"I might as well tell you my life story".
Melody took a moment to compose herself, taking a deep breath. She adjusted her position on her bed, sitting on the edge, letting her feet dangle. She held her hands in her lap, looking down at them.
"I'm about to open up to the person I hate most at this academy", she thought, pressing her lips together. "Somehow it feels... easy".
"I love music", Melody simply said, her voice soft. She stared ahead, not at Malakai, just into space. "My whole life, I've heard music. My family loved music. Music was playing the whole time at my house. The kitchen, the living room, my parents' room, my siblings' rooms, everywhere".
Melody's lips started to curl slightly, "And I loved it. Neither of my parents are musicians, but they love to sing and dance all the time. That's where I got my passion and love for music. Seeing how happy they were when music was playing".
She lifted her head and glanced at her wall, filled with posters and album covers. "We had a lot of random instruments at our house, so I got a lot of practice. My parents weren't rich, so they couldn't send me to a special music school, but we weren't poor either. So every once in a while, I got gifted a new instrument or something music-related".
"New instrument? How many instruments can you play?" Malakai asked, spinning his chair left and right a little.
"A few", Melody smiled, being humble. "But just because I can play them doesn't mean I'm amazing at them".
"Which instrument are you best at?" Malakai asked, interested.
Melody put a hand to her chin and thought about the question.
"Probably the guitar", she answered after the pause. "But my favourite instrument to play is the piano".
"Yeah, the piano is cold", Malakai said, nodding. "Can you play the violin? I think the violin is the best instrument".
"I can, but it's one of my weaker instruments", Melody replied, pulling a face showing her weakness in her violin playing. "I can only play simple songs. I wish I had brought it here. I left it at home", she said, looking around her room instinctively, even though she knew it wasn't there.
"So, did you get lessons to play all these instruments?" Malakai asked.
"Yeah, but not that much", Melody said, shaking her head. "I got taught the basics and then figured stuff out by myself. It was more fun that way".
"What about singing?" Malakai asked.
"Nope. No lessons for that", Melody replied with a proud smile.
"Did you start making songs as soon as you knew you could sing then?" Malakai asked.
"I knew I could sing when I was a baby", Melody joked, letting out a light giggle before continuing. "Hehe. What was I saying again? Oh yeah, I got a couple of instruments and practiced all of them. I went to a normal middle school and high school, but focused on music".
Her smile began to fade slowly as she remembered.
"Then, when I was around thirteen, I finished my first song. I started figuring out how to record and everything when I was twelve, but I finished my first proper song when I was thirteen. After that, I made so many songs", Melody sighed before she continued. "Then umm…" she swallowed. "I posted them all online and showed my friends".
She clasped her hands together. "My friends… made fun of me", she said, embarrassed, staring down at her hands. "Everyone in my high school found my songs online and hated on them. I even got comments from random people saying my music sounded terrible... I took them down".
She unclasped her hands and started to rub her arm anxiously.
"I did have some friends who supported me, but it still sucked. They said they liked it and it sounded good, but I didn't believe them. Eventually, after nearly two years, everyone moved past it, and I made more friends. But I didn't make a song again. I still sang to other songs and played my instruments. But making my own song was a big no. I wanted to, but I was too scared".
"Even now?" Malakai asked, who stopped swinging his chair.
"Yep. Even now", Melody replied quietly.
"Why?".
Melody looked up at him, questioning if he was even listening. "Isn't it obvious?".
"I mean, I hear it", Malakai said. "But if you wanna make music, make it innit", he shrugged.
"I don't want to get laughed at", Melody replied.
"What did your parents say?" Malakai asked, wanting more information. "Didn't they see you not making music and think it was weird?".
"No. I still played my instruments and sang to songs at home", Melody replied. "To them, I looked the same. Making songs was my own private thing".
"Didn't they encourage you to make songs?" Malakai said. "Cuz they probably saw you were talented".
"They did, but I always came up with excuses", Melody said, pulling her sleeves over her hands. "Like I want to focus on my studies, or I'm not lyrical".
