Chapter 5: Melodies of the Heart

The rain had started just as Alex reached Jamie's apartment building, a sudden downpour that left them standing under the awning, hesitating before knocking. Their bag of napkins was tucked carefully inside their jacket to protect them from the damp, though a few corners had already begun to soften from the humidity. 

Alex took a deep breath and knocked. 

The door swung open almost immediately, revealing Jamie in a faded band t-shirt, his hair slightly damp like he'd just run his hands through it. "Hey," he said, grinning as he stepped aside. "Was starting to think you'd chickened out." 

"I thought about it," Alex admitted, stepping inside and shrugging off their wet jacket. The apartment was warm, smelling faintly of coffee and the citrusy scent of Jamie's cologne. 

Jamie laughed, taking Alex's jacket and hanging it on a hook by the door. "Well, I'm glad you didn't. I've been working on something I want you to hear." 

Alex followed Jamie into the living room, their eyes immediately drawn to the guitar resting on the couch and the notebook lying open on the coffee table. The pages were filled with Jamie's messy handwriting, lyrics scribbled in the margins and crossed out, rewritten, crossed out again. 

Jamie picked up the guitar, settling onto the couch and patting the space beside him. "Sit. I want to try something." 

Alex sat, careful to leave enough space between them, though the couch was small enough that their knees still brushed. Jamie didn't seem to notice, already focused on adjusting the tuning pegs. 

"So," he said, strumming a chord, "I was thinking about what you said last time...about the bridge in that one song feeling unfinished. I tried something different." 

He began to play, his fingers moving effortlessly over the strings. The melody was familiar;one of Alex's own, the one they'd abandoned weeks ago because they couldn't get the transition right. But now, with Jamie's additions, it flowed seamlessly, the chords swelling into something fuller, richer. 

Alex's breath caught. "That's..." 

"Not quite there yet," Jamie said, stopping abruptly. He frowned at the guitar. "The key change still feels forced." 

"No, it's perfect," Alex said, then immediately regretted it when Jamie's head snapped up, his eyebrows raised. Alex cleared their throat. "I mean. It's better. Than what I had." 

Jamie studied them for a moment, then smiled. "Well, it's your song. You should have the final say." He held out the guitar. "Play it with me?" 

Alex's hands twitched in their lap. They wanted to... God, they wanted to...but the thought of their clumsy fingers fumbling over the strings in front of Jamie made their stomach twist. 

"I..." Alex swallowed. "I don't really play." 

Jamie's expression softened. "That's okay. Just hum it, then." 

He started playing again, slower this time, watching Alex expectantly. The melody wrapped around them, familiar and comforting, and before they could overthink it, Alex began to hum along. 

Their voice was shaky at first, uncertain, but Jamie kept playing, his eyes never leaving theirs, and gradually, Alex's voice grew stronger. They closed their eyes, losing themself in the music, in the way their voice and Jamie's guitar wove together like they'd been made for this. 

When the last note faded, the room was silent except for the sound of rain against the windows. Alex opened their eyes to find Jamie staring at them, his expression unreadable. 

"What?" Alex asked, suddenly self-conscious. 

Jamie shook his head slightly. "Nothing. It's just..." He set the guitar aside. "You have this way of singing like you're not sure anyone's listening, but it's..." He broke off, running a hand through his hair. "It's the most honest thing I've ever heard." 

Alex's face burned. They looked down at their hands, unsure how to respond. 

Jamie sighed, leaning back against the couch. "You know, when I first started performing, I used to get so nervous I'd forget the lyrics. Like, completely blank." 

Alex glanced up, surprised. "Really?" 

"Oh yeah." Jamie grinned. "One time I just stood there for a full minute before my bandmate started singing my part for me. Crowd thought it was part of the act." 

Alex huffed a laugh, imagining Jamie:confident, effortless Jamie:freezing on stage. "What did you do?" 

"Kept going," Jamie said with a shrug. "Eventually, the nerves went away. Or I learned to work with them, at least." He turned to face Alex fully. "The point is, everyone starts somewhere. And you?" He nudged Alex's knee with his. "You're already miles ahead." 

Alex didn't know what to say to that, so they just nodded, their throat tight. 

Jamie seemed to understand. He reached for the notebook on the table and flipped to a page near the middle. "Here. I want you to see something." 

