CELEBRITY ??
FAVOURITISM ??
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BY RUTHIE LEE ??
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EPISODE 21.
~~ June. ~~
“why do you want to sing my song?” Erick asked, as he walked to his drawer and brought out a clean towel, and started to dry his hair.
“cause it’s good with my voice and it doesn’t need too much beat or instrument, so it’s the perfect song to sing” I explained and he paused to look at me.
“please?.” I said with my head pushed forward.
“okay sure”. He said and my eyes followed his hand as he put the towel he used on top of the drawer.
“you know you’re supposed to dry that, not leaving it carelessly on your drawer” I warned and his eyes dart to his towel.
“it doesn’t matter, now let’s talk ab–
“it does matter” I said with my brows arched.
“I thought you came here to learn music, not boss me like my mom” Erick said grabbing the towel.
“well I’m going to be a mother one day so I think you’re bound to do what I tell you” I said sternly folding my hand. And with a smile he grabbed the towel and walked to the door,
“you– he sighed and looked at me before walking out.
I stayed still and looked around his expensive room for a while, but I looked at the door when I heard Erick’s footstep.
“brought the guitar, and the song lyrics” Erick announced as he walked in with the blue guitar, Daniel’s own.
“it’s still here,?” I asked referring to the guitar.
“yeah, where do you think it’d go before, it’s mine now” Erick said and I shrugged.
“here” he said giving me the song lyrics which was in a book he sat down beside me and carefully handed me the guitar, which I thought it’d be heavy but it was actually pretty light.
“okay first I’m going to teach you, how to hold and balance a guitar on your body” he said standing up.
“ugh.. Just teach me how to play already” I rolled my eyes.
“June. One step at a time” he said calmly ending it with a smile.
“when you’re sitting down, there are two main ways to hold your guitar, for a casual playing, lay the guitar on your dominant leg” he said and I did.
“Good there’s also a classical way which is the second one, but we’re doing to the casual way cause it’s more common and easy, now hold the guitar close to your body so it makes it easier for you to play and it also prevents you from becoming fatigued” he explained and I nod and adjusted the guitar to my body. “good” he smiled.
My own private tutor, what a blessing.
“make sure the guitar is upright while you play or else you might hurt your wrist” Erick said, taking my hand and adjusting it on the handle of the guitar.
“this is funny” I smiled.
“I don’t see anything funny here now June, focus” he narrowed his eyes at me.
“oh sorry” I giggled.
“Now you’re going to know the strings, the thickest lowest, sounding string is low-E the 6th string then moving away from the low-E the string goes A D G B and high E. People remember this string with the mnemonic ‹Eddie Ate Dynamite, Goodbye Eddie›” Erick said and I had to bite my bottom lip to hold myself from laughing. Eddie ate Dynamite goodbye Eddie.. I memorized and breathed out.
*.
We Both went on and on with Erick teaching different kind of things that I gathered in my head. We had to use an electrical tuner to tune the guitar before I start playing and before I knew it, I started to catch up and start playing.
It took me hours before mastering the strings, gosh it was so difficult, but after that Erick said I could try playing his song and he wrote the notes and string I had to play and before I knew it, I mastered half of the song note.
After playing for some minutes Erick told me to play and sing with it and slowly, I started string A A B d E-low E-high G..
? slowly, silently I can see the beautiful world around me.
The sunset by dusk, the footprints washed by waves.
All eager to see a new day
Everyday.
Do you remember the promise we made
Together under that shade.
As the rays of sunshine sh–shone… ?
I paused when I realise I’ve made a mistake.
“it’s okay, just keep going” Erick tells me and I did. I made sure I think of the strings and the song at the same time and before I knew it I played the song completely and ended it beautifully.
“nice.. But, look” Erick said grabbing the guitar from my hand and placing it on his legs.
“look at my fingers and listen to my voice. The place you made a mistake is D,D,A,G,E-low but you went E-high.. So now listen.
?“The rays of sunshine shone right above our eyes.” Erick sang and smiled “see” he said and I took the guitar back from him, I tried it and I got it perfectly.
