Tangled in Notes

Chapter Ten

I know I was supposed to meet my doctor a few days ago but I was too busy. Maybe I’ll find time this week. I forgot about it too.

Around 3 in the afternoon, music was blasting in the practice room. Karen told me the boys were preparing for something for an evaluation by the end of the month and geez, I don't even know what to expect from them. They look like those who would goof around and would not complete anything in a day. Who knows, some say they were the aces of the music club.

I went to the studio room and stayed in the third one since the others were occupied. I sat there and I was about to sleep when the door opened. I sat up straight looking at Jared leaning against the door.

"Each of us is born with something. We all have talents in this world. We just couldn't see them yet. Everyone needs to work hard to achieve somethi— are you elementary?"

I stared at him dumbfounded. He said lines that were so familiar to me. Where did I hear them aga—

"Can't you at least be a little more creative?! Who would read something like this? How will we pass this kind of – essay – to the publication if you can’t even do it right?! I clearly told you to make a simple essay of our club. Our goal and motive for having one! Not a feature material."

"I'd like to see you try. I bet you'd get your nose b****y afterwards." I whispered to myself and turned back to him.

He rolled his eyes. "Do something better. Right now."

When he walked away, the others were behind him. Sean shook his head. "Tch. Tch. Tch."

"It's okay, Ji Yoon. He's just really— a perfectionist." Sed said and I smiled with a light nodded.

Laughter burst out in the room. That evil laugh. I glared at Armin and he ran away still laughing. I sighed. What does he want me to do?! Make a best-selling article for Seventeen magazine?! Geez. That grumpy midget.

"Julia—" I turned and saw Kevin. "Fighting!" He smiled then they walked away.

I tapped my chest, coughing, before grabbing a pad of paper. I started writing. Okay. How do I start this? I wasn't even a journalist in the first place.

Why did I join the board anyway?

When lunch break came, I thought I could talk to Jared and try to convince him once again. It's worth to try. Armin told me he always eats in the wooden house next to theirs. It’s where I first saw him.

"Jared!"

I exclaimed and when he turned to me, I waved at him. He was holding a box of milk in his hand and I smiled at him. He looked away and started to walk away.

I frowned and ran to him. I tapped his shoulder once I reached his back.

"What?!” He turned to walk again.

"Can't you really help me make a song? Can't you really?"

"I already told you, no."

Even his voice sounds ice cold. If Elsa from Frozen was real, they'd make a good couple. Maybe they'd be blessed with a frozen baby. Tch. "Come on. You're just gonna teach me." I pouted but he just looked away.

"Go away." He said and I stopped walking. "Even if you kneel in front of me, I won't say yes."

When he was about ten meters away from me, I opened my mouth and squeezed the air in my palms. “Hey! I will definitely convince you!” I sighed. "For dad, I'll do whatever it takes."

After Math, I decided to stay in the athletic field. For no reason, I watched a boring softball game of the varsity team. The score was currently 1-0. They’ve been playing for like, thirty minutes by now.

I heaved a sigh and reread the essay Jared asked me to do. It was fine already. I don't know if this still doesn't approve. He might just do it himself.

"Hey."

I turned and saw Joshua with a guitar in his back. I fixed myself. "Joshua. What are you doing here?"

He sat next to me and looked up straight. "To think."

I looked at him. "Think of what?"

"Arrangements of the songs. Jared said I can still do better but I honestly think it was enough." He sighed. "Sometimes he gets really picky and choosy."

"I can see that."

"But we're all trying to understand him." He said and I looked at him again. "You know, being a president of a club is hard. He's doing everything to make our club stand out from the others. Same as everything we do. He wants uniqueness and he doesn't like cliché and ordinary ones."

"Must be why he didn't like my essay."

He turned to me with a chuckle.

"You're the editor right? Must be hard for you too, huh?"

He nodded. "It’s harder than you think. I need to edit everything the board does and if Jared doesn't like everything I edit, he wants me to rearrange everything."

"Harsh." I commented.

"Anyway, what can you suggest? A concept or something?"

"I can't really tell. It will still depend on the song and performance they came up with."

"Actually, we'll be performing in units so it's a little more general? A simple concept maybe that can fit in with vocal, performance and the hip hop unit."

"Hm. . ." I tried to think. "What about a cabin?"

"A cabin?"

