A young girl walking pass by the junction can hear it. Its half past ten at night. Her tiring day went in a blink of an eye with the guitar playing in the background. She sat on the bench near the neighbourhood walkaway and kept on listening to the play. Few times that person adjusted the tune and corrected the melody in between but she loved it. She smiled as it ended and there was no more music in the background.
Little did she know that, this music was going to change the course of her life.
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"Alice! Take the order for table number 8,"
"Okay,"
Alice walked to table number 8, where a bunch of young guys were seated looking at their menus.
"Hi, welcome to Honey Star Cafe, ready to order?"
"Hi, sure, I'll have one green tea latte and a glass of water,"
"Hi, I'll have a hot chocolate,"
Alice took down the order and was waiting for the next two of them to order.
"Milk,"
"..." No response from the last one.
"Your order?" Alice looked at the last person who was busy scribbling something on his white paper. He was on earphones.
"Alex," The guy next to him swatted his arm. Now everyone was looking at him.
"Coffee, thanks."
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Its afternoon after Alice's first day of college. Her orientation ended early so she decided to head back home before her shift work starts. The weather was getting windier and clouds were getting denser. And all the sudden, it started pouring. "Oh shit."
She rushed towards the nearest shop she was walking by and entered to avoid getting her papers and books wet.
Turning around, she realised it was an instrument store. It was as though she had entered heaven. The smell of the wooden crafted ukuleles, guitars and pianos made her want to live in them. She saw a beautiful white piano displayed. She got closer to it and laid her fingers on the key.
"Beautiful isn't she?" Alice was awaken from her trance by a male voice and jumped back.
"Oh, sorry I didnt mean to touch it," She apologize.
"No, no, no worries. If you can play, go on," He smiled. He was a young man.
"Oh I, I-, I don't play," Alice was embarrassed by the fact. "I just love music but I'm not a good player," She snickered a sly laugh.
The young man moved closer to the piano and laid both his hands on the piano. Fingers spread, he started playing a tune. Though she couldn't recognize the play, it was a slow and smooth melody.
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Alice was walking to her next class when she heard something very familiar. She stood still. Turning around looking for where it was coming from, she saw a closed door labelled "Music Room". Interest pitched in her but she was already running late for class.
Anyhow she took the chance to glimpse through the glass window to only see a about 10 people sitting in a round. She couldn't guess who was playing it.
Why was she so curious about it anyway? She shook her head and ran for her next class.
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'MUSIC CLUB AUDITION'
"Hey want to join?" Alice heard people whispering to their friends.
She was standing at the official notice board looking for something to join but he eye caught the music club audition. What can a girl like her do there? She can't sing and she can't play. Defeated by her own low self-esteem, she walk away but she took note of the date since it was an open invitation.
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"Next! Jason," One of the audition conductor called out names of each participants for their performance.
"Jason?" Alice wondered where she have seen that face before.
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It was Alice's free time and she told her new friends that she was not going to join them for lunch and catch them during class.
Walking down the familiar hallway, she found the room again.
This time she opened it. It wasn't locked and no one was in. The minute she stepped in, she felt a totally different vibe.
Someone cleared their throat from behind her. Goosebumps.
Turning, she saw a guy standing behind the opened door looking at her.
"Are you a new member?" He asked.
Familiar face again but her memory was blur on it.
"Err, I n-, ye-, err, yes, yes, I thought there was going to be a meet up or something?" She lied.
"There is?" He questioned more to himself.
"I guess not, maybe not today, I might have mixed up the date and time. I'm sorry, I'll get going," She was about to leave when he said, "Maybe I'll teach my juniors something if you are free,"
Stoned, Alice stood still figuring out a way to run away.
"You play or sing?" He asked.
"Sing," She answered straight away and facepalmed inside her heart.
With few tuning on the bass guitar chords, he started picking on the strings with a plectrum.
Alice don't quite understand what got into her but she started singing, "and at last I see the lights, and its like the fog is lifted, and at last I see the lights, and its like the sky is new,"
Alice don't quite understand what got into her but she started singing, "and at last I see the lights, and its like the fog is lifted, and at last I see the lights, and its like the sky is new,"
He kept on playing while looking at her.
"I can't continue, I have class to attend," Her face was burning.
"Okay, see you soon then,"
"Okay, see you soon then,"
Alice made a quick move to leave the room.
"Hey you sing well," was the last she heard.
She closed the door and ran.
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