from her parents, or confidence issues, he had always been there, comforting her and talking to her.
Then they both were befriended by Sam. Alex, Sam, and Daniel were THE trio. Alex was the quieter one with witty comebacks, and endless topics for conversations. Daniel was the listener and joker who was only second to Sam. Sam was easy going and constantly cracked jokes. He was vivacious, but he didn't take it too far.
When Daniel and Sam went to the academy, she had never felt more alone. Not even when she had no friends and was forced to constantly practice various instruments. Not even when she was left alone in her house for a weekend. Sure, she had a couple of other friends to talk to, but it just wasn't the same. The highlights of her days were when her best friends called her. Even though they talked about the most simple and boring things, it made her happy.
And then they graduated and Alex started her debut into the music world. Her progress was slow, but she eventually made it to the top of the instrumental music world. She watched with pride as her best friend and boyfriend rose in ranks. Then there started to be rumours and pictures of Daniel with models and actors. She denied it. That's what fame does, right? Tabloids make up stories and frame stars for issues to sell... right?
She called Daniel and he always told her it just looked like it and that they were just friends.
And then the day she dreaded finally came. She was participating in a contest and stayed in a hotel for the week. One night, she heard a woman giggling and thumps from next door. She didn't pay too much attention, and went to sleep.
The next morning, she became curious to see what the people next door looked like, so she waited. Ten minutes later, she heard the door slam and the breathy voice of the woman last night. She peeked out the door's peephole and saw the back of a tall man who had a woman's arms around his neck. Then the woman let go and they turned to walk down the hall.
She froze when she saw the man's face. It wasn't true, right? They just had a… There were no excuses. This was undeniable proof.
She held back her sobs until they got into the elevator. The moment the doors closed, she sank down to the floor and began to cry.
She couldn't see. Her vision was blurred from the tears.
"Fuck! NO!" The rest was undecipherable between sobs.
She felt like she couldn't breathe even though she was breathing fast and hard. It felt like she was drowning.
After an hour she got up from her spot and walked into the bathroom. She stood in front of the mirror and stared into her teary, red eyes.
"Hey. The competition is in 2 hours. You gotta get it together, " she said to herself, her voice trembling.
She went to the fridge and got two cans of soda. She placed them over her eyes to get rid of the redness and puffiness.
It didn't really work, but it improved it a bit.
Alex then put on her make up. Nothing too complicated. Mascara, lip tint, and a dab of concealer.
She tried to smile at herself in the mirror, but her eyes looked so tired and dull. Alex sighed and turned away from the mirror to her notebook. She then frantically scribbled down music notes and finally stopped an hour later. She read them over. The notes were conflicted, just like her, but somehow, when they were all put together, they created a melancholic and harsh melody made emotions arise in the listener. You couldn't explain it, or make sense of it. It was just there.
She took an Uber to the venue of the competition and quickly went to the music room for practice before the competition started. She sat down at the piano and began to play the piece she originally prepared for the competition.
The notes were light and cheerful, but it sounded hollow and somehow melancholy. The playing got more fast paced and harsh as the song went on. By the end of the song, it was harsh and jarring. When she was done she closed her eyes and took a deep breath to try and hold back her emotions.
The staff member by the door hesitantly knocked on the open door. "You are the next performer. Get ready."
He wanted to say something, as it was obvious she was going through something, but he decided not to.
"Good luck."
Alex looked up from the piano and forced a smile.
"Thank you."
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