"We have been at this all night."
Andy threw his head back as he tightly gripped the neck of his guitar, sweat on his brow and there were slight dark circles under his eyes.
The band had been rehearsing every night and had been performing every weekend at the Frutti Music Bar for nearly a month. Musa had been insistent that she and the boys had to be ready for when McQueen came in November. This was their opportunity and Musa would be damned if they didn't give it their best shot.
"Yeah, Muse. I think that my foot is going to fall off." Rio pointed and flexed the foot that he used to hit the bass drum pedal.
"But we-"
"Musa," Andy cut her off, "what we need is some fucking sleep. Hell, even a night off would be amazing."
"Well excuse me for wanting to not make a complete fool of ourselves in front of Jason McQueen. We have worked our asses off for years and-"
"Yes, we have been working our asses off for years. We are going to be okay, Musa."
"Okay?!" Musa exclaimed, "We need to be amazing and we still need to create at least three new songs and-"
"We need a break, Musa!" Mark yelled from the side of the stage as he took a seat.
"Can I finish speaking?!" Musa groaned as she rubbed a hand down her face.
"You have been talking all night!" Andy countered as he removed the guitar from around his neck, "You have been riding our asses for the past month and we are going to be fine. We did this band because we liked the music and now-"
"You know what?" Musa fumed, "Let's stop for the night. Actually, I think that we should stop until we all know that we really want to be doing this."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Andy asked accusatorily.
Musa turned to face Andy, her dark hair swinging over her shoulders.
"It just seems that not all of us share the same...enthusiasm...when it comes to the band and I think that we all need a break to think about what we want."
"Enthusiasm?" Rio lifted a dark eyebrow.
"I haven't seen Jared in almost a month because I am here with the three of you, making sure that everything is perfect for Jason McQueen. I also go home and write music, I even right music during my lunch breaks. Nobody wants to be in bed more than I do or in bed with someone for that matter, but I am here with all of you because I love this band and our music more than anything. I just thought that all of you felt the same way."
Mark sighed, "We do, Musa."
"Sure." Musa rolled her eyes.
"I don't feel like arguing anymore." Andy groaned as he put his guitar away in his case. He watched as Rio and Mark put away their things. They went to stand by him, ready to leave for the apartment that they all shared downtown.
"We'll see you tomorrow, Musa. Whether you want to see us or not. We will be here." Rio said before the three guys walked out of the Frutti Music Bar.
Musa huffed as she watched them walk out and disappear down the busy streets of Magix. Musa pulled her phone out of her pocket to check the time, her eyes widening as she looked down at the late hour displayed on her phone. She would have work in the morning and while the guys might have been a trio of silly boys, they were right, she did need sleep. But she couldn't sleep.
She would lie awake at night as music swirled through her head and she would hop up to write it all down. Only for her to tear it up in the morning thinking that it wasn't good enough. She thought about Jared and how she had missed him, rehearsal and his work schedule taking every possible minute that they might have with one another. It wasn't like she tried, she invited him over for dinners and after their shows. But every time he had declined. It was then that she was left to go home to a quiet and empty apartment.
In fact, she had neither heard nor seen Riven ever since the day that he came to her office and offer her some lame excuse for an apology. One that she never wanted nor asked for. Musa had appreciated the quiet coming from his apartment after that first week of loud music and the constant moaning of whatever woman he brought home that night. Well, the moaning hadn't exactly ceased but it hadn't been as frequent. However, she would be remiss if she were to say that she didn't miss the thrill that came with almost running into him. She thought for a while that he possibly moved out but her telling him to leave her office and her refusal of his apology wouldn't have been the reason for the sudden change in mood or him moving out. But when she heard the door to his apartment open and shut in the evening, she knew that he was still there.
Grabbing her things, Musa made her way out of the Frutti Music Bar and made her way back to her apartment. Quiet and empty.
Outside of the Frutti Music Bar, she looked up and noticed that it looked as though it would rain. Large clouds covering the moon and the stars that usually dotted the sky above Magix.
How fitting? She thought.
Musa felt that she herself had been stuck in a fog for the past month. At first, the haze was euphoric, the news of Jason McQueen's interest in the small band was enough to lift her spirits, even if the most unfortunate news were to befall her. Then, Flora had her baby, a little girl born a little early but healthy nonetheless. A little girl that Flora and Helia named Fern, just like the type of paper that Helia had been drawing on when they had met when they were in college.
Then the euphoric haze deepened and now she felt lost. Lost like the moon and stars behind the clouds. The band had made her tired and not seeing Jared had made her long for his touch. Any kind of touch really. She never thought that she would grow jealous of her cousin and his wife, happy together in their own little world with their new child. Maybe that was the price to pay for success and stardom. A price she would pay over and over again if that meant that she could live her dream. Make her mother proud.
Musa reached the apartment complex, tired and worn from her long day. She crawled up the stairs and rustled through her bags for her keys. There was the sound of faint music coming from the apartment next to her. Musa's mouth turned up into a slight smile. Though the music wasn't loud and obnoxious as before, it was nice to hear something other than silence.
Opening the door, Musa dropped her bag and made a beeline for her bedroom, desperate to shed the clothes from the day off of her and put on her warm pajamas. The summer nights growing colder into the nights of the fall. The warm white fleece shirt and the soft gray shorts made her feel right at home and ready for bed. But the music would not stop swirling through her head. She huffed and walked out of her bedroom, grabbing a pad of staff paper, and out onto the balcony, clouds and rain be damned.
Taking a seat at the small metal and glass table, Musa began to write down the music in her head, humming the tune.
"I think that's already been done, sweetheart."
Musa turned her head and looked over towards the direction of the voice. Looking over to the other balcony, she saw Riven leaned over the railing, his elbows and forearms resting on the cold metal. He wore a pair of dark jeans and a red t-shirt that hugged the strong muscles in his arms.
She turned back to her staff paper and ignored him.
"Maybe if you ended it like this," Riven whistled the tune Musa was singing before but changing the end, "instead of the way that you did. I don't think that has been done."
Musa let out a slight humph and continued to work with the melody that she was singing. But Riven continued to whistle the tune that he had just shown her.
"I'm telling you, try changing the end and it will be a hit."
Musa set her notebook onto the table, "I don't recall asking for your help."
"Just thought that I would help out. No need to get all up in arms about it." Riven chuckled.
"And what do you know about music?" Musa asked as she picked up her paper yet again and began writing.
"Nothing," Riven shrugged, "but I do know a tune when I hear it and I have heard that one before."
"Oh really?" Musa turned to face Riven, "And where on Earth did you hear this tune? I have never it before."
"Well, I have and I am telling you, don't use it. It wouldn't be a hit anyways."
"Says the person who claims to know nothing about music." Musa rolled her eyes.
"My mother." Riven remarked softly causing Musa to turn up towards her.
"What?"
"My, ugh," Riven covered a cough with his hand, "my mother, that...she used to...forget it."
Musa slowly stood up from her chair and walked over to the edge of her balcony, the side closest to Riven.
"Very well then." Musa sighed as she looked up at the sky, the clouds darkening over the moon. "It sure does look like it is going to rain, perhaps we should both head back inside."
There was a silence, save for the noises of Magix that filled the night air.
"My mom would sing me that tune when I was younger. Some old lullaby that she heard when she was in school at Melody University." Riven broke the silence.
"I see..." Musa replied and walked to the table to cross out the music that she wrote. "No wonder why it sounded so familiar."
"Did your mother sing that to you?" Riven asked.
"No, but it did sound like home. The pattern of the notes sounding familiar."
"You're from Melody?"
"Yeah." Musa sighed. "Born and raised."
The silence overcame them again. Musa was still leaning against the metal railing of the balcony. This had been the longest that she had talked to her neighbor without wanting to punch him in the face. Had she entered the part of the haze that seriously clouded her judgment? Was that where she was at? She should have taken her own advice but instead, she opened her mouth again. This time it was Musa who broke the silence.
"You must have been close to your mother if you remember that lullaby."
Riven shrugged, "Not really but I have been thinking about her recently."
"Why is that?"
"Are you trying to 'therapize' me?" Riven scoffed.
"If you want that kind of therapy, I am afraid you came to the wrong person. You will have to see Flora for that."
"The pregnant one?" Riven asked.
"Yeah," Musa let out a small giggle, "but she isn't pregnant anymore. She had her baby."
"Oh. Well congratulations to her."
"A little girl, Fern."
"Cute name." Riven remarked.
"She's a cute baby too but I would have to say that I am biased. She is family after all."
Riven turned his body to face Musa. His mouth quirked up into one of his smug smirks as he looked at the smile on Musa's face.
"Nah, I am sure she is cute, especially if she is your family." Riven sighed.
Musa's smile fell and she turned her face away from Riven. She cleared her throat and chest, the late summer air sending a chill up her spine. It chilled her body from the hot blush that she was sure was rising up on her cheeks.
"Is that your way of hitting on me again?" Musa quietly said, "I do have a boyfriend, you know."
"I'm well aware of that, sweetheart." Riven scoffed, "But I'm not hitting on you. Just stating facts."
"Sounded more like an opinion to me."
Silence again.
Musa looked up at the sky and saw that the light of the moon was shining a little bit brighter behind the clouds. Maybe the sky decided that it wouldn't pour onto the city. She snuck a glance over to Riven and saw that he was no longer leaning forward over the balcony but instead had turned his body towards Musa, opening up to her.
"So where are you from?" Musa asked.
"That's a complicated answer."
"Why is that?"
"My mom and I moved around a lot after my dad left but if I had to call anywhere home, I guess Magix is the place."
Musa snuck a glance over to Riven and noticed his downturned mouth and scrunched brow, obviously uncomfortable with the conversation but he was humoring her anyways.
He continued, "My mom lives...lived in a small town in Solaria where she was...I was taking care of her until she..."
"You don't have to talk about it. I can see that you are uncomfortable." Musa signed as she gave Riven an uncharacteristic sympathetic smile.
Riven turned to face her and gave her a thankful smile, his face relaxing as he looked at Musa.
"I know that it has been over a month but," Riven took in a deep breath, "I really am sorry for how we had met."
"Please," Musa held up a hand, "I should be the one apologizing to you. I really was being a...bitch and I am afraid that you aren't the only one that I have been that way towards recently."
"And I am sorry for being an ass."
"Just try to keep the noise from your more intimate playdates to a manageable level." Musa let out a small giggle.
"I make no promises, sweetheart. The ladies love me." Riven shrugged. "If you and your boyfriend ever call it quits-"
"Not going to happen." Musa rolled her eyes. "I just forgave you for being a creepy ass, don't make me regret it."
"Fine fine fine, sweetheart."
"And stop calling me sweetheart." Musa narrowed her blue eyes towards Riven.
Riven let out a deep chuckle, the most that Musa had heard him laugh, and she couldn't help but to release a small laugh in response. She looked up at the sky and noticed that the clouds had disappeared and the moon and stars illuminated the night sky above Magix. Musa followed the light coming from the moon as it landed on Riven's olive-toned skin, making his maroon hair appear like a deep wine and his sharp cheekbones appeared more severe. More...handsome. Maybe the women who wound up in Riven's apartment weren't completely gone in the head.
Still, she averted her eyes and walked away from the edge of the balcony and returned to the small glass table. Musa picked up her notebook of staff paper, looking at the scribbled in music notes and the collection of random lines that filled in the margins of the paper. She hummed the tune that Riven had given her and the notes filled her head. It wasn't half bad.
"Would you...no it's stupid..." Musa held the notebook close to her chest.
"You're the fancy therapist. Nothing you say to me could be stupid." Riven chuckled.
Musa smiled and exhaled, "Would you like to help me write music? For my band?"
"I thought that you didn't want my help seeing as I don't know anything about music and all." Riven arched an eyebrow and smirked.
Musa's smile fell as she looked down at the notebook in her hands.
"But I am sure that I could squeeze you in. Ya know, in between all of my lady callers."
Riven gave Musa a wink and she rolled her eyes.
"But I am sure that we could work around that."
"Really?" Musa smiled once again, "You'll help me?"
"Sure thing, sweetheart. Just promise me that when you and your band make it big that you give me front row seats and all access VIP passes." Riven chuckled.
"Deal." Musa giggled. "And what did I say about calling me sweetheart? I have half a mind to hop over to your balcony and smack you."
Riven scoffed as he thought about Musa leaping the ten feet to make it over to his balcony, wondering if she could do it. He shook the thought from his head as he realized that the most likely of scenarios if she tried was watching her fall to her death and the crime scene team cleaning up brain from the sidewalk.
"Just call me Musa."
Riven looked up at her, her dark hair shining in the moonlight and her pale skin contrasting against it, making her look ethereal and mysterious.
"I think I can do that."
"Then I guess I will see you tomorrow night." Musa shot Riven a small smile.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
Musa walked towards the door of her balcony and placed her hand on the metal handle.
"Good night, Riven."
"Night, Musa."
Well, we are making progress I would say. This chapter is a little bit shorter than the others but I wanted to establish that Musa and Riven are out of the animosity phase of the story and entering into the friends part of the Enemies to Friends to Lovers trope. And that shouldn't be a spoiler given the fact that this is going to follow the format of Vices and Paradises so there will be smut and romance. So...watch out!
As always, leave a comment/review and you can follow me on Instagram at starrynights513 for polls, inspiration, and updates.