It's been nearly eight years since Maxim and I first met—tons has changed, but some things? They're still the same.
Like talent.
Back when Maxim and Ollie teamed up with me to form the band, it was all about love for music and having fun. But beyond that, my voice was a big reason too. From the very first time Maxim heard me sing, he was hooked. He's always said he loves how clear and bright it is, packed with power.
Tone's a gift—a real one. The kind that can hit you right in the chest and move you.
When I sing acapella, you can really hear it—no filters, no noise, just pure sound. It's the kind of voice that makes you stop and listen, soaking in every emotion spilling out. It's like a summer sky—crisp blue with lazy clouds drifting by ☁️. You can't help but want to lose yourself in it. Clean, bright, warm—simple yet somehow laid-back, like the world's stretching out with a yawn. Everything just lights up.
Then the guitar kicks in. Those clear, shimmering strings weave around my voice like golden sunlight pooling in your hand . Playful, not too hot—just a soft warmth that makes your fingertips dance along and your heart unwind completely.
But even with all that clarity and warmth, there's strength in it too. Not too soft, not too mushy—a deep, tough edge that cuts through. It's like cracking open a soda can—psshh—and bam, your whole chest opens up, fresh and free.
Voice and strings, singing and melody—they blend together perfectly.
Years later, Maxim still loves my voice. He's always getting lost in it. But now? I think I've gotten better. The way I pour emotion into it, the way I tell a story—it's sharper, more natural. I can bring a melody to life in a way I couldn't before.
Time's passed, and we've all grown. We've all changed.
If… if more people could hear me sing, Maxim's dead-set convinced they'd love it too. Not just the tone, but how I shape a melody, how I carry the feeling—it's what he thinks makes me stand out.
He really wants the world to find this "hidden gem" in me.
This time, though, I didn't sing for long. I only ran through the verse, stopping right before the chorus. Then I looked up at Maxim and Cliff, ready to explain what Ollie and I were arguing about and get their take.
But before I could, Maxim's head shot up, eyes sparkling with this wild, almost aggressive energy—like he was about to pounce .
I scrunched my face in mock disgust, which just made him crack up. "That was amazing! Seriously, so good! Oh my God, it's freaking awesome!"
I blinked, caught off guard. My "eww" face dropped as surprise took over. "Really?" Hope crept in, lifting my voice a little, tugging my lips into a tiny smile. I stared at him, trying to read his eyes—is he for real?
"100% legit!" Maxim couldn't hold still. He started bouncing around the cramped room, flailing his arms like a kid, pacing back and forth. "Whoa! Ronan! This song is insane! It's a total game-changer! Cliff, right? Right?"
Cliff snapped out of it half a beat later. He clearly wasn't expecting today to hit like this either. Joy bloomed across his face—he couldn't even speak, just nodded like crazy. He pushed off the wall, stepping forward in excitement, but before he could say anything, Maxim dropped another bomb.
"This is what we should play at the Full Moon Party! This is what New Orleans needs to hear from us! We have to perform this song!"
"Cliff! Ollie! I'm dead serious! Did you hear that? The melody, the lyrics—it's us right now. This is the real deal, straight from our hearts. That's the only way to really hit the crowd!"
Wait, what?
Cliff and Ollie were stunned—and honestly, so was I. Maxim's brain was moving at warp speed!
"Not just Ronan—it's all of us too!"
"Those melodies, those notes—they're screams and calls from deep in our souls. Cliff, whatever we were fighting about last night, Ronan just laid it all out. You're the rational voice, I'm the reckless emotion. We're tugging back and forth, yelling, trying to win each other over—but deep down, neither of us wants to give in."
"It's exactly what's pouring out of Ronan's fingertips."
"God! Ronan! Ronan Ronan Ronan! I'm obsessed with this song!"
Maxim was like a maniac—jumping nonstop, flinging himself around in awkward moves he didn't even understand. One second he's yanking at his messy hair, the next he's spinning in circles, then he's crawling up the wall like a lizard , or flapping his arms like a glider. He couldn't stop, rattling off ideas with a machine-gun rhythm—no room to breathe, just talking to himself nonstop.
Ollie had something to say at first, but Maxim's flood of words choked it back. Soon, Ollie's thoughts got swept up too—his face lit up, probably picturing us rocking this song on stage. Before long, he was bouncing with excitement right alongside him .
Cliff gawked at Maxim, then at Ollie—who was practically floating off somewhere—before turning to me, eyes wide with a silent what the heck?
Why'd he just explode like that? And what's up with him now?
I stared back, totally lost, and gave a helpless shrug. Beats me—I'm just as confused!
Cliff couldn't take it anymore. He cut through Maxim's mid-ballet-spin. "Chill! Chill! Everyone, just calm down for a sec."
Maxim snapped back to reality, still buzzing, and looked at Cliff. "What's up?"
Cliff froze for a second, coughed to clear his throat, then recovered. "I get it—Ronan's song is incredible. I love it too. But we can't play it at the Full Moon Party…"
"Oh! Cliff! Why not?!" Maxim's wail cut him off, louder and more dramatic than I'd have been .
Cliff shot Maxim a weary glance before turning to me. "No shade, man—I'm serious, I love this song. I'm with Maxim on that."
"Me too!" Ollie piped up, raising his hand.
"Right, and Ollie," Cliff added, nodding. "But we can't do it at the Full Moon Party…" Seeing Maxim and Ollie gearing up to protest, he rushed on. "Because there's no time! We don't have enough rehearsal, and we haven't even finished arranging it yet—right?"