“now sing the whole song from the beginning to end playing the guitar” Erick said and I happily sit straight and start to play the song.
I ended the song with a smile cause I didn’t make any mistake and Erick smile.
“I was good right?” I asked happily.
“let’s just say, I’m a great teacher” Erick bragged and I rolled my eyes.
“ugh.. I’m thirsty, can you get me water?” I asked.
“the kitchen’s downstairs June I’m not your servant” Erick said standing up.
“you brat.” I muttered before standing up and walking out of his room, I got downstairs and entered his Sparkly kitchen, I moved to his fridge and grabbed a bottle of water, I was shocked when I finished the whole bottle in almost five seconds, I guess I must be pretty thirsty.
I went back upstairs humming Erick’s song in my head,
Getting to Erick’s room I could hear his voice, he was talking to someone.
“who are you talki–” I paused when I saw Erick with my phone.
“oh she’s here, you can talk to her now.” Erick smiled and gave me back my phone.
“is it my grandma?” I asked.
“yep” he nodded.
“hey grandma” I grinned as I say into the phone, placing it on my ear.
“oh honey, I just wanted to hear your voice, how are you, how is the learning process going.” she asked inquisitively.
“oh grandma, you wouldn’t believe how fast I learned how to play, it was hard at first but now I’m getting a hang of it, I am such a fast learner” I bragged and I heard my grandma’s weak laugh. “oh June, you still have to practice more, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and Erick, heavens bless that child cause he’s heaven sent, you can’t thank him enough June, he has really helped you a lot” my grandma said lowly making me glance at Erick who watched me quietly.
“I know grandma” I said lowly looking away.
“make us proud June, we all know you’re a Supernova, so shine like one” my grandma said I groaned, “stop saying things like that grandma, you’re making me full of myself”. I whined and my Grandma laughed hysterically. “anyway practice hard, and are you sure you’re coming home tonight?” my grandma asked.
“what?.. why would you ask that of course I am.” I said.
“cause it’s getting la–
“I’m coming home grandma” I interrupted her.
“okay dear take care practice hard” she announced and I smiled.
“what about Augie?”
“he fell asleep like a minute ago, and Ella’s been wandering about alone barking, missing her best friend” I laughed when my grandma said so. We both say our goodbyes before finally hanging up.
“I miss home” Erick said as I dropped my phone.
“home? But you’re home” I said sitting on his bed and grabbing the guitar.
“this is just where I sleep, home is where you live, for me, home is with you, your grandma, Augie and Ella” Erick said calmly.
“oh” I said sympathetically.
We both became quiet not saying anything, Erick looking at the floor and me looking at him, I breathed out heavily and I started to play the guitar but then I stopped.
“what’s the title of your song?” I asked, I have to know I can’t just start singing a song without letting the judges know the title.
“uhh.. Daniel suggested it should be titled. “beautiful world”…”
“Beautiful world? Well that’s okay, and Daniel knows about this song?” I asked.
“Have you forgotten he’s my best friend. He knows everything about me” Erick stated and I nod.
“so he knows that you confessed to me?” I blurted out not knowing why I said that or how it escaped my lips.
Erick looked surprised but he answered, “yeah… yeah, he knows, I told him, he was actually the one who told me to do so”.
“oh” I said, so Daniel knows Erick likes me, that’s why he also doesn’t like Travis. He must be seeing me as a mean or callous person, cause after Erick Confessed to me I’ve been hanging out with Travis. This is awkward.
“you know you just reminded me of the day I confessed to you, you still haven’t given me a reply yet” he said and like a drum, my heart starts to beat. No not now, why did I ever brought up this topic.
“uh.. I have to practice.” I said placing my fingers on the guitar strings.
“June.” he held my hand, preventing me from playing
“please, I need a reply, you can’t just keep me hanging, if you like Travis tell me I’ll understand. Just give me a reply I just want.. I just want to know what you think—feel about me” Erick said and I sighed.
“I don’t like Travis… Not at all” I said sincerely and he breathed out a low “good”.
