Chapter Text
Dim lights flicker on the ceiling to the floor you suddenly arrived. After a long day, you just wanted nothing else, except going straight to bed after your job. Eating's not important to you either way as you thought. And to the fact you haven't bought groceries in a week. However—despite the long day—you laughed once you checked yourself out in the mirror after your shift. Your hair scrunched and messy but styled, almost like a rockstar. You can only picture Joan Jett and mimic her guitar stance on one of her Blackhearts album.
You were walking upstairs to your floor, carrying your cd player as you listen to one of your favorite rock bands, mouthing the lyrics to one of their songs. Just a long day with little commotion.
A man with dark brown hair arrived at the sudden floor you are at. Flyers in one hand, and a camera strapped around his left shoulder.
Your attention was swept away by your music, mouthing soon became singing on the next song, not giving a care about the background. Your head nods to each rhythmic beat of the drums, the guitar playing its solo on blast. Both eyes are closed that you had no acknowledgment about the sounds of footsteps coming downstairs by your volume.
As you nod your head up and down to the beat, the dark-haired man averts his gaze to the direction of your voice, hearing you sing as he walked down. He noticed your hair, and let out, “Very rockstar,” hoping you’d heard.
Sadly, you didn’t. You continue to sing.
“Very rockstar.”
He spoke a tad bit more with a higher voice, grabbing your full attention once you stopped, pausing your music. You took off your earbuds out of confusion to where he was talking to. But he ended up looking at you at the time you looked back.
“Sorry, your hair,” he pauses, “it’s very rockstar. I like it.”
You couldn’t help but at least point to yourself, thinking he may be talking to someone else when there is neither individual around you two. He points at you, meaning he’s talking about you.
“Oh…” you mouth out, zipping your mouth back shut. A smile worked its way upon your lips until it faded halfway through, leaving your silence uncouth as well as for the man. “It’s looks remarkably similar…” he finally spoke as he thinks for a moment; before snapping his fingers, he answered, “Joan Jett?”
You nod, signaling you knew the hint because you saw yourself in the mirror not that long ago.
He almost left before he walked back to you. “Speaking of rockstar,” he says, “I’ve been instructed to give these out…” the sudden photographer leans over towards you, revealing a pile of flyers resting between his hands. You stare in awe, examining the pink stack of papers after handing you either crumpled or folded poster.
“My buddy’s band.” You stare back down at the paper, reading the title: Wrath of the Gods. “They don’t completely suck as far as buddy bands go.”
You mouth formed an ‘O’ shape, keeping your eyes persistent on the advertisement of his friend’s band. He noticed your view has been fixated on the paper for quite a while, so he decided to speak up, “Do you live here?”
Bringing your eyes back into his, you angle your sight from both left to right, nodding.
“Ah, not much of a talker, huh?”
You shrug. “A bit…” was barely spoken, yet he heard you. His head tilts slightly before he left a nod, eying you up and down for a quick second. You couldn’t help but admire his appearance. Although he isn’t dressed formally, that never mattered. For any reason, you found him really good looking. You started a bit too off that you forgot what to say. “Right…” you muttered. “I live on the upcoming floor,” you spoke quietly as you point to the ceiling, which is the next floor. He nods one more time at the same time you faced the opposite direction, beginning to walk on another set of stairs.
“I’ll see you there.”
You stopped again to face the dark-haired brunette who is still standing at his exact spot, glancing softly towards you.
At one point, he could’ve sworn he felt his cheeks heat up just a tiny little. “Or you know what,” he quickly replied, “I’m not gonna see you there, am I?”
Yet even though you wanted to go back home to sleep straight ahead, you were interested in participating to live performances. It’s been your dream to see as many as you can once graduating high school. You thought to yourself, knowing this could be your thirteenth time to go.
“Well,” you paused, your voice slightly rising for the man to hear better, “I might. I like to see new bands.”
Your smile brought the man to skip a heartbeat. Not a toothy grin, but your small up-curved smile had him smiling back a bit more than yours. He saw your body leaning against the rail, both arms resting above, crossed. He whips out his camera. “Can I take your picture?”
You couldn’t help but let out a chuckle, admiring the man from across. So why not? You nod and he inches back a few to kneel down about a half to take your shot. Your body kept hold of your position, not moving until he took your picture, causing you to stand back up. “Thanks,” he says. “Thank you,” you murmured, walking back up. The dark-haired man wanted to say more, curious to know your name. As later on, he could’ve sworn he’s seen you before.
“Wait!”
You didn’t mind that he was calling for you the second time. “I never…got your name,” he says.
“Y/n,” you told him without hesitation. That’s when he knew you.
“You’re…you’re the neighbor,” he answers, “right across.” You nod again. You’ve seen him around at some times of the day. You just never got his name. “I’m Adam.” Now you got his name.
“Well, it’s really nice to meet you, Adam,” you smile. All Adam could ever do right after was nod, hoping he had more to say. And he did. “By the way—while you were listening to your cd player—I heard The Runaways.” You obviously knew people would overhear your music. Your point was to play a song as loud as you can to ignore outside commotion.
“And…your singing voice. I love your singing voice too.”
Not like, but love. You weren’t even singing that loud, but clear enough for Adam to hear.
“I…thank you.”
He flashed out a smile, one that shows appreciation towards you. “I-I’ll see you soon then, yeah?”
You nod. “Yeah.”
“I’ll see you…later.” You heard him chuckle at the very end, smiling over his little action. You finally continue to walk upstairs to your destination while overhearing Adam talking to a couple of women. You turn back just once more, Adam saying, “They’ll be there,” at you. “Trust me.” You smile a little wider, walking back up while the two ladies follow from behind.