Dressed up in Faded Costumes

Liam and I knew we both like music oriented people, but he hasn’t heard me sing yet, and I haven’t heard him play the piano or guitar yet. It was only a matter of time when we would hear each other do those things accidentally.
It’s been a month since my wrist was put in a cast and a week since I’ve gotten it off; and finally, I can play my guitar now! :D
Christmas was close by and I wasn’t really used to the ‘not snowing’ part of LA. It didn’t matter though, because I had the coolest friends here… Maria, Leila and Liam… (Bad line… :))) hahaha) They’re awesome in everyway possible; the kindest people I’ve ever met.
One day at school, before classes were starting and when everything was back to normal, I was walking to my locker with Leila and Maria, and I saw Liam jamming with his friends a distance away from us. I kept staring at him and found him interesting to watch. He was playing ‘Black Bird’ on guitar as he sang to the song. It just sounded like a lullaby to me… of course, until Maria pulls me away from the scene, not even noticing Liam.
“Dude?! You okay? We’re gonna be late for class,” she said.
“Yeah,” I nodded.
We rushed to our lockers and then to our class. We arrived with the teacher just walking behind us. It didn’t matter how class was; I wasn’t really paying attention. I was just thinking about Liam and how his singing affected me and reminded me of the childhood I never had. I was completely blank while we walked from class to class.
On our free time, Maria, Leila and I decided to crash the music room which was free until dismissal from school.
“Well,” I said. “Who knows how to play drums?”
“I do,” a guy in the empty room—as we thought—said. It was Matt.
The three of us looked stunned as we froze. “I’m sorry; we thought the music room was empty.”
“It’s okay,” Matt said. “What song do you have in mind?” he smiled.
“I’d like to suggest ‘Turn it Off’ by Paramore,” Maria said.
“I like that!” Leila confirmed.
“Well, who can play guitar?” I asked.
“You can, silly,” Leila said.
I nodded once and it was just me and Matt who were gonna play the song, because Maria and Leila didn’t really know how to play any instruments. Matt and I played the song and it was probably the first time Maria and Leila had heard me sing and play.
“I scraped my knees while I was praying…” I sang.
After playing, Matt told me that I was really good at what I did—sing and play guitar. I was shy and happy at what he told me but it felt flattering. I looked at him and I thought he was just damn good.
“You didn’t tell us you have a voice like that!” Maria said.
“You are awesome,” Leila said. “I’m such a fan right now.”
I just smiled as I didn’t know what to say to them.
“I feel like I’m so frickin’ red right now,” I said laughing.
Maria and Leila both laughed as Matt just smiled. He was much coyer than I thought. He just sat on his seat, probably thinking that we were just three girls just like anybody else; which isn’t true.
“You’re really good, Matt,” I told him; smiling at his amazing talent.
“It’s just a hobby of mine,” he said. “I quite enjoy loud music.” He laughed.
“You’re not alone,” I said smiling. “My lullabies every night would be from My Chemical Romance, Jimmy Eat World and Mayday Parade, so I know what you mean.”
“If it isn’t embarrassing enough,” Matt spoke up. “I’d like to ask you if you wanted to be a vocalist.”
I just looked at him and was a bit stunned.
“I mean… you have such an amazing voice, and I’ve been planning to search for another person to start a band with, anyway.”
“I’ve always loved to front a band,” I said shyly smiling.
“Well then, that settles it!” Leila said. “You have a band!”
“Okay,” I said. I smiled at the three of them and they did too; hopefully a sign that they were happy for me.
“Well, I can rehearse whenever,” Matt said. “Weekends would be a plus if you have ‘em free.”
“Sure,” I said. “But, we’ll need another guitarist, in the least.”
“What about Liam?” Maria asked.
I smiled at her idea and asked Matt if it were alright.
“Liam Montgomery,” I said. “Will he be alright?”
“Yeah, of course.”
We played one more song which was ‘Bulletproof Heart’, and then we all went back to our classes like nothing happened. After classes, when I was at my locker, Matt went over to talk to me about the band thing we were earlier talking about in the music room.
“So I was thinking,” he said. “Where do we practice?”
“Oh, I didn’t think about that.”
“I know a place we can be as loud as we can, with great instruments.”
“Well then, that’s great!” I said. “That’ll be fine; where is it?” I asked.
“Just come over to my house with Liam tomorrow,” he said. “I apologize if tomorrow will be an awkward meet-up. I really don’t invite people to come over. See ya.” He smiled at me and he just walked away.
I stacked up my books in my locker and met up with Maria and Leila in the field. They were sitting down on the grass and just talking about stuff I really didn’t hear.
“Right, Michelle?” asked Leila.
“Wha?” I said not knowing what they were talking about.
“Just say ‘yes’,” Maria said, partly laughing.
“Yes?”
I sat down with them and then I heard Liam call over.
“Michelle!”
He walked over to the three of us and sat down next to me. He was in smiling mood as I remembered how he sang earlier today. I’ve heard him sing and he hasn’t heard me yet… or so I thought.
“I heard you sing earlier today,” he said smiling.
I was a bit stunned at how he heard me sing; maybe equally surprised when I tell him that I too heard him that day.
“How?” I asked.
“I was walking down the corridor when I saw you in the music room just singing. At first I thought you were alone, and then I heard the drums. Didn’t you see me? I was just standing by the door.” He smiled.
“Wasn’t she good?” Leila said.
“Yeah, you actually are,” Liam said.
“Well, so are you,” I told him. “I heard you sing today, too.”
“When?” he asked.
“Earlier today, with your friends; I heard you play ‘Black Bird’.”
“That was nothing.”
*coughs* “Lying!” Maria said.
I laughed with Leila and Maria.
“You should hear him at home in is room,” Leila said. “He likes to pretend he’s Brendon Urie—sometimes even just Josh Farro.”
I smiled. Not only at the humor they found in everything, but also at the envy I felt because of how perfect they seemed. Maria, being Liam and Leila’s cousin is an only child. She grew up very close to them. They had houses separated by only a fence all their life. It’s the only life they knew since they were so overprotected by fathers I never had. I felt envious… I felt ignorant…
On the way home with Liam was when I asked him about joining the band that Matt and I were hoping would be successful.
“Liam,” I said. “Can you be my guitarist?”
“Well, of course,” he said. “I can be your guitarist everyday.”
“No, I mean,” I smiled at what he said. “Would you be my guitarist in a band?”
“Oh, of course.” He smiled.
“So you’d come with me to Matt’s house tomorrow, then.”
“What’s with Matt’s house? And how did you get him to invite you there? Nobody’s been in his house before.”
“He invited us, and that’s where we’ll be rehearsing.”
“I’ve heard some pretty crazy stuff about Matt, and I gotta tell you, I don’t believe ‘em all.”
So we continued walking and Liam continued talking about Matt and the stuff he’s heard about him. People have told him that Matt is crazy, has OCD, has convicted parents, lives in a condemned apartment building, steals from grocery shops, and one even told him that Matt is filthy stinking rich with the snobbiest parents on earth. It’s amazing how people jump to conclusions just because a certain person is, let’s say, not that sociable—shy even. Just because a person isn’t the stereotype you want him to be doesn’t mean he’s the worst person to be with. I find Matt just shy; and I was starting to think that I was the first person to ever really have a conversation with him on school grounds. It made me happy that I had a chance to discover hobbies that are more than just that; I’ve found their talents.