"What about your siblings? Doesn't one of them make music?".
"Nope", Melody shook her head. "They love music, but they have their own passions".
"What? They're not as good as you?" Malakai smirked, trying to lift her mood a little.
"I didn't wanna say it", Melody replied with a small smile.
Malakai had all the information. Her backstory, her past feelings, her current feelings. But it still didn't make sense to him.
"Bro, just make music", Malakai plainly said. "It sounds like it's the only thing you wanna do, so just do it innit".
This was the second time he said that. Melody looked at him with a confused face.
"Have you been listening to what I've been saying this whole time?" Melody snapped. "I don't want anyone to laugh at me. I don't want my academy experience to be like my early high school one".
"Who's gonna laugh though?" Malakai asked, spreading his hands. "We're all adults here".
"You don't know how it feels!" Melody said. "It'll be cringe if I did it. Everyone in my class will look at me differently".
"Why? Don't they know you love music?" Malakai asked.
"No, only my roommate", Melody said, shaking her head.
"Then surely your roommate knows how good you are", Malakai replied.
"She does, but I told her to keep it a secret", Melody said. "When I joined this academy, I wanted to fit in, so I acted like everyone else".
"Is that why you stick around Ryan?" Malakai asked, smirking, teasing her.
"Kinda", Melody said, glancing away.
"Kinda?... You actually like him?".
"Who doesn't?" Melody quickly deflected, lifting her chin.
"Me".
"You're a guy I don't expect you to like him", Melody said. "Unless you're gay".
"I'm not".
"Exactly so you wouldn't understand".
"But even if I was, I still wouldn't like him".
"Shut up".
"Aryt, forget him", Malakai said, waving his hand. "Just make some songs innit".
"I can't!" Melody frustratedly said, getting tired of that response.
Malakai shook his head, leaned back and face-palmed.
"Aryt, answer this then. Are you good at singing?".
Melody paused. She didn't want to say yes because she didn't want to sound arrogant, but she didn't want to say no because she knew she wasn't bad.
"I guess", Melody shyly replied.
"Aryt, so that means you're good", Malakai said confidently. "If you can sing, and you can play bare instruments, you can make a good song. People won't laugh at a good song".
"But people won't like it", Melody replied, hugging her arm.
"That's natural. Everyone has different music tastes", Malakai said. "There will be people who like your music, though".
Melody wasn't convinced. She kept looking at the floor, clenching her jaw.
"Did you think the songs I made during the third challenge were good?" Malakai suddenly asked.
Melody jogged her memory back to the third challenge. Malakai making songs was fresh in her memory. She remembered watching, feeling jealous that Malakai was making music so freely. So carefree. She remembered Malakai's songs better than what actually happened in the challenge.
"They were okay. I liked them", Melody said.
"You said your lyrics were cringe. For one of the songs I made, I said 'I'm home alone with no light on' with my voice drowned in auto tune. It's the most basic lyrics, but me and my friends sing that so loud when it comes on", Malakai said, smiling, thinking back. "You know you can do better than that".
Melody didn't make eye contact. This time, her mind knew she could do it, but her heart was holding her back. The scars on her heart were still there.
Malakai watched Melody sit in silence. He could see she wasn't going to budge.
"Fuck it, let's make a song right now", he said, swivelling on his seat, turning to Melody's laptop.
"What?!" Melody instantly looked up.
"You already got BandLab", Malakai said, quickly finding it on her homescreen. Luckily, her computer was already open and didn't need a password. Malakai smirked, "C'mon. Melody, let's make a melody".
"Wait! Stop! I didn't tell you you can go on my computer", Melody said, getting up from her bed and rushing to her desk. "What are you doing?!" she asked, leaning over and seeing Malakai on YouTube.
"I'm finding a beat", Malakai replied, scrolling down the page. "We're not making a beat, that'll take too long".
"'Free love type instrumental?'" Melody read out the search bar, squinting her eyes even though she was close enough she didn't need to. "Why are you searching that?".
