The Melody of You and Me (Lillac Town Series Book 1)

by Maria Hollis

  Mayte’s date is the one who says it instead.

  “Well, sometimes you just have to throw yourself out there and try it anyway.”

  He nods gravely at his words, his amber eyes regarding Chris gently.

  “Being afraid is part of falling in love too. What makes it a positive or negative experience is how you feel once you are with the person. Does she make you feel comfortable and safe and happy? If yes, then just go for it. It’s okay to see where you really stand with people and then move on if it doesn’t work out.”

  His words are simple and obvious, but something about his calm demeanor saying it makes Chris feel a lot better.

  This conversation takes her back to when she had decided to drop out of school. She spent days crying, thinking that she was about to make the worst possible decision. But then right after she left, it was like a huge weight was lifted off of her shoulders. She had never felt more relieved in her life than when she realized she would never need to go back to college.

  “I agree with him,” Mayte says. “But take it slow and see how it goes, Chris. You just got out of a relationship that was bad for you. In time I think you’ll see the signs and know if it’s worth it or not.”

  “Thanks, guys,” Chris says with a smile.

  She goes back to her bedroom and starts playing again with her guitar, thinking that maybe she can still find a way to fix things between her and Josie.

  Chapter 6

  It’s easier said than done.

  For the next few days, Josie seems to be the one that’s avoiding her. When she sees Chris close by, the girl moves to another section of the bookstore to help the customers. If Chris moves to her right, Josie moves to the left. Their paths never seem to cross, not even at lunch. She is still the same happy and sweet Josie from before, but there is something there that seems different.

  Chris hates that she let things get this way.

  Why didn’t she kiss her back?

  Why does she keep screwing up her chances with this girl?

  Did breaking up with her girlfriend of three years have such a negative impact on her that she is incapable of starting a new relationship?

  She knows that dating won’t be awful forever, but she still hides from it. Tabitha was her first girlfriend. They knew each other all their lives, went to high school together, and grew up around the same group of friends. Even their families used to attend the same parties. And still, the girl managed to break Chris’s heart and ruin her self-esteem in one go by making her believe she was never good enough without a career plan.

  The prospect of dating again and having crushes on new people terrifies her.

  Apart from that bumpy relationship, Chris had only kissed an occasional guy and a few other people here and there. Experimenting and trying to find out what she liked and didn’t like. Nothing more than that.

  But with Josie, it feels different.

  It feels like something more.

  ***

  “And then, he started yelling at me!” Lily rants angrily. “Like, what do you mean there are no copies of Agatha Christie’s books in your store? Isn’t this a bookstore? Where are the books then?”

  In the back of her mind, Chris is aware that Lily is still complaining, but it doesn’t actually register.

  Josie is organizing a new pile of books close to the Bestsellers display. From time to time, she looks back, her brown eyes searching for answers that Chris doesn’t know if she can provide.

  “Honestly, I don’t know what he wanted me to do. Go to the publisher and ask if they’ll take my blood in exchange for the book he wants?” Lily keeps rambling.

  Josie stops moving books around and looks up once more, noticing how Chris keeps staring back at her. Something shifts in her expression. Both of them stay like this, eyes locked on each other, each daring the other to approach. To take the first step.

  Suddenly, Chris feels a slap on her arm. She jumps, startled. On the other side of the counter, she finds Lily staring at her curiously.

  When had she stopped talking?

  “What’s wrong with you lately?” Lily asks with a deep frown on her pale face. Even with the harsh sun outside, her skin still doesn’t tan. “Did you even hear a word of what I just said?”

  “Sorry,” Chris apologizes. “I was distracted.”

  “Whatever, I have books to price.”

  Lily ties up her pink hair in a ponytail and leaves her alone again.

  Trying to distract herself with something that isn’t the beautiful girl a few meters away, Chris counts the money in the till.

  “Hi there,” a voice says.

  She looks up and finds Josie and her adorable smile in front of her.

  “Oh, hi.”

  “Your shift is almost over too, right?” Josie asks.

  “Yep, just twenty more minutes and I’m all free.”

  “Perfect. Want to walk out together? I’m going to meet my sister at this bar just across your street.”

  “Sounds great,” Chris answers eagerly.

  ***

  Once Chris is done with work, she and Josie walk side by side through the neighborhood streets.

  It’s a pleasant star-lit night, warm enough that people in the cafés and bars line up outside, waiting for their tables and chatting together. Summer in Lillac Town is always nice. Chris likes that the city doesn’t get that many tourists, just a few people who like the feel of a small university area where they can have some fun, away from the busier places in the country at this time of the year.

  Josie walks closely to the edge of the sidewalk, sometimes jumping playfully onto the benches. Chris can now see how years of ballet training has influenced the way she moves. Sometimes, Josie loses a bit of her balance and gets too close to her, arms almost touching briefly. Keeping her hands glued to her body, Chris tries not to touch her when this happens. But she still knows that if Josie is about to fall, she will run to catch her before it’s too late.

  She is still waiting to see what Josie is going to say after avoiding her for days.

