Page 15 of Shattered Melodies

I did know. I knew exactly how he felt, because I’d been there myself. My own parents hadn’t been thrilled when I told them I wanted to pursue music, but they’d come around eventually. They saw how much it meant to me, how much it was a part of who I was.

But Liam’s folks they were a different story.

“I’m sorry, dude,” I said, putting a hand on his shoulder. The contact sent a jolt through me, and I had to resist the urge to pull him closer. “That really sucks. But listen, you can’t let them get in your head like that. You’re an amazing musician, Liam. Like, seriously talented. And if this is what you love, what makes you happy then you gotta fight for it.”

He looked up at me, and there was something in his eyes that made my heart skip a beat. Something soft and vulnerable and hopeful. “You really think so?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

I grinned, giving his shoulder a squeeze. “I know so. And hey, I’ve got your back, okay? No matter what. We’re in this together.”

He smiled then, a real smile that lit up his whole face. “Thanks, Caleb. That means a lot.”

We stood there for a moment, just looking at each other, and I swear, it felt like the rest of the world just fell away. Like it was just us, just this connection between us that was deeper than words could say. I could feel the warmth of his skin under my hand, see the flecks of gold in his brown eyes. My gaze dropped to his lips for a second, and I found myself wondering what it would be like to kiss him.

But then the spell was broken by the sound of Sarah calling out to us, reminding us that we had a gig to get to. Reality came crashing back in, and I stepped away, my hand falling from his shoulder.

As we gathered our things and headed out, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted between us. Whether it was for better or worse, only time would tell. But one thing was certain - my feelings for Liam weren’t going away anytime soon. And sooner or later, I was going to have to face them head-on.

Finally it was time for the talent show. When we got to the school, the auditorium was already buzzing with energy. Kids were running around everywhere, setting up equipment and doing last-minute rehearsals. The air was electric with anticipation.

We found a spot backstage to warm up, and I couldn’t help but notice the way Liam’s eyes kept scanning the crowd, searching for his parents. It made my heart ache for him.

“Hey,” I said, pulling him aside as Sarah and Mark tuned their instruments. “Remember what I said in the van. We’ve got this, okay? No matter what happens with your folks.”

Liam nodded, but I could still see the worry in his eyes. “I know. I just want them to be proud of me, you know? To see how much this means to me.”

I put my hands on his shoulders, looking him dead in the eye. “Liam, listen to me. You are an incredible musician, and an even more incredible person. Anyone who can’t see that, that’s on them, not you. You have nothing to prove to anyone, okay?”

He stared at me for a long moment, and I swear, I could feel the air crackling between us. Then he surged forward, wrapping his arms around me in a fierce hug.

“Thank you,” he whispered, his breath warm against my neck. “For everything.”

I hugged him back just as tightly, feeling like my heart was going to burst out of my chest. “Anytime, man. Anytime.”

Just then, the MC announced that it was time for us to take the stage. We broke apart reluctantly, grabbing our instruments and heading out into the blinding lights.

The moment we started playing, everything else fell away. The nerves, the worry, the fear it all disappeared, replaced by the sheer joy of making music together.

We tore through our set like a wildfire, the crowd screaming and cheering us on. I could feel the energy coursing through my veins, the adrenaline making my fingers fly over the strings.

And Liam was on fire. He played that piano like it was an extension of his soul, pouring every ounce of passion and emotion into every note. I couldn’t take my eyes off him, couldn’t stop grinning like an idiot as we played. This was what it was all about, this connection, this magic that happened when we made music together.

The final notes of our song faded away, and for a moment, there was complete silence. Then, the auditorium erupted into thunderous applause. I looked at Liam, his eyes wide with disbelief, then at Sarah and Mark, both grinning from ear to ear.

After what felt like a long time waiting, Principal Gonzales stepped onto the stage, microphone in hand. “Ladies and gentlemen, we have our winners!” She paused for dramatic effect. “First place goes to… Caleb, Liam, Sarah, and Mark! The Misfits!”

The crowd went wild. Sarah squealed, launching herself at Mark in a bear hug. I turned to Liam, who seemed frozen in place.

“We did it,” I said, my voice barely audible over the cheers. “Liam, we won!”

He blinked, as if coming out of a trance. “We… we won?”

I nodded, grinning so hard my cheeks hurt. “We won!”

Suddenly, Liam’s face broke into the biggest smile I’d ever seen. He threw his arms around me, laughing. “We did it! We actually did it!”

As we made our way off stage, trophy in hand, I caught sight of Jake in the audience. He was scowling, his face twisted in a sneer as he watched us celebrate. For a moment, I felt a flicker of anger. But then I looked at Liam, at the pure joy radiating from him, and Jake’s petty jealousy seemed utterly insignificant.

“We did it!” Sarah squealed, pulling us all into a group hug. “We actually did it!”

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