Taylor [Theo // Lost & Found Music Studios] ✓

Chapter 1: Dig

It was a