  ***

  When they finally get to the front of Chris’s building, she feels disappointed that they will go their separate ways once more. She can’t even invite her inside tonight since Jessie is already waiting for her sister at the bar close by.

  Chris takes a few steps up the stairs and looks back at Josie to say goodbye. But the girl doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to leave just yet.

  “Sorry about that thing the other day,” she starts apologizing. “And about avoiding you. I didn’t want to make things awkward between us, but I think I ended up making it even worse.”

  “No, you didn’t,” Chris disagrees. “We can just go back to the way things were. No big deal.”

  Josie smiles, and she realizes how much she missed those cheeky dimples the past few days.

  “Thank you, for playing for me. I have a feeling you don’t let many people see you like that.”

  Chris watches as a nice blush grows on Josie’s cheeks. Overwhelmed, she looks down at her feet, playing with a small pebble under her shoes for a moment before answering.

  “Your feeling is right about that.”

  “You’re really talented, Chris,” Josie says with sincerity. “Maybe that’s where you should start.”

  Chris looks up again, meeting Josie’s dark eyes.

  “What do you mean?” she asks.

  “I’m talking about your music. Did you ever think about making a career out of it?”

  “Music is just my passion, not a career option,” Chris explains with a shrug.

  “Well, ballet was just a passion for me at first too, but now it’s what drives me and makes me aim for more. Think about that,” Josie insists.

  There is a moment of hesitation from Chris before she gives her a short nod.

  “I will,” she promises.

  Josie takes a step in her direction, but just then her phone starts ringing, and she stops in her tracks.

  “So
rry, it’s my sister getting impatient.”

  “I won’t keep you anymore,” Chris says. “Tomorrow, same place same time?”

  “Look at that. She has a sense of humor,” Josie says with an amused tone.

  Chris smiles shyly before waving goodbye.

  ***

  Later that same night when Chris puts her earphones in, she goes to sleep with the image of Josie’s smile still at the forefront of her mind.

  Chapter 7

  The sun is shining brightly after a few days of rain. Chris had missed its warmth on her skin. It’s her day off from work, and she decides to go for a walk around her neighborhood.

  She says hello to the old florist who is always the first person to open her shop. The woman readjusts her flowers and waves back at Chris, a gentle smile on her kind face. Every few minutes, Chris needs to avoid the bicycles near the edge of the sidewalk and the groups of teenage boys who keep jostling each other around as they laugh.

  After a while, she stops outside the café where Josie had come out to her sister. Through the window, she can see that a small girl is sitting at the piano in the corner. Her fingers shyly try first one note, then another, and she swings her little legs in the air, seemingly lost.

  With a smile, Chris enters the café.

  The little girl seems to be confused as to how to use the piano. She doesn’t look older than seven or eight years old. Her face is set in a deep frown, and she nibbles on her lips in concentration every few seconds.

  “Hello. Do you mind if I take a seat?” Chris asks her.

  The girl looks up, her tight curls bouncing around her light-skinned face.

  “No, you can sit,” she answers.

  Chris notices there is a woman a few chairs away watching them and waves at her, to show that she is just being friendly. She doesn’t want to send the wrong message.

  “I’m Christine. What’s your name?”

  “Isabelle de Souza,” she answers proudly, the way only kids can sound at knowing their full names.

  “That’s a beautiful name, Isabelle. Can you play something?”

  Isabelle shifts on her seat agitatedly.

  “I’m trying… I’ve just started piano lessons, but it’s hard because my hands are so small.”

  Smiling at the child’s serious tone, Chris remembers the time she used to think the same.

  “Well, you know what my guitar teacher told me when I was a kid?”

  Instantly, Isabelle looks up at her with curious eyes. She seems excited with the idea that Chris is also interested in music.

  “He said that every hand can make music, no matter the size. You just need to practice enough.”

  She watches as Isabelle’s green eyes widen at her words.

  “Do you know how to play the piano?” the girl asks in wonder.

  “Not a lot, to be honest,” Chris admits. “But I remember this one song. Here, I’ll show you.”

  She places her fingers on the keys to the left side of the keyboard and shows Isabelle how to play a short children’s lullaby. After a few attempts, the girl starts to understand how to move from one key to another, to repeat the song Chris had played.

  Chris is rewarded with a bright smile and a shy thank you from Isabelle. From a few meters, Isabelle’s mom watches them happily as she drinks her coffee. Chris feels proud and delighted to have been able to help Isabelle. She wonders if this is the first time that the girl managed to learn a whole song, no matter how short and easy it is.

  Sometimes, just a small step means a lot.

  Her phone vibrates in her pocket, and Chris takes it out to see a message from Josie.

  “Missed you at work today. I have ballet class after my shift here, but I’m free at 9. Wanna do something?”

  Something tugs at Chris’s stomach, and she is almost ashamed at how happy she feels at those simple words.

  Just the smallest gesture from Josie makes her feel all flustered inside.

  Then, she remembers that Mayte is going out with her friends from college again, and the apartment will be all hers until tomorrow afternoon. That could make for a potentially interesting night.