He handed the notebook to Alex. The page was filled with lyrics, but unlike the polished songs Jamie performed, these were raw, unfinished;lines crossed out and rewritten, notes scribbled in the margins. At the top of the page, written in all caps and underlined three times, were the words: "NOT GOOD ENOUGH." 

Alex traced the words with their finger. "This is yours?" 

Jamie nodded. "Every artist has that voice in their head, you know? The one that says you're not good enough, that you'll never be good enough." He took the notebook back, his fingers brushing Alex's. "Took me a long time to learn how to ignore it." 

Alex thought of all the songs they'd thrown away, the melodies they'd kept to themself because they weren't perfect. "How?" 

Jamie smiled, small and private. "I had people who believed in me even when I didn't. Like Ethan, my bandmate. And my mom." His expression turned wistful. "She used to sit in the front row at every show, even when I was terrible." 

Alex wondered what it would be like to have someone like that;someone who believed in them unconditionally. They thought of Maya, always pushing them to share their music, and now Jamie, who listened to their rough melodies like they were something precious. 

"Hey." Jamie's voice was soft. "You okay?" 

Alex realized their eyes were stinging. They blinked quickly. "Yeah. Just... thinking." 

Jamie studied them for a moment, then reached for his guitar again. "Play something with me?" 

Alex hesitated. "I told you, I don't..." 

"Not guitar," Jamie interrupted. He nodded to the keyboard in the corner of the room. "You play, right? I saw the calluses." 

Alex flexed their fingers unconsciously. They hadn't touched a piano in years, not since the last disastrous recital. But the thought of playing now, with Jamie...

"Just one song," Jamie said, his voice coaxing. 

Alex exhaled shakily and stood, crossing the room to the keyboard. It was an old model, the keys slightly yellowed with age, but it was well cared for. They pressed a key experimentally, the note ringing clear in the quiet apartment. 

Jamie joined them, sitting close enough that their shoulders brushed. "What do you want to play?" 

Alex thought for a moment, then began to play a simple melody, one they'd written years ago and never shared. Jamie listened for a few bars, then joined in on guitar, his notes weaving effortlessly around theirs. 

At first, Alex played hesitantly, their fingers stiff from disuse, but as the song went on, they relaxed into it, the music flowing more naturally. Jamie watched them, his expression intent, and when Alex glanced up, their eyes met, and something passed between them;an understanding, a connection deeper than words. 

The song ended, the last note hanging in the air between them. Neither of them moved. 

Jamie's gaze dropped to Alex's lips, just for a second, and Alex's breath caught. The air between them was charged, electric, and for a wild moment, Alex thought Jamie might... 

Then Jamie cleared his throat and looked away, his fingers strumming a random chord on the guitar. "That was... really good." 

Alex's heart was pounding. "Yeah." 

They sat in silence for a moment, the rain still tapping against the windows. Then Jamie stood abruptly, setting the guitar aside. "I should probably walk you home. It's getting late." 

Alex nodded, though it wasn't late at all. They stood, their legs unsteady, and followed Jamie to the door. 

The rain had slowed to a drizzle by the time they stepped outside. Jamie grabbed an umbrella from the stand by the door and opened it, holding it out to Alex. "Ready?" 

Alex nodded, and they started down the street, walking close enough to share the umbrella. Their shoulders brushed with every step, sending little sparks of warmth through Alex's body. 

Halfway to Alex's apartment, Jamie stopped suddenly. "Alex." 

Alex turned to face him. "Yeah?" 

Jamie hesitated, then reached out, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Alex's ear. His fingers lingered for just a second, warm against Alex's skin. "I'm really glad you came today." 

Alex's breath hitched. "Me too." 

Jamie smiled, soft and genuine, and in that moment, Alex thought they might be in trouble. Because no one had ever looked at them like that;like they were something to be treasured. 

They walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence, the umbrella shielding them from the rain, their arms pressed together. When they reached Alex's building, Jamie hesitated, like he wanted to say something else, but in the end, he just smiled and said, "See you tomorrow?" 

Alex nodded. "Tomorrow." 

They watched Jamie walk away until he disappeared around the corner, then turned and headed inside, their heart full of music and something dangerously like hope.