33 - Electric Noise

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God knew why I was doing this, but here I was, parked in front of the old music store. He's still here - I noticed his light-blue car was a couple of spots away from mine. Other than our vehicles, there were three more, and I was pretty sure that two belonged to the employees.

It had been thirty minutes since the brown-eyed stranger asked me for directions. I had gone back inside my house, ready to forget all about it, but for whatever reason, I couldn't. I recalled what he had told me, something about not being from this town. It was intriguing in a way - a complete stranger deciding to explore and hit the music store.

I sucked in a breath. I didn't unbuckle my seat-belt yet, too unsure of my next move. It was odd enough that I followed him here, but I still had time to drive away and pretend that this never happened. I could return home and maybe, I'd finally read the message that Forrest last sent me.

But I didn't want to do that.

Come on, I urged myself. What was the point in lying to myself? I didn't use up my gas just to come and leave. The second I grabbed my car keys, I knew I was planning to talk to him again.

Minutes later, I entered Electric Noise.

"I'm stealing my freedom and my mind back," upbeat lyrics greeted my ears, "I'm tasting some letters on my tongue and they're spelling out G-O-O-D-B-"

My eyes landed on the employee behind the checkout counter immediately. Upon my arrival, he politely greeted, "Hey, welcome to Electric Noise." He wasn't someone I recognized, but I offered a slight smile anyway.

The brown-eyed guy from earlier wasn't in sight. I tentatively made my way down one of the aisles, feeling strangely comforted. A large number of CDs greeted me; they were neatly arranged into certain categories. From Rock to Classical music, they all varied greatly. I had forgotten how it was like to step through this place - it never failed to be uplifting and wondrous. The posters on the wooden walls gave the room bursts of color, and a sort of historic vibe hung thick in the air. The saying music doesn't have an expiration date drifted through my mind.

I paused, my gaze falling on one of the CDs. Here's to Us, it said, and it was by a band called Matchstick Lovers. I grabbed a hold of it and examined the album cover. I was expecting to see fire, but instead, I saw the silhouettes of two people sitting on the ground and gazing at the sun setting. Rich hues of yellow, red, and blue filled the picture, and overall, it was rather simple yet striking. I turned the CD case over and examined the track-list.

1. Light Me Up
2. Still Young
3. Intertwined
4. Run Away with Me
5. Aftertaste

"Hey, it's you." I jumped, nearly dropping the album. My head snapped up to who the voice belonged to, and I blinked in his brown eyes. Instead of looking confused, he seemed intrigued. I quickly broke eye contact, glancing down at his hands - they were empty. I guess he hadn't stumbled across any CDs worth purchasing yet.

It took me a few long seconds, but I managed to regain my composure. "Yeah," I said, hoping I sounded casual, "Uh, after we talked, I just felt like coming here too. I can't remember the last time I got a CD."

He nodded slowly. "I could have sworn you were following me." He was kidding, but the truth behind his words made me nervous. "What do you have there?" he gestured to the album I was holding.

"Oh, here," I handed it over to him, "I was just looking. I'm not familiar with the band." I went back to checking out the other CDs, but I wasn't focused on them. I was too aware of how near he was. He was fairly tall, and he smelled like he used too much perfume, but that was okay.

The nameless stranger stared at Here's to Us for a while before he finally said, "This seems cool. Are you planning on getting it?"

"I'm not sure," I replied, picking up another CD. Your Armor by The Lionhearts. "It's hard to decide when there are so many choices."

"What kind of music are you usually into? Any singers or bands in particular?" I looked at him again and thought about how to answer.

"Well, I like sad songs, to be honest. Bands like Blue Nights and No More Band-aids are some of my favorites. I also like this musician named Aleah. She plays the clarinet and piano, and her songs are always calming yet haunting in a way." I cleared my throat. I felt like I was rambling. "Anyway, what about you?"

"I'm quite the opposite, actually. I'm not much of a fan of sad songs. I enjoy upbeat songs - the kind of songs that make you want to dance, even when there are other people around. Electropop. I dig bands like Four Summers Ago and Echoes. Ever listened to them?"

"I think I've heard one or two songs. Do you recommend any of their albums? Maybe I'll try listening to that kind of music more." I put back the CD I was holding and waited for a response.

"Ah, yeah," he started backing up, "I saw a few F.S.A. albums over here." I followed him into the next aisle. "One I really recommend is Drunk in Love. The songs are pretty honest, you know what I mean? Some of the lyrics can really make you stop and think. Oh, here it is." He pulled it out of the shelf and gave it to me. I eyed the album cover. There were three guys placed on a green couch. The one in the middle stared directly at the camera, somber. The other two were looking off to the side, unsmiling too. Everything was in black-and-white except for the couch. It made me think of Forrest. A pang of guilt struck me, but I tried to ignore it.

I turned the album case over to see the track-list. I was reading the words, but I didn't absorb them. "Sounds good," I muttered absentmindedly. All of a sudden, I wasn't very interested in the brown-eyed stranger in front of me anymore. I didn't understand why I allowed myself to be here. Now, I just wanted to head back home and read Forrest's last message.

However, it would have been rude to just leave. I glanced at the boy whose name I didn't even know. He was observing the rest of the CDs and he still had Here's To Us in his hand. I didn't really feel like purchasing Drunk in Love, but for some reason, I felt like I had to. "You know what, I think I will get this." His eyes met mine, and I almost faltered. "Thanks for the recommendation. I'm sure I'll enjoy it."

"No problem," he answered easily. He seemed to know that I was trying to tell him goodbye. "Are you going now?"

I nodded, a little sheepish. "It was cool talking to you." I meant it. "I hope you have a good time . . . with your aunt and all. Maybe I'll see you around."

He offered a small smile. "Yeah, sure. Maybe."

With that being said, I turned around and started to walk away. But I paused. "Hey . . . before I go," I scratched my head, feeling a bit awkward, "Can I get your name?"

He raised his brows, but didn't have a problem replying. "You can call me William."

"Oh, okay, thanks." I nodded again and started to back away. "My name's June, by the way."

He smiled a little bigger this time. "Take care, June."

I smiled back. "You too . . . William."

I left Electric Noise, feeling content. I was somewhat looking forward to listen to Four Summers Ago, and I was glad I finally learned the brown-eyed stranger's name. Now, it was time to return home and see the last thing Forrest sent me.


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