  “Sure. Pizza at my place?” she types.

  A few seconds later the answer comes.

  “Sounds perfect. Want to meet me at the school? You can see me dancing. Think of it as a thank you gift for letting me see you playing your guitar the other day.”

  “I look forward to it.”

  ***

  Chris races back to her apartment to start cleaning.

  She throws her clothes hurriedly inside her wardrobe, hides the notebooks with new songs she is writing inside her desk and changes the sheets. Wishful thinking, but it’s better to be prepared. Remembering how Josie loves cupcakes, she opens her laptop and finds a recipe online.

  After buying all the ingredients needed, the first part seems easy. She is used to making chocolate cakes. The problem comes with the topping, where she ends up almost burning everything and destroying two of the little cupcakes. With a huff, she eats them and puts the others in the refrigerator. At least they still taste good.

  She looks at the sink and sighs at the huge pile of dirty dishes she has to clean before leaving. Hitting play on an upbeat mix she has saved on her phone, she finishes everything in record time. When she looks at the clock, it’s almost time for Josie’s class to be over.

  She puts on her favorite red flannel, tries to tidy her hair and hurries out of the door. With one last look at the living room to check if everything is in order, she leaves.

  Her decision is made then.

  Tonight will be the night that she’s going to make things right between them again.

  ***

  There are two reasons why most people come to live in this town; either you are going to study at the university or to attend The Callaway School of Music and Ballet. It isn’t even close to being as big as the New York City Ballet a few hours away, but it’s definitely a well-known place to study.

  Chris walks through the glass doors feeling badly dressed compared to the clean and shining entry hall. The floor is laid with a red carpet that leads to a balcony where a young white girl with a red ponytail seems busy on a computer. On both sides of the room, large cushioned chairs rest against the wood-paneled walls.

  “Can I help you?” the receptionist asks when she stops in front of her.

  “I’m looking for the advanced ballet class?” Chris asks, unsure. “My friend Josie told me to meet her here.”

  Something seems to shift behind the girl’s dark eyes. Recognition, maybe.

  “Are you Christine?” she asks.

  “Hum, yeah. That’s me.”

  Chris wonders how come the girl seems to know her.

  “Hi! It’s great to finally meet you. I’m Josie’s friend, Tess,” she explains in a gossipy tone, leaning closer. “We study together at U. She has told me so much about you.”

  Has she?

  That’s interesting to know. Chris suppresses the urge to ask just how much Josie has told this girl about her.

  “I hope they were all nice things.”

  Tess snorts good-naturedly at that.

  “Don’t worry, they were. The class is in the third studio on the left. It’ll be over in ten minutes.”

  “Thanks.”

  ***

  The corridors are almost eerily silent.

  Chris walks carefully down the hall, trying not to make any noise. Occasionally, she catches a glance of the classes where young ballerinas in pastel leotards giggle and gossip between dancing breaks and warm-ups.

  She pauses by one of the open doors and sees a few girls on the floor of the studio, already taking their sore feet out of their ballet shoes and getting ready to leave. A skinny male teacher with a strong accent issues instructions while fixing the position of the couple who are still dancing in the center of the classroom. When the girl pauses in a defined croisé, Chris recognizes her.

  Josie.

  Wi
th a blissful smile on her face, she moves her arms and legs in perfect harmony.

  She performs some pirouettes and arabesques, extending her arms and raising her legs in perfect sync with each other. By her side, the guy who seems to be her partner grips her by her waist. They chase each other through the whole dance until he tosses her into the air and catches her again. As the classical music changes to a slower movement, he lowers Josie gracefully to the floor where she executes another series of pirouettes.

  It’s beautiful.

  Chris wonders if this is how Josie felt when she saw her playing. Two different types of art, yet both capable of inducing the same passion.

  The feedback of an electric guitar being connected echoes through the corridor behind Chris, distracting her from the class.

  Her ears prick up, wondering where the sound came from. Curious, she moves away from the door and follows the sound of instruments being tuned, somewhere down the corridor. Taking a turn, she finds three teenagers playing an upbeat melody in a piano room.

  “Hello? Are you with the group?” someone asks from behind her.

  Standing beside a startled Chris is a short woman with a welcoming smile, holding a folder filled with what looks like brochures and application forms. Just a few meters from them, she can see a group of young people observing the halls with curious eyes.

  A tour for new ballet students, maybe?

  “Um, yeah. I’m with them,” Chris says, worried that maybe she has strayed into a restricted area. “I was walking slower and got left behind.”

  “Oh, that’s no problem,” the guide says. “I was just passing this folder around with all the extra information you’ll need to apply for our scholarship.”

  She hands her an application form and leaflet.

  “Thanks,” Chris says.

  “You’re welcome. Good luck with your application.”

  The woman waves goodbye and goes to answer questions from the other attendees.

  Chris turns around and walks back the way she came, reading the forms carefully. It seems to be a call for people to apply for a scholarship provided by the academy for a degree in teaching music. She didn’t even know they did those sorts of classes here. Finding the closing dates at the bottom of the page, she notices there are only two days left to apply.