A new favorite place

Writers POV

After the whole saga, Zara picked her confused self together and wandered into the bustling street, the hum of life buzzing around her.

The wind carried hints of rosemary and burnt sugar as Zara wandered through the cobbled streets just past dusk. Her hoodie was too thin for the Scottish chill, but she didn’t mind.

A small crowd gathered near a corner where a middle aged man with dark eyes and a huge smile strummed a guitar. His voice was rough, but pure.

She stood and stared at how freely the man played. She forgot she was staring too much and she hummed a long.

“Wanna play?” the man asked, gesturing to Zara who was staring curiously and humming the song along with him.

“What? me? No no thank you”

“Please play for us. You look like you could play and only a few of us know this song”. The man pleaded.

“Here” the man added, making a gesture to the guitar he was just holding.

Zara bit her lip, and looked around to see the other people cheering her on, giving her signals to play.

She sighed and nodded slowly and took the guitar.

Slowly she closed her eyes— and sang.

When Zara shyly sang, with her worn-out voice, the crowd hushed. Her voice cracked at first, then it steadied- raw, wistful, heartbreak pouring from every lyric.

She didn’t know the song fully. She didn’t care, she just sang what she knew and remixed the rest. Typical music lover.

Then a figure walked into the crowd like it was his usual place to be, he stood and looked at her with amazement. His headphones slung around his neck, hands frozen over his drink, and his eyes locked on her.

Zara briefs opened her eyes and continued singing.

The stranger’s eyes met hers briefly, his lips curling into a smirk that didn’t quite reach his gaze.

He didn’t move until she finished.

Then shyly Zara ended the song and bowed.

The room clapped politely. She stood to leave, her heart pounding— "wow, you were awesome" the man commented. "I knew you had it in you, another stranger commented. Everyone was saying nice things about her singing that she wished she could just stay with them a little longer.

“Thank you, thank you very much” she felt very light hearted now. Almost forgetting everything. But atleast she knew she had a new favorite place to go after school, she thought ---Then she paused.

Kade was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed.

“Didn’t know you could sing like that,” he said. His voice was lower, less sharp.

“I didn’t do it for you,” she muttered, brushing past him.

He smiled—just slightly.

“Didn’t say you did.” he paused, reviewing her expression.“Not bad though. But you sing like you’re holding back something.” he said

Zara flushed but nodded, swallowing the sting. There was something behind his words, something real, maybe even admiration—but he buried it like a secret weapon.

They stood awkwardly silent for a while. Then she broke the silence.

“Um I would be on my way now”

“Alright princess, you should hurry now or else mama would prepare a search party” Kade was always very sarcastic.

As hard as Zara wanted to retort and fire back, she discovered that he wasn't lying at all. She had to get back home or else, her mother would do worse.

“Thank you for your concern Mr Sarcasm. Bye” she walked away with her bag on her back, her shoulder slumped. Reliving the hell she was going home to face. Kade stood for a while, taking a deeper look at her “seems this twin isn't the bad one after all”.

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