I shrugged. "I'm not really good at these things." I chuckled. “But I think it will be fine. Camp fire. Snow. The cabin.” I smiled as I imagine a set.

He smiled. "I'll try to improve that idea. Thanks. I think I could use it somehow."

I nodded. "Glad I could help."

"Yeah. I'll get going then. Jared would growl at me if he won't see me working in the club." He laughed and stood.

"Okay."

"I'll see you around."

"O—*cough* okay." I nodded. My voice a bit shaky and husky. There goes my coughs again. I will surely meet Dr. McKinley tomorrow. I promise that.

At the strike of 5:00, I ran my way to Toy Empire. I don't need a taxi or a cab. I can just run and walk. I slipped my mascot on and started my usual thing.

I turned to our manager, the owner of the store and she smiled at me. She raised an 'okay' sign and I smiled.

A little girl suddenly came to me. I bent down to level my height with her and waved at her. She suddenly kicked my stomach part and I hear her laugh running away.

The flyers I had flown away and I looked around me. It even reached to the next shop! I removed my big head and sat down the bench in front of our shop. I fanned myself and watched as the papers fly away.

I sighed. “Kids these days.”

My jaws dropped when I saw a familiar face sitting outside. "Jared?" He was holding a notebook in his hand and he was writing something. He looked down to his feet and crouched down to take the flyer that flew to him.

My eyes widened and he suddenly turned to my direction. It was a good thing that my senses were really fast that I quickly turned averting my gaze.

I gulped hard. I hope he didn't see me. Tell me he didn't see me. Besides the fact that Armin knows about me having part time jobs, no one knows this and if they do, they’d start bullying me. They’d start asking me questions like, how I managed to get in MESPA High.

"Your flyers. . ."

I gulped hard. That voice. I quickly slipped my big head back and stood turning to him. I was surprised when he bent down grabbing the others that were still on the ground.

"Here." He looked at me. Maybe not me but my big mascot face. He was still wearing our uniform which meant he came from school.

I bowed and when I looked back at him.

“If I were you, I could’ve yelled at the kid for doing something like that.”

I remained quiet. If I talked, he’ll probably recognize me. My heart was beating so fast. I don’t know what to do.

“That kid reminds me of someone.” Was he smiling? I leaned closer – but not too close – and, I gulped hard. He was smiling a bit! I can’t believe this.

I did not respond.

“That girl ran her bike’s wheel over my feet.”

My eyes widened. That was me. He was talking about me. Ehh… I must be crazy! I was sweating so hard. Why did it suddenly turn so hot right now?

“I see you here all the time. When I eat at the other side with my friends, I see you.”

I nodded.

“Your parents must be proud of you. You’re here, working hard to help them. They must love you so much right now, don’t they?”

I frowned. This was certainly something I wasn’t ready for. Something I didn’t expect.

I got more surprised when the edges of his lips lifted up. He was smiling. He was smiling! His eyes turned so small and his cheek bones were popping out. He had such adorable smile yet he keeps it for himself. He was so hideous.

This is weird. I have never seen him smile. I smiled at the thought. I should feel happy. If I know, he doesn’t show off that charming smile just like that.

"Sorry. I didn’t know why I suddenly talked like that.” He scratched his head. “I’m Jared, by the way.”

He raised his hand.

For moment, I doubt if I should shake it but then I realized, it would be rude so I raised my big hands and he shook them. I could feel his cold hands over the mascot.

“You better be careful. I’ll see you around.”

Then he started walking away. I was completely frozen. This time, it wasn’t because he was cold, it was because I saw a completely different person. I was so confused. He smiled. Wow. That felt so unrealistic. That eye-smile.

When I got back to my apartment, I immediately finished my home works; finished the paper grumpy midget told me to do. Life's too harsh.

I suddenly remembered seeing Jared smile through the net of my mascot eyes. That was surreal. I couldn't believe it. Yesterday, he looked like an angel, and now he looked like a cat with so much cuteness to pour. How weird is that?

I grabbed my special notebook from my bag and scanned the pages. The lyrics I wrote were fine to me. They weren't so bad.

I turned to the snow ball daddy gave me. I sighed. "I don't know how to convince him, dad. He's really bipolar. Were you like that too? Despite the fact that you two know how to play the piano and share the same name?" I shook my head. What a complicated illusional life.

If that's even a word.

I’m guessing no.