Bordon finds unexpected solace in modern music. (Set a few days after the college party.)

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Richard Bordon walked alone on the stone walkways of one of several park areas on the university campus. This was the first time that he has ventured out into the outside world by himself. He wandered for hours, simply observing this foreign world silently.

Of course, the 21st century still confused and terrified him a great deal, and the more differences he observed, the more he missed living two centuries ago. Bordon was far over the shock of light-up screens, barely dressed women, and the way the people here did not give a care to propriety. Still, these were just examples of a long list of things that Bordon will have to learn to get used to.

Although his inner soul was in turmoil, his silence and imposing figure was enough to exude the aura of security and confidence that made grown men wary of him. Even though it was an illusion, it was enough for him to pass by and remain left alone by students and various faculty.

Richard stopped in his tracks at one sensation that he for once was familiar with: the rich notes of a cello. He allowed his ears and his feet to lead the way towards the instrument. As he grew closer, his ears picked up the grief that the notes conveyed, both from the strings and the fair maiden's voice that they accompanied.

'Yesterday,

All my troubles seemed so far away!

Now it looks as though they're here to stay.

Oh, I believe

In yesterday'

Bordon eagerly but silently moved from behind the trees into a secluded corner of the park from where the source of the music came. His eyebrows shot up in surprise. From behind the wooden structure, he saw a girl playing the instrument that was almost as big as her. Everything about this woman seemed familiar: the long black hair that freely fell upon her shoulders, the skin upon her face that glew in the golden sunlight, the dark eyes filled with passion, even the very relaxed and natural way she swayed to the music she created. He saw her somewhere before, but... He ignored that for now and focused on the song.

She did not seem to notice the observer she has attracted, her eyes remained closed and her pure voice began the next verse with the beautiful vibrations of her instrument.

'Suddenly,

I'm not half the girl I used to be

There's a shadow hanging over me

Oh, Yesterday came suddenly.

Why he had to go?

I don't know, he wouldn't say.

I said something wrong,

Now I long for yesterda-a-ey-ay...'

The beauty in such a song both astounded and fascinated Bordon. It was not the pretty yet empty chamber music that he was used to playing or dancing to, nor was it a bawdy tune that his comrades would sing in the taverns at night. This was a beautiful tragedy; raw pain and grief that made his heart swell with every melancholy note and lyric. He could not help but feel this introduction was for him; an outlet.

'Yesterday

Love was such an easy game to play!

Now I need a place to hide away.

Oh, I believe In Yesterday.'

The woman's head drooped forward as she sang the chorus, her black hair falling in bits all around her face. She can't have been much older than twenty, but the grief that she now expressed aged her years. Did she share such pain and loneliness as he?

She recited the chorus now and Bordon, remembering enough of it, felt confident enough to join. He sang quietly first, then his baritone voice grew stronger with her alto.

'Why she had to go?

I don't know! She wouldn't say.

I said something wrong,

Now I long for Yesterda-a-ey-ay

Yesterday,

Love was such an easy game to play

Now I need a place to hide away

Oh, I believe

In Yesterday!'

The woman stared up at him now that her solo became a duet, her cello finished up the song with a slow escalation of notes. Then she lowered her bow.

Bordon looked down at her empty cello case and saw that the bottom of it was scattered with coins and paper bills. Complying with the courtesy, he showed his appreciation by pulling out the leftover money allotted to him by Dr. Smith earlier that morning. It was quite a meager amount (two 'dollars') but it was all he had left to throw into the case. Bordon then awkwardly nodded at the girl who stared up at the officer in astonishment.

"Uh-- Your performance was very pleasant indeed, enough to make even the most skilled singer or cellist grow with envy." His face turned just the slightest shade of pink as the compliments rolled awkwardly off of his tongue. He meant every word. The woman's pink lips gaped open in a pause.

"Oh! Uh, thanks. I like your voice too, it's very deep."

Bordon nodded again, then his head drooped downward towards his feet. He found himself acting very unusual despite himself, and he did not know why!

"Thank you ma'am." There was a pause as he tried to figure out what to say next. "What is that song called?"

The lady's eyes grew wide as she and her cello leaned forward.

"Yesterday by the Beatles. I'm surprised you don't know that song, it's been around forever!"

The features on Bordon's round face wrinkled and twisted in distaste. "The...Beatles? As in the insects?"

"Oh, yes! They made hundreds of songs. Theirs were some of the first songs I learned. I wanna Hold Your Hand, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Across the Universe--"

The man's eyebrows shot up in recognition and despite himself, he smiled and joyfully struck his hands together. "Ah! I know those songs!"

"See!? I could go on all day but... Hey what's your name by the way?"

"Richard Bordon, of London." He stiffly introduced, forcing himself to be serious and stable once again. The seated girl, however, remained a fireball of almost childlike excitement.

"Well, Richard Bordon of London, my name is Megan Liu, of Xiamen. But not since I was twelve. How long are you staying in America?"

Bordon sighed. "Hopefully not for long."

Miss Liu's face dropped just a bit. "Oh. I hope everything goes okay. In the meantime though, I've been playing for a while, and I'm really thirsty. Would you like to join me for a cup of coffee or something?"

"I have no more money left."

Her mouth dropped open again. "You gave the rest of your money, That's so sweet! My playing isn't even that great but-- I earned..."

Miss Liu's head popped down at her case, collecting the money and stuffing them in her pants pocket.

"...A lot... from this session, so I think I can afford to get you something too."

"I couldn't possibly accept your other with nothing to give you in return!" Bordon exclaimed, shaking his head in protest.

"Alright, then..." The woman's full, pink lips twisted in thought as she put her instrument away and folded the case.

"I'll pay you a cup of coffee in exchange for having somebody to talk to, alright?"

At this desperate implication, Bordon paused. The lady's brown eyes pleaded with hope. It seems that she does suffer from loneliness as well.

"Well, that seems quite fair, milady." He smiled at her, a very rare occurrence for him, and she radiantly grinned back.

And so they strolled toward a shop nearby, talking, taking solace in one another's company. In Bordon's mind another, more hopeful song played and began to gravitate towards his soul.

'Hey Jude

Don't make it bad

Take a sad song

and make it better...'