ONE

I was lying in bed, simply staring at my ceiling as I let out one sigh after another. I wasn't tired, but my body still felt heavy. I hadn't done anything today, but I still felt like I could sleep for hours.

Maybe I was having a depression? Isn't that what they say happen when you have a depression? You don't want to do anything you normally want to do. You feel restless but still don't motivate yourself to do anything.

My philosophical thoughts suddenly got interrupted by my phone vibrating on the bed next to me. I almost fell out of the bed in shock but I managed to keep my balance and grabbed my phone while I was at it.

"Hello?" I said without looking at the caller ID.

"What kind of cold way is that to greet one's mother?" I heard an offended voice on the other side of the phone say.

"Oh hi mom," I said with the same monotone voice as before, "I was just lying in bed while wondering if I have a depression."

"You what?" My mom said almost sounding like what she just heard was ridiculous, "don't you dare give up now! You're too strong to do that."

A small chuckle escaped my lips when I heard my moms harsh but heartfelt encouragement.

"You're right," I said and rolled over on the bed, now staring at my boring grey wall, "it would just feel easier to give up and hide under my blanket forever. But you're right, I'm not that kind of person."

"I'm glad to hear that," my mom said in a lighter tone, "why don't you look at this as a indefinite vacation and just give yourself a break to do the things you've been wanting to do."

"Like what?" I said.

"Hm... you always say you want to play the piano more. Maybe you could try writing songs again, I know how much you used to love composing."

"Mom I was just a kid playing around. Nobody would take my music seriously."

"I liked your songs?"

"You're my mom, you have to like it." My mom let out a sigh in response and decided to just change the subject instead.

"Anyway, I just wanted to give you a call. Now get out of that bed immediately or I'll come and kick you out."

"Alright alright!" I said and laughed even though I was indeed a bit scared. My mom was the kind of person who would turn a threat like that into reality.

"Good, and if you want to get away from the city, then our house is always open. Your dad misses you too."

"Thank you mom, say hi to dad from me."

"I will, bye."

"Bye."

After ending the call I let out another sigh, remembering my promise to my mom, I immediately forced myself and sat up on the bed. I turned my face to the left and looked at my lonely brown piano. I could almost feel it calling out to me from the other side of the room.

Play me!

Use me!

Like a neglected puppy I felt drawn to it, but just as I was processing what to do, I was startled by a loud noise from the hall.

"OUCH!" I heard a voice shout after the noise and I quickly got up and opened the door to our shared hall. When I opened the door I couldn't hold back my laughter as I found my clumsy neighbor lying on the staircase, buried in boxes and all kinds of things.

"Are you trying to destroy or building, Jae?" I said and Jae finally noticed me. He quickly started digging his way out of the things he was buried in, much like a dead person digging his way out of his grave.

"Oh, Monique, it's you," Jae said when he was finally back on his feet, "well, it wouldn't take much to destroy this wormhole!" 

"Hey be nice!" I said in a firm tone, "that wasn't nice to the worms." Jae couldn't help but laugh at my bad attempt to be funny and we both laughed alongside each other for a while.

"What is all this anyway?" I said as I voluntarily started picking up the stuff and put it back in the boxes.

"My cousin is coming tomorrow to stay over for God knows how long," Jae began explaining while he also got down on his knees and started cleaning up the mess he'd made, "I figured I should make my place seem a bit more appealing, so I started cleaning and decided to throw out a bunch of stuff."

"Sounds reasonable," I said, "besides, this all look like junk. Why do you have all this?"

"Don't judge me okay, I'm a sensitive guy. I keep stuff even if I don't need them. You should just be proud of me that I'm actually throwing this out."

"You're right, I'm very proud of you Jae," I said in a overly dramatic voice and Jae playfully punched my shoulder while complaining about me being a horrible friend.

"You know," Jae then suddenly said, "it's been a while since I've heard you play. I kinda miss it."

"Well why don't you just play yourself?" I said while we carried the boxes to his car which was parked right outside, "I know you're hiding a piano in there. Why don't you play it?"

"In a building with walls as thin as paper? No way!" Jae said when we walked back into the hall.

"And then you expect me to play?"

"You used to do it, sometimes you even sang." I couldn't help but blush as he brought up that subject and I just cleared my throat to avoid it.

"Whatever."

"Oh come on, please play something for me," Jae begged, "I could use some music while I'm working."

"Turn on the radio?"

"It's broken."

"Then borrow my radio."

"Nah they always play the same songs, it's boring." I raised one eyebrow and glared at Jae, but he just kept looking at me with wide pleading eyes.

"Fine!" I then exclaimed, "but you owe me one!"

"YES!" Jae said feeling victorious, "keep the door open so I can hear you better."

"Yeah yeah."

I walked back inside my apartment with heavy footsteps and sat down on the piano chair with a loud "thud". After turning on my electric piano, I started flipping through the pages of my note sheets.

What to play, what to play...

Aha!

I laid my fingers on the piano and slowly started playing along to the sheet music. It wasn't a very complicated song, but it was calm and had sweet lyrics. 

I didn't sing along, still feeling embarrassed about Jae's comment earlier. But it didn't take long before I could hear him humming along to the song out in the hallway. My smile grew bigger and my confidence did the same. 

Before I knew it I was smiling like an idiot, singing along to the lyrics while putting all my soul and heart into it.

Hello everyone!

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this short story. Please let me know what you think of it so far.

Don't be shy, drop a comment down below and let me know your thoughts. 

Love, Annalise~