The Bad Boy's Singer

10. Him

“Life is a dream for the wise, a game for the fool, a comedy for the rich, a tragedy for the poor.”

– Sholom Aleichem



To say Elodie was heartbroken was an understatement. As for me, I didn't care much about the ordeal. Elodie was perfect for drama as she walked back and forth to wake me up from my sleep. I didn't know why she cared about Rayna enough to ask to kiss her yesterday, that was a hard line to cross.

I chided myself yesterday night for giving in and doing that dare. That whole game was messed up and I shouldn't have let my guards down to her. I didn't know what washed over me to do that to her.

It will never happen again. I promised myself mentally before I made my bed and stretched my abs out before I padded to my bathroom while Elodie waited for me and thought about Rayna.

"I mean, why would she act this way?" she frustratingly asked and I could hear her in front of the bathroom as I brushed my teeth and washed my face. She ranted on and on until I was fully dressed in an all black fit.

"Xav, you shouldn't have kissed her on the forehead, you shouldn't have listened to me, I was stupid and I didn't know that I overdid it but we have to make it up to her-" she started and I had to stop her.

"Elodie, you need to butt out from Rayna's life, you might have crossed the line about her personal life but she made it clear that she wants nothing to do with us yesterday," I made my point as she nagged some more giving me a headache.

I told her a million times about what happened yesterday and she still wanted to talk to Rayna. I left her to it as I grabbed my bag and headed out after I locked the door with Elodie trailing behind me like a lost puppy.

I loved my sister but she a pushover when she came down to what she wanted. I was the exact opposite; I dropped everyone that insulted me or stayed away from me. I just didn't care enough for a girl I barely met.

Elodie went on her own way and I almost forgot that I had a meeting for the new piano teacher this morning. My steps trail on the sand covered ground and my hands both in my pocket as the soft wind delicately touches my slicked back hair as my eyes roamed over the playground in peace along my way.

On my way to the deaded piano lesson, I caught Rayna in front of the therapy section and my mind suddenly went back to the red mark on her hand from before. As if she could feel me behind her, she turned around to face me but I just walked carelessly with my head down.

She did recognize me but I didn't want to give her the attention. My first guess was a suicidal person with a rough past but the person that interrupted my thoughts was here.

It was the new teacher. I got it to the piano hall and there he was, he appeared to be young in his mid-thearties with denim jeans and a brown shirt, he played Debussy's Arabesque with such ease that it left me to stand as I took in the melodic heavenly sound.

He reminded me of mom when she played exactly like him since the day I was born till now. I didn't realize he stopped until he stood up to greet me.

"Hello, my name is Alexander Hugh," he introduced with the brightest oceanic eyes and I shook his hands. "What's yours?" he asked confidently.

"Xavier Adams-" I started but he cut me off.

"You are Evangeline's son, I know," he said, "I am a big fan of your mother, she's a soul fire to reckon with." He complimented and I gave him one of my fake smiles at the mention of being known as my mother's son.

I was proud but I wanted to be known for something else; my achievement. We got up on the stage to the piano and he let me play any piano classic to evaluate me.

"That's great but you need some work on your touches," Alexander claimed as he showed me his finger touching on the side of the C note key and I copied him earning a smile from him, "you are a natural." he commented and I gave him a firm appreciation nod before I continued.

He taught me a couple of things like poise in play and the new combination of notes to a smoother transition. My brain was dead by the time I rehearsed for a whole hour and my fingers slightly ached but the teacher was better than Mr. Atkins.

I got out of the piano class as I sighed and took a deep breath to face my next one: professor Diana's class. Where Rayna was.

My hand held the door handle to open it revealing professor Diana playing the red guitar and that got me smiling when she met my eyes to give me a quick wink, she was the only one who caught onto my passion for guitar as she played 'Perfect' by Ed Sheeran.

I made myself comfortable on the seat and I ignored Rayna's gaze on the side of me. I didn't want anything to do with her.

"Xavvy, show us what you got with this guitar." it was like Professor Diana knew how excited I got to play the guitar and I went up as per her request as I grabbed the guitar and played my favorite.

Treat you better by Shawn Mendes.

The whole class ogled at my skills and some of them recorded me playing with a serene smile on my face as my eyes took in the way my fingers found their way on the strings and the professor gave me a thumbs up with a big smile on her face.

I wondered when was the next time I would play the guitar when I glanced at Rayna to see the other new mark on her skin.