Chapter Text
"That was great,” Carson’s voice echoed from a small speaker in the corner. “I think we're done here.”
Ace nodded, sliding his guitar strap off his shoulder. After nearly an entire day in the studio, it was a relief to see Carson finally satisfied with their recordings.
Ace let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. The studio lights cast a soft glow over the scattered equipment, giving the room a sense of calm after hours of relentless work.
"Let’s grab something to eat," Ace suggested, his voice slightly hoarse from the long session.
Carson chuckled through the speaker. "You’ve earned it. Same time tomorrow?"
Ace smiled wearily, already feeling the pull of exhaustion. "Hah, hell no."
They all shared a quiet laugh as they began packing up, the weight of the day finally lifting from their shoulders.
“I’ll be by the car!” Ace called out before closing the studio door behind him.
His footsteps resounded softly against the soft carpet as he made his way towards the front lobby. The once bustling room which was now empty.
Or almost empty.
In the corner by the window sat a girl absorbed in a book. Her dark hair fell over her eyes as she quietly mouthed the words, the gloss on her lips shimmering in the fading light. Ace’s heart skipped a beat; he had never seen anyone so beautiful. Curiosity washed over him. What was she doing here alone so late?
He took a moment to compose himself before approaching her.
“Excuse me?” he began softly to which she jumped at.
Their eyes met, and Ace felt a rush of warmth.
“Y-yes?” she replied, closing the book in her hands. Her gaze was sharp, hinting at irritation over his interruption. Heat crept into Ace’s cheeks as he rubbed his neck awkwardly.
“S-sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” he voiced sheepishly, “I was just curious since I’ve never seen you here before…” his voice trailed off as she raised an eyebrow.
“Is there an issue with me being here?”
“N-no! Not at all! It’s just-”
Ace sighed, frustrated with himself. What was wrong with him?
The girl blinked and lowered her gaze to his guitar. She studied it before looking back at him with newfound interest.
“You play?”
Of course he played; this was a recording studio! What other reason would he have for holding a guitar?
“I-I uhh…”
“Oh, I know. You’re one of the newer talents!”
Ace blinked. How’d she know that?
“Can I hear you play?” she asked eagerly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. “I always love hearing people play! Do you have a favorite song?”
He hesitated for a moment, then smiled. “Yeah, of course. Just give me a sec.”
As the woman giggled excitedly and settled into her seat, Ace felt a surge of nerves mixed with excitement. He reached for his guitar, the familiar weight of it comforting in his hands as he pulled it from its case. The soft leather felt cool against his fingertips, grounding him as he prepared to play.
He strummed a few chords, allowing the sound to fill the space between them, his heart racing with each note. Taking a deep breath, he focused on the melody, letting it wash over him as he steeled himself to share his music with this intriguing stranger. As he began to sing a brief segment from one of his songs, he felt his voice tremble slightly, a reminder of the weariness that lingered from the long recording session. Despite the fatigue, the music felt alive in him, and he pushed through, pouring his emotions into each line.
Every time he looked up at her, he found her gaze locked onto him, eyes wide with interest. The intensity of her focus sent a warm blush creeping up his cheeks, making it hard to concentrate. Her expression was a mix of admiration and curiosity, and he couldn’t help but feel a connection growing between them with every note he played.
Her smile, bright and genuine, encouraged him to keep going, fueling his confidence. In that moment, the world outside faded away, and all that mattered was the music and the enchanting girl listening intently in front of him.
Ace strummed the final chord as it rang throughout the room. The woman clapped and giggled happily at his performance, adorning him with praises which sent another rush of warmth down his spine.
“This is really beautiful,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, but her admiration was clear. “You sounded amazing.”
“Thanks,” he replied, his heart racing. “It’s a work in progress, though.” She smiled, and in that moment, he forgot about his earlier embarrassment.
“You really should perform more often.”
“I appreciate that,” he said, a shy smile breaking across his face. “I mostly just play because I love doing it.”
“You could definitely go big with your talent!” she encouraged. “Have you thought about it?”
Ace shrugged, a mix of uncertainty and hope swirling within him. “I mean, it’s always been a dream, but…”
“But what?” she pressed, leaning closer. Their proximity allowed him to view her face in more detail. Her long lashes, blue eyes, and her rosy cheeks could make any man fall for her.
He hesitated, searching for the right words. “It’s just… a lot of pressure, you know? And there are a lot of more reliable ways to earn money out there.”
The woman’s expression softened. “Everyone feels that way at some point. But if you love it, you owe it to yourself to try.”
Her words resonated with him, and he felt a flicker of confidence. “Maybe you’re right.”
The moment was electric, and Ace couldn’t help but wish he could share more of his music with her. “Would you want to hear another song?”
“Absolutely!” she said, her enthusiasm infectious.