“And truthfully, Erick you’re amazing I really admire you but, I don’t think I see it, or feel it.. I’m really sorry, the way you feel about me, I mean it’s huge and appreciative but, I just don’t think I feel the same way about you..” I said pathetically facing the floor.
“well you like no one right?” Erick asked.
“huh?”.
“is there any guy you like?” .
“huh… No.. No” I replied sternly
“then I’ll wait. I’ll wait for your heart June, to respond to mine” Erick said with sad eyes and I had to bite the inside of my cheeks to control my sad emotions.
“keep playing, I’ll be right back” Erick said, changing the awkward tension with his warm smile.
“where are you going?” I asked when he got to the door.
“oh I’m seriously craving for ice cream and I need like a bucket of it” Erick mused and smiled, he just love ice-cream.
Erick walked out and I sighed and turned to the guitar, placing my hand on the strings I started to play and sing the song at the same time. And gosh, I was really good.
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The door clicked Open and Erick walked inside “June, aren’t you going home?, it’s late already” Erick asked as he came in with a plate of ice-cream.
“what time is it?”
“it’s about 11:53pm” Erick replied taking a quick glance at his phone.
“eleven what??”… I almost screamed “I thought it’s like 9:30 or something, I was already planning to take the night bus” I said dropping the guitar and standing up.
“well it’s so late and all the bus station closes at twelve a.m and it’ll be twelve a.m soon, I don’t have a car and I don’t think you’ll see any taxi around by this time so…” Erick nurtured and smiled
“why are you smiling, this is nothing to smile about, I cant go home tonight,” .
“well you can stay here, and go back home tomorrow” Erick suggested.
“stay here..? No way.” I said moving my hair back.
“we used to live together, don’t act like its something new” Erick said taking another spoon of his ice-cream.
“I’m not worried about spending the night here… With you. I’ve never slept outside before and Augie and grandma might be worried.” I explained breathlessly.
Erick walked passed me and grabbed my phone on the bed.
“here! You can call your grandma and tell her you’re staying over” he said as I slowly took the phone from him. “I don’t think she’ll let me stay and bes–
“just!. Give her a call” Erick interrupted me and I sighed. I called Augie’s number cause my grandma doesn’t have a phone and I know she’s using Augie’s tablet to call me.
I patiently waited for her to answer the call, but she didn’t, Erick didn’t give up he told me to try again and I did and thankfully my grandma picked up.
“grandm–
“June? Are you still at Erick’s place?” my grandma cut me off.
“yes and–
“are you sure you’ll be home tonight, it’s almost twelve in the morning”.
“I know I wanted to ask i—
“why don’t just stay over at Erick’s”
She just keeps interrupting me!
Wait! Did she just say I could stay over.
“oh.. Yeah, I was Planning to do that, that’s why I called to ask you first.” I stated and I heard my grandma’s relieved sigh.
“well you didn’t need to ask, Erick already gave you and Augie the consent to come and go as you want, he said its a second home”. My grandma said and I rolled my eyes, what stupid second home!!
“well honey, I’ll see you tomorrow, I was asleep but you kept calling” my grandma gave a loud yawn and I giggled.
“oh sorry granny, goodnight” I whispered and hanged up..
“see, I told you she’ll agree” Erick grinned and I rolled my eyes and walked up to the chair he was sitting, I plopped down with a sigh.
“are you tired? If you’re sleepy you can sleep here?” he said pointing his bed.
“no, I want to practice more” I stated picking up the guitar.
“okay, then I’ll just watch” Erick said sitting on his bed and with his ice-cream and smiling at me
“what?” I asked.
“I’m being your audience”. He replied making me roll my eyes
“instead of being my audience, it’s better I think of your ice-cream as the audience” I said teasingly and he laughed.
“that wasn’t funny” he said.
“then why did you laugh?”.
“cause the funny part is you want my ice-cream but you’re afraid to ask, well too bad I’m not giving you any” he said, but ignored his juvenile words and start to play.
I made little mistakes but Erick corrected me and I had to start all over while he watched me, play playing and playing for hours Erick fell asleep, I wasn’t sleepy so I kept playing, until I felt sleepy, and being lazy to stand up I fell asleep on the chair with the guitar on my leg.
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