―❝There's no way I can make it without you. Do it without you. Be here without you. It's no fun when you're doing it solo. With you it's like whoa.❞
OR
―❝ delaney ellington used to be childhood best friends with austin moon before she moved away, bu...
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The group were thrilled for Ally because Trish had announced that morning Ally's song 'Redial' sold so well, Ramone Records is moving up the release date for her debut album to next week. They even decided on throwing a record release party for her, but Ally realized she would need to quit working at Sonic Boom if she wanted to focus on her music career that is now taking off. Since Ally was going to be so busy, Ally and Finn had a plan to do as many dates as they can to make up for all the lost time before she got too busy with her music career.
Meanwhile, Delaney was dealing with a struggle of her own—one she hadn't shared with anyone yet. During rehearsal the night before, she noticed a strange muffled ringing in her left ear. At first, she brushed it off as fatigue. But when she woke up unable to hear anything clearly in one ear, panic set in. A visit to the doctor confirmed her fear: she was experiencing temporary hearing loss, likely from prolonged exposure to loud environments during her recent concert.
For a famous singer like Delaney, it was a devastating blow. Her team paused her upcoming performances, and she was told to avoid straining her ears or singing until further notice. She put on a brave face around her fans, but behind closed doors, she was scared—scared of what this could mean for her voice, her future, and everything she had worked for.
As the others celebrated Ally's rise, Delaney struggled with the possibility of a forced silence. But she kept it to herself—for now. The late afternoon light filtered into Delaney's studio room, casting long, golden shadows across the floor. She sat motionless on the piano bench, her fingers resting lightly on the keys but not pressing down. The open notebook beside her was a mess—half-written lyrics, some crossed out so fiercely the paper had torn. A cold mug of tea sat untouched on the windowsill, forgotten. She'd been in the room for hours, trying to write, trying to sing—trying to feel like herself. But the strange pressure in her left ear made everything sound off, like she was underwater. Isolated. Wrong.
The door creaked open behind her.
"You didn't answer my call," Austin said softly, his voice cautious but warm. "Again."
Delaney didn't turn around. "I know," She murmurs. "Sorry."
He steps into the room, eyes scanning the scattered papers, the untouched lunch, the silence that hung heavier than usual. He walks over slowly, stopping just beside the piano. "You've been here all day?"
"Yeah." She sighed.
Austin's gaze lingers on her face, watching the way her eyes avoided his. Something was wrong—more than just writer's block or a bad day. "Laney, talk to me," He said gently, lowering himself to sit on the bench beside her. "What's going on?"
She didn't speak for a long moment. Then, her voice barely a whisper, she said, "Something's wrong with my hearing."