Ace beamed at her remark, his heart swelling with a mix of pride and warmth. He opened his mouth to sing, ready to share the next line of his song when suddenly, a voice interrupted him.
“Babe?”
The word hung in the air, slicing through the intimate moment like a sudden chill. Ace's smile faltered as he turned to see a figure leaning against the doorway, arms crossed and a bemused expression on his face. The girl’s gaze
flickered from Ace to the newcomer, happiness overwhelming her features.
“Hey, you!” the woman smiled happily as she quickly got up to plant a soft kiss on the man’s face.
Carson’s laughter echoed through the nearly empty front lobby, causing Ace’s heart to sink.
Suddenly, everything made sense—this woman was Carson’s girlfriend.
She looked at him lovingly as she wrapped her arms around his waist. Carson swept a strand of her hair out of her face as he brought his face closer to meet her lips. They giggled happily amongst themselves and Ace could feel that he was truly no longer welcome.
His demeanor darkened as he sulked in the corner for a moment. The thought hadn’t occured to him that she was taken; yet, he wasn’t surprised when it fully dawned on him that she was.
Of course she had a boyfriend! Was he an idiot?
Ace packed away his guitar and silently made his way toward the door, his emotions swirling within him. He couldn’t quite grasp why he felt so upset; the disappointment gnawed at him, leaving him puzzled and frustrated.
As he opened the door, he was met with the subtle heat of the late afternoon Sun. His features were awash in warm, golden hues as he made his way down the steps of the building.
He was nearly at the base of the stairs before a voice called out to him.
“H-hey you!” a voice called out, growing closer to him
He spun around to find the woman racing down the steps after him.
“You forgot something—!” she yelped, but before she could finish, her foot caught on the edge of a step, and she began to tumble forward. Ace instinctively reached out and caught her in his arms, pulling her close to him.
The moment their skin made contact, a jolt of electricity shot through him, making his heart leap in his chest. He struggled to steady his racing pulse, focusing on the sensation of her warmth against him.
“Whoa—careful there,” he chided gently, his voice laced with concern, which earned him an awkward smile in return.
She felt small and frail in his arms, her petite frame contrasting sharply with his larger build. He couldn’t help but feel protective of her, his instincts kicking in as he held her close. In that moment, as they stood there looking at each other, he realized how close they were, their bodies almost pressed against each other.
“Hahah… I’m sorry.. But- you forgot something!” she giggled while holding out a sheet of paper filled with lyrics to his songs. It probably fell out of his guitar case while he was packing up.
“T-thank you,” he whispered shakily.
“I should be thanking you!” she inserted, “You just saved my face, and my life!”
Ace cleared his throat and nodded as he steadied the girl in his arms, making sure she was safely on her feet. As his hands lingered on her shoulders, he could feel the soft warmth of her skin through the fabric of her top, sending a jolt of electricity through his fingertips.
"Are you alright?" he whispered, peering down at her with a concerned expression. He looked down at the girl, his gaze taking in every aspect of her face, searching for any signs of pain or discomfort. His eyes roamed over her flushed cheeks and her slightly disheveled hair, and yet, his gaze kept lingering on her lips, as if magnetically drawn to them.
“Yeah, I’m okay,” she sighed and her eyes caught his.
"Are you sure?" he asked again, his voice barely above a whisper.
The girl’s expression softened and he swore he could catch something shift in her demeanor until a loud voice stole them from the moment.
“Babe? What’s wrong?” Carson called out.
She jolted before turning around to return a smile to her boyfriend.
The woman yelled back up the stairs, her laughter filling the air, "Your client grabbed me before I could make a face-plant on the ground! You should throw him some extra cash for his quick reflexes!"
Carson chuckled as he made his way down the stairs, approaching them. "Yeah, yeah... and about grabbing something to eat later, I'll have to bail on that one."
Ace forced a smirk and shrugged. “No worries, I get it. You'd rather spend time with your girl..”
The woman blushed shyly, and Ace released his grip on her, continuing his descent down the stairs, his guitar in hand and his heart strangely heavy.
He had no idea why she affected him so much. So what if she was a pretty stranger? There were many prettier girls in the world, there wasn’t any reason for him to feel this shaken over someone. Ultimately, this moment will be nothing but a trivial memory not worth remembering.
Despite his attempts to push her from his mind, her voice and laughter still managed to reach his ears, carrying across the parking lot and into his car. They sounded excited, talking about their plans for the evening and the night ahead. Their words weren’t too decipherable, merely murmurs heard in the distance. But, he was able to catch a word that would forever dig its way into the crevices of his mind.The word didn’t really have any meaning. In fact, it was a name. The name itself wasn’t particularly unique, just an ordinary word. A name that he didn’t know would have a profound impact on the events to come.
Eleanor.