"What other instrumental are we gonna use? Like what else are we gonna talk about?"Malakai replied, clicking on videos and hearing the beat for a few seconds before clicking off.
"Have you ever been in love?" Melody asked skeptically.
"Nope", Malakai said simply. "But I can imagine what it'll feel like".
"That's not good enough. Your lyrics will be bad if you can't relate", Melody said. "The song will feel empty. If you want to make a song, write about your past experiences".
"A lot of artists make songs they don't relate to, but they still bang", Malakai said, turning his chair to her.
"That's different. They're big artist that have fans", Melody replied, shrugging her shoulders. "I want to make meaningful songs for people".
"I understand what you're saying. You love music, so you wanna take your time and make something perfect that describes you. But you've got no fans", Malakai said.
Melody blinked, stunned by how blunt that sounded. She didn't like how accurate Malakai was being.
"For example yeah, if your first song was a song about your life story and it sounded amazing, a casual listener wouldn't take it in properly, because they don't know you. They would like it, and you would probably gain a fan, but it won't have the same impact that you thought it would. It's your first song innit. The chances of it blowing up is down to luck", Malakai said. "But, love. Everyone can relate to it, because it's something everyone can get. It's something everyone wants innit. So if you make a song about love or other casual topics, you can build a fanbase. Then later on, you can release the more personal shit", he continued. "First, you gotta prove you're good and can make music".
Melody took in everything he said. "Is that why you want to make a song with me?" she asked softly. "Are you trying to help me?".
"I just wanted to make a song for fun", Malakai said honestly. "I'm not good at music, but I love music too. I can't sing, but using autotune and flowing on beats is fun. I like how my voice sounds with autotune. The songs I made before are for me. I ain't gonna release them because I don't wanna be an artist like that".
He smirked, "I can't lie, this song was gonna be for me, just so I can listen to it, but if it turns out good, you can do whatever you want with it".
Melody stayed quiet for a bit, processing everything Malakai said. Considering whether she should join him in making a song.
"It's not gonna turn out good with these types of beats", Melody said, stepping closer and grabbing a chair nearby. "Search for R&B beats".
"Oh shit, yeah. That's what it's called", Malakai said, smiling as he typed.
After searching for beats, they eventually found one that they liked. Well, a beat Malakai liked. Melody was still on and off about making a song.
Malakai downloaded and added the beat to BandLab. Now all that was left was to record the song.
"Do you have a mic?" Malakai asked, looking at her.
"Check in that drawer", Melody replied, pointing.
Malakai opened the drawer and rummaged through it until he picked out a small square microphone. The microphone came with a wire, so it had to be plugged in before they started singing their hearts out.
He plugged it in and tested it. After everything was ready to go, it was time. Malakai held out the microphone to Melody.
"You wanna start?".
"What do you mean, start?" Melody asked, hesitating.
"You're gonna sing the chorus innit", Malakai replied. "Then I'm gonna do the verses".
Melody stared at the microphone, "No... No. I'm not gonna sing".
"Are you embarrassed or something?" Malakai asked, squinting his eyes at her.
"No. I just don't want to make a song", Melody lied, folding her arms, looking away.
Malakai could see through Melody. He knew she wanted to, but was too scared.
"Aryt then", Malakai shrugged, sounding like he didn't care. He put on the headphones and played the beat. "Nun nun nun nun nun nun...".
Melody restlessly watched as Malakai was finding a flow, "Aren't you going to add autotune?" she curiously asked.
Malakai peered to his side, "Nah, I can't be arsed. Imma just rap", he shook his head.
Every minute that passed, Melody got more restless. As Malakai was wearing headphones, she couldn't hear the beat, so the only thing she was hearing was Malakai mumbling. She couldn't keep still watching Malakai writing lyrics on his phone.
"Aryt, I got something", Malakai said, sitting up with his phone.
He let out a couple of coughs. Getting ready to actually perform. He played the beat and waited,
"When I met you I found affinity,
So I won't stop til you found stability.
Malakai, you know my ability,
but I'm still learning accountability.
I rather lie with you than lie to you.
