Under The Jasmine Tree ✔

♫ Veneration

Apollo;

For a while now, I've wondered what categorizes something as a sport, because the game I have been playing with my phone for the last hour could be considered one.

It's the staring game.

My phone doesn't shut up at all, and now, when I'm sitting there waiting for a call, it decided to give me the silent treatment. I applied for a job at a radio station to work nightshifts because no one working there could do that. They were all studying at night most of the time, being college students, but I decided to juggle working and studying in hopes that this job kickstarts my music career.

I made a deal with my employers, that I would be able to play my songs on the radio each shift, and they would also recommend me to their friends that work in record labels and the music industry.

"This is hopeless!" I muttered under my breath and turned my phone off.

"Maybe they're just busy...?" Faith chimed up.

"I doubt it. I really thought I had a chance because no one could work the night shifts."

"There are plenty of radio stations here, you can apply for another one, right?"

"This was the best one because they have famous partners. They get to play newly released music the moment it drops because they are in partnership with the record labels that make that music."

"You still have till the rest of the day; they could call a- woah! Lyra are you okay? What happened?" Faith exclaimed. I turned to see Lyra's figure rushing towards our table, unshed tears glistening in her eyes.

After I recovered from the shock of seeing her tears, I stood up in a rush and walked over to her, pulling her close to me. Lyra's head rested on my shoulder as she sniffled. I ran my hand throw her hair, trying to comfort her.

In the short time I've known and got attached to Lyra, I have barely seen her cry, and all the times she did cry were for trivial reasons like watching a sad movie or slightly burning her fingers while heating water in a kettle. But seeing her unshed tears and hearing the jagged breaths she's taking made me sure that there's an internal conflict going on in her brain.

Lyra's rapid breathing slowed down from wheezes to huffs and puffs. "Do you want to talk about it?" I looked down at her.

Her brown eyes met mine and she stared in silence. Her face slowly morphed from a distressed expression to a defensive one. "No...?" she sounded like she was questioning herself and whether she wants to confess what's on her mind or not.

"Okay then, we can go home so you can rest for a bit, you look shaken up." I slid my arm around her waist allowing her to lean on me for support. We walked together, Faith catching up, back to Faith's car. I opened the back seat for Lyra, and she slid inside.

Once I got in the passenger seat beside Faith, who's in the driver's seat, I felt my pocket vibrate. My head shot up to meet Faith's smiling face. "Come on! Look! Is it them?" she jumped in her seat.

"What? Who? Tell me!" Lyra shot up from the back seat.

"She thinks it's the radio sta- It's them!" I yelled once I checked the caller ID. "Okay, everyone, calm down!" I yelled again.

"You should calm down!"

"Apollo answer the phone!"

Lyra and Faith both spoke at the same time.

"I'm doing it!" I answered back. I took a deep breath and pressed the green button to answer the call.

"This is 'The New Horizon' radio station. Is this Mr. Apollo Davis?" the voice on the other end spoke.