Boundless

Chapter 3

Why had she texted him back? What had she texted him back?

Sophie Williams:  I'm sorry you had to hear that, but you went out of your way to tell me how my singing sucks so the joke's on you. I'd rather believe the 100 legit accounts than a nameless, faceless "Daniel" :)

He wasn't expecting her to reply at all. He figured she wouldn't care about one measly hate comment. But s**t, of course she did. He was feeling more asshole-ish than ever before. He thought he should apologize, but it wasn't his fault her singing made him miserable. But he had to say something.

Daniel: I didn't mean that 

He shut down his phone and went to work.

Robert and Jordan did the maximum music composition. Lyrics were Sebastian's territory. He grabbed a secluded corner and began scribbling and erasing and scribbling and erasing and more erasing and then some scribbling on his notepad. 

After an hour he came up with something. Usually, it would barely take him 10 minutes to write a couple of lines. But, these days, he wasn't his usual self. And so weren't the lyrics.

Tired. Yeah, I'm tired.

Tired of the same old routine

The same old money,

The same old voice,

The same old me.

I'm stuck,

But stuck where?

It is but my own body.

I need help,

But help from what?

It is but my own life.

"Not bad," Jordan commented.

"Pretty messed up," Robert contributed. "But we can work with this."

"Definitely. A bit twist here and a bit twist there—"

"Throw in a word or two about love—"

"And you get a perfect love song from a heartbroken hero!" They concluded together.

"This isn't supposed to be a love song," Sebastian kindly stated.

"Of course it isn't." Jordan said. His face said otherwise.

"Mark was right though," Robert began. "We need a muse. This is not our standard and you know it, Batty Boy."

"Don't call me that," He didn't like people calling him by that name. His mother used to call him by Batty Boy. 

Robert just rolled his eyes.

 Sebastian's phone vibrated again then.

"Who's that?" Jordan asked.

"A girlfriend, probably," Robert answered

.

"Hey, Robert, I just saw a pig flying through that window," Jordan said and they both laughed.

Sebastian just ignored them. It wasn't like he was repulsed by women. No, he loved women. And women loved him. He just didn't understand feelings and what to do with those feelings.

Sebastian opened his phone and found another text waiting for him by Sophie Williams.

Sophie Williams: wow, you're so sweet, I'm crying.

Daniel: I try.

Sophie Williams: But anyway, I do want to appreciate you for your opinion. It'd be better if it were a tad bit more constructive.  

Daniel read and re-read that message. Was there some hidden agenda behind it? Why else would she be acting so nice? To his knowledge, people were only nice when they needed something. Narrowing his eyes at the phone screen, he decided to just go upfront about it and text her.

Daniel: I'm sorry, Princess, but I, unfortunately, cannot read between the lines. So no hidden meanings and tell me what you actually mean.

Here reply came not 2 minutes later.

Sophie: Um sorry but what?

Daniel: Your hidden agenda, Princess.

Sophie: Look, I've no idea what the hell is wrong with you, nor is it my business, but God, are you okay? Either you are suffering from a serious case of paranoia or you're generally this cynical and ignorant. But, as I said, none of my business.

Daniel: Excuse me? I don't remember taking a shrink's appointment.

Sebastian outright hated it when someone lectured him. He scowled which didn't go unnoticed by the other two men.

"Everything fine, buddy?" Robert inquired from across the chair while typing something off on his phone.

"Perfect," Sebastian replied.

Robert was their friend, almost around Sebastian's age, 22, yet he had an air of maturity around him that Sebastian and his brother lacked. They'd met him in the freshman year of high school and the three of them were pretty much inseparable since then. 

Sophie: Right. I'm regretting ever replying. Bye. Have a nice life.

Sebastian didn't know what came over him, maybe his conscience? But he felt like he should end this super cheerful conversation on a better note.

Daniel: FYI your music didn't suck. I might have been an ass the other day. Again, didn't mean to. So, yeah, whatever. 

Sebastian contemplated for a little while, then decided to just go write what he wrote next.

Daniel: You might need to work on your pitch. It was too high at the end. It's not necessarily a bad thing if you try to ease into it, if you know what I mean.

Sophie: Hey, thanks for the advice, buddy. You're not half bad. You learn music or something?

Daniel: Something like that.

Sophie: Cool.

Daniel: Yep 

Sophie: :)

Why did a stranger send him a smiley after that not-so-exciting conversation? Sebastian wondered that the whole day and the next. He still failed to figure out her hidden agenda.