You've got a high sex drive, I'll drive to you.
Wanna central- aah shit. I messed up", Malakai fumbled on his words.
(Lyrics from - Law Of Attraction - Dave Ft Snoh Aalegra)
After hearing Malakai rap, Melody didn't particularly feel anything special. It sounded ordinary. It had a nice flow and rhyming scheme, but it didn't wow her.
"Aryt, let's hear it", Malakai excitedly said, unplugging the headphones and pressing play.
As soon as the beat started playing, it filled the room. Melody could feel her head moving. After not hearing the beat for so long, it felt like her body received water after being dehydrated. Then Malakai's lyrics came in.
Melody's head was nodding harder, and her foot was tapping.
"Why does this sound good?" she thought, shocked.
"That's cooold", Malakai happily said, rocking in his seat as soon as it finished. He looked at Melody, who was trying to hide her smile by looking away. "You know it was cold, too", he pointed at her.
"… Yeah. It was good", Melody admitted.
"Nah, I need to finish the verse right now".
Malakai wasted no time and plugged the headphones in again. He grabbed the mic and went for round two.
"When I met you I found affinity,
So I won't stop til you found stability.
Malakai, you know my ability,
but I'm still learning accountability.
I rather lie with you than lie to you.
You've got a high sex drive, I'll drive to you.
Wanna go central? Cool.
Don't know what to pick, I'll decide for you
And put a designer bag on the side for you. Rich love".
Melody couldn't contain her smile. She was gleaming. Her whole body was moving in rhythm. Her head was nodding, shoulders and hips swaying in her seat. She couldn't stop herself. Malakai noticed from the corner of his eye. He turned to her and started vibing with her while recording his verse.
"She a wicked woman, I need witch love.
Dress up, go out, take pics, love.
Don't wanna talk over a text,
I can see how you're over your ex.
Could that be me? Pray I never find out.
Sorry, don't slap the same second time round.
I ain't perfect, but I'll say that I'm real.
If it's real, say how you feel".
(Lyrics from - Law Of Attraction - Dave Ft Snoh Aalegra)
Malakai immediately unplugged his headphones and played the song from the top. The moment the song started playing, Malakai and Melody vibed together. Rapping the verse bar for bar. Despite Melody only hearing it once, she knew the lyrics. When the verse finished, Malakai replayed it from the start and turned the volume to max.
After a couple of replays, Malakai paused the song. He looked over at Melody, who was shocked just like him. They both couldn't believe how good it turned out. It wasn't a masterpiece, but it was a vibe.
Melody stood up abruptly,
"Malakai, give me the mic. I wanna sing", she said with the biggest smile.
Malakai smirked, "Finally".
Time went by, and Melody managed to create a little melody. A chorus that fitted beautifully.
"It's good", Melody said, listening critically. "But it sounds a little off".
"It's probably cuz of the mic", Malakai said. "You need to get a proper one".
"Let's go get one!" Melody excitedly said, nearly out of her seat.
"Now?" Malakai asked. He pulled out his phone and checked the time. "It's nearly seven".
"That's fine", Melody said, carefree. "We can quickly get one and carry on recording".
"Bro, we haven't even finished building the thingy yet", Malakai replied.
"We can finish that tomorrow", Melody said, waving her hand.
"Nah, nah", Malakai smiled, waving his finger. "Let's finish building the thing. Then tomorrow, after the lectures, you can go buy a mic and we'll finish the song".
Melody was fidgeting in her seat. She desperately wanted to finish the song. All she recorded was a chorus. She wanted to have her own verse and add background vocals. There was so much she wanted to do with the song to improve it.
"It's better if we build the thing and finish the challenge to get it out of the way", Malakai said, trying to persuade her.
After weighing the options, Melody decided, "Fine, let's build it quickly", she said, standing and quickly making her way to the door.
Malakai smiled, "Someone's mood's changed", he quietly said.
Melody's smile wasn't fading. That smile hadn't left since she heard Malakai's verse. There was only one thought in her mind,
"I want to make more music".