Title: Melody
Part: 1/3
Author: Hi-chan
Fandom: Shôjo Ai
Disclaimer: All mine. XD
Contact: hi-chan@gmx.net
Pairing: tjaaa ^^
Rating: Neither U nor PG ... anything in between, lol.
Warning (s): shôjo ai, romance, songfic
Dedication: Again to my dear beta reader. ^ ___ ^
Comment: Yes, this is my FF for the Shôjo Ai WB ... I'm curious how it will turn out. XD The story is finished and has 3 chapters, I will upload it one by one. Anyone who knows me will probably discover some typical things here. * g * At this point I would also like to thank Kira very much, who remains my regular beta reader because she does her job great. * cuddly *

Chapter 1: Searching for the melody

Annoyed, Cree sighed and let the smoke out of her lungs. The long, dyed red hair fell on her face and her blue eyes examined one after the other. For half an hour she had been sitting casually in the chair, smoking about her fourth cigarette and just listening to the argument of their glee."Guys, how often should I tell you? We need a bit of softness in our sound and only a keyboard player can give us that."
Cree's calm voice once again silenced everyone. Some people would have been surprised and would not have believed that Cree was the same on stage who was sitting in the rehearsal room ofOverdose. When the seventeen-year-old girl sang and gave everything on stage, she looked wild, dangerous and free - like an eagle. That was also the reason why Gerald, Cree's brother and the band's bass player, sometimes called them that.
"So far we've got along quite well without keys," said Larry, the band's guitarist, and opened a can of beer.
"Yes, but there was always something missing ... and without this missing piece of the puzzle we can get a record deal!", Cree replied, a little more annoyed.
Larry sighed and gave up and devoted himself entirely to his drink. The others also seemed to have understood that their band leader would not be changed."Okay, but that could upset the harmony of the band," Trent said while pounding the table with his drumsticks.
"I'll make sure that doesn't happen," Cree reassured him, sounding very confident. The others had to admit that she had never been wrong in choosing musicians. They all had great talent and mostly got along really well.
Since no one had anything to say anymore, the girl got up and nodded to everyone.
"If that is now resolved, then I'll start looking straight away."

~ * ~

About a tenth sheet of paper ended up in the trash can. With that bad feeling in his stomach, Cree just couldn't write!
Resigned, she rummaged in her pocket for cigarettes but couldn't find them.
"Gerald ..." she grumbled and already knew who she owed that to. Her brother objected to her smoking. He always said that it only ruined her voice.In her pocket she found her lighter and a few coins. She put the pen she had just had in her mouth on the table and got up. There was just enough money for a new pack.
As she went out, she threw her leather jacket over her shoulders and brushed her disheveled hair back from her face. She quickly went to the cigarette machine across the street, inserted the coins, and selected the brand of cigarette.
Suddenly she heard a whisper behind her, very close to her ear.
"Cassie ..."
Confused, Cree turned and looked straight into a girl's face. She was probably her age, just as tall, slender, and her eyes were dark, in contrast to her dark blonde hair.
"Can I help you?" Asked the singer, puzzled. The strange girl was standing quite close in front of her, looking at her with empty, almost sad eyes. Hadn't she just whispered a name?
The girl just shook her head and looked down."I'm sorry, you just reminded me of someone."
Cree had her difficulty understanding what the girl was muttering, but she caught the worst of it.
"You look like you could use one ..." Cree said, putting a butt in his mouth and then holding the box out to the girl.
"Thanks, I don't smoke Lucky Strike ... anymore."
If the blonde girl hadn't paused like that between the last two words, Cree wouldn't even have noticed that it probably meant something.
She raised her eyebrows but didn't ask. After all, she didn't even know this person!
After stowing the box in her jacket pocket, she gave the girl a short smile and then went back to her apartment. She didn't turn around, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the stranger was still standing in front of the machine and her dark eyes were fixed on the Lucky Strike button.
The strange feeling in Cree's stomach was still not gone.Their hope that they would find a keyboardist faded with each passing day. Hardly anyone had called in so far, and those who did weren't good enough.
If things went on like this, they would probably have to do without the keys.

