Chapter 4

Once I Had a Love and It Was Divine (Nozel)

Nozel waited for Vanessa, who was late once again. In the weeks that he had known her, he learned that he should expect her to be late anywhere between 10 and 15 minutes. Nozel didn't mind waiting. It actually gave himself some time for quiet contemplation and psyching himself to interact with someone as extroverted as Vanessa. He had come to admire her openness and ability to have a great understanding of others, but Nozel had a hard time with his own feelings and being stoic was safe for him.

Charlotte had been happy to hear that Nozel and Vanessa got along with each other. Charlotte, of course, wanted her two favorite friends to get along with each other. He supposed that this wedding soundtrack was Charlotte's way of meddling. Perhaps, she thought that Nozel would be lonely without her when she focused more attention on Yami Sukehiro. Perhaps, she thought that Vanessa would be lonely too.

Nozel sat in the recording room, with his music notes out and he wasn't really writing anything, but reviewing the pattern and beat in his head. He and Vanessa had already finished the First Dance song lyrics and layout. Today they were recording it and then working on the other pieces, which were far easier than the First Dance song. Vanessa handled the lyrics, as she was far more poetic and in touch with her feelings, and Nozel wrote the music, with some input from Vanessa. It was a good system. The First Dance song was going to be sung by Vanessa with Nozel on the Piano (which he already recorded the music at the orchestra).

He checked the time on the wall clock. Vanessa would be here shortly based on her patterns. Hopefully, she didn't overslept like a couple of weeks ago.

While he hadn't minded and treated her to food at Lily's place, Nozel realized that he shouldn't have taken her since Vanessa very quickly figured out that Nozel once had feelings for Lily. Vanessa was far too perceptive for her own good. Vanessa had given Nozel looks of pity and understanding that day.

Lily had gone to his and Charlotte's high school and he had liked her, his first love. Charlotte always told him to go for it, but Nozel wasn't equipped for romance and the like. Lily had a higher calling after all. Lily had been his first love, but he now was merely fond of her and saw her as a friend. Nozel held no aspirations of anything romantic with Lily.

"Sorry I'm late," said Vanessa, bursting into the room. Today, she wore ripped jeans and a hot-pink halter with a Black Meteorite zip-up sweater.

"You always say that. I suspect that you're not that sorry," said Nozel.

Vanessa chortled. "Was that sarcasm from you? Yay, you're opening up a bit more!" Nozel resisted the urge to roll his eyes. As they spent more time together, Vanessa had grown far more familiar. Her teasing was harmless. "So, what are we doing first? Recording or writing?"

"How much did you sing last night," Nozel asked, out of concern for her voice. Any singer knew when not to strain themselves.

Vanessa made a face. "Yeahhh, I guess, we should finish up the Parent-Child Dance song. Ooh, you brought coffee. Thanks."

Nozel had taken to picking up coffee for them both since they were busy adults and needed caffeine to function. He knew her order by heart now and if that wasn't a weird thing. "Lyrics?"

Vanessa pulled out crumbled papers from her small backpack. "Yep! Are those the chords?"

"Are we sure we want to do acoustic guitar for this song?"

"Well, we're doing piano for the First Dance song, so let's just mix up a bit. Besides, it's trendy the acoustic guitar thing," said Vanessa, grinning.

"Very well," said Nozel, caving once again to her idea. He didn't think much of acoustic guitar musicians, as he told her when she just suggested. She had laughed for a good ten minutes when he said that it was "too weepy."

"Charlotte will love it," said Vanessa, as if reminding him. "And we have to make her grumpy old man cry tears."

Nozel's titled up into a half-smile. "That would be quite the feat." Nozel had never known Charlotte's father, James Roselei, to ever emote anything other disdain towards anything Charlotte did. Charlotte's choice to be a musician was frowned upon by her family who ran wineries all over the Clover Kingdom. And then, Charlotte brought Yami home and her parents hadn't been thrilled.

Vanessa poked him. "You definitely want that to happen, don't you? Don't like her old man either, I guess?"

"Parents," said Nozel, "are supposed to support their children and not run their lives for them."

"Well said," said Vanessa. "I hear many great things about your mother from Noelle."

"Noelle is very like Mother," said Nozel. "As is Nebra."

"So, do you take after your father," Vanessa asked, curiously.

"Ah, no. Solid does, though," said Nozel. "I suppose I'm a strange mix of my parents, though the stoicism I get from my Grandfather."

"That's adorable," said Vanessa. She grinned. "Family is important."

"Family is what you make it."

"Well said."

Eventually, they had to record the First Dance song. If they didn't do it today, they'd be behind schedule and Nozel couldn't abide not following the schedule for this project. This was Charlotte's wedding reception playlist he was helping create, there was no time to slack.

Vanessa was sitting in the recording booth, headphones on her head and in front of the microphone. She had the copy of the lyrics and the song notes in her hands. Nozel was on the outside handling the recording device. He placed the pair of headphones on his head to hear her when she began singing.

He pressed the button on the recording board and asked, "Ready?"

Vanessa gave him a thumbs-up.

"1, 2, 3, Start," said Nozel, hitting record.

Vanessa's beautiful singing voice reached his ears, melding with the piano music.

"My heart skips a beat
When I see your face
My heart skips a beat
When I see your face," Vanessa sang the chorus of the First Dance song. Her eyes were closed in concentration as she sang.

Nozel watched her.

She truly was amazing. Vanessa was so beautiful, especially when she sang.

And his heart skipped a beat, as she kept singing the lyrics to the song they created together.

Oh no.

I am a fool, he told himself.

"Nozel? Go again," Vanessa's voice rang out.

Nozel refocused himself to not stare at Vanessa. "Yeah, from the top."

She was gonna be the death of him.

~to be continued