~ * ~

"Cree, we should start rehearsing ..."
Gerald looked worried at his sister and kept a safe distance, knowing exactly how to react when in a bad mood.
"I know," she replied tersely and packed up her school supplies. Cree and her brother were the only ones still in school, the rest of them already had jobs. They were all hoping for a record deal, because that would finally turn their dream and hobby into a profession. That was what united them all.
"So are you coming this afternoon?" He asked hopefully and also packed up.
Cree nodded, knowing it was really high time to start rehearsing. Even without a keyboard player.
They left the classroom together, but Cree wanted to go to the music room to look for drumsticks for Trent that he could use during rehearsals since his old ones had broken.He would probably have to buy new ones for the important gig in a month's time.
"You don't have to wait for me, I want to go home quickly later."
She waved to Gerald and was about to rush into the music room when he grabbed her wrist and held her back.
"Cree ... I'm worried about you."
The younger woman blinked at her brother, puzzled. Why was he worried when there was no need to? Admittedly, she's been very stressed lately and that is why she didn't have any creative ideas, but otherwise everything was fine. Before she could ask that question, Gerald gave her an answer.
"I still don't think it's good that you live alone. Wouldn't you prefer to move in with the boys and me in the shared apartment?"
Gerald's way made Cree smile. It was really damn cute how he tried to take care of her.
"It's okay, Gerald, I'll be fine. You don't have to be there for me around the clock, after all, you still have your own life.Besides, I wouldn't last long in your flat share. "
She winked at him and ran off so he wouldn't get the idea to punish her for being insolent.
"See you later!"
The bassist opened his mouth to say something but couldn't think of anything. Actually he would have wanted to tell her so much, but he had to respect that Cree was like that.
She was too proud to admit anything. But as long as Gerald was around, nothing could happen because he had promised her parents to take care of Cree.

~ * ~

Cree arrived at the music room, slightly out of breath. At first she thought she was imagining something ... but no, someone was actually playing the piano! Quietly she crept to the door and listened to the wonderful game.
Somebody mastered his instrument! The tone sequence sounded divine. It wasn't a well-known song, but it felt like she'd heard it before.
She opened the door a crack to take a look at the person, but there were too many musical instruments and other things in the way.She hesitated for a while, not sure whether to enter. The music room was there for everyone, but then she would interrupt this beautiful piano playing and she didn't want that. But the decision was made for her again, because the person stopped playing.
"You can come in."
Cree bit his lip and entered slowly. She was a little embarrassed that she had been caught, but in the next moment that was forgotten again. Amazed, she looked into the dark eyes she had already seen - a few days ago at the cigarette machine.
This time they weren't so sad, on the contrary. They radiated passion and happiness. Cree couldn't help smiling. She knew immediately that this girl was one of them. She would even die for music.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you."
The girl shook her head and got up.
"Don't you ... it seldom happens that I can play for someone who knows something about music."Cree looked at her in surprise and started to ask how she knew this, but apparently you could tell the question was obvious because the blonde continued:
"I know you play in a band. I'm new here and as soon as I came here I found out about music clubs and circles. I was told that there is a band that consists of former and current students. I was also shown a photo. I recognized you immediately. "
Cree nodded unnoticed. That explained a lot, of course. She didn't know why, but this girl seemed like a different girl. Maybe she had a twin sister that Cree had met? But this assumption was immediately rejected.
"I didn't introduce myself last time, my name is Shira. It's Hebrew and meansmelody."
Cree couldn't have thought of a more appropriate name for this girl. Some parents were clairvoyant after all.
"My name is Cree and I have no idea what my name means," she said and held out her hand to Shira.She took it with a smile and gave it a light squeeze. The blonde had pretty soft and soft hands. Even if they were cold, Cree wanted to hold them a little longer.
When her eyes darted to the piano and she remembered how wonderful the melody had sounded, she made a decision. A feeling told her that she had nothing to lose.
"Listen, my boys and I want to rehearse right away. Would you like to come along?"

~ * ~

Cree didn't go home. She almost forgot why she went into the music room in the first place.
With the drumsticks in hand and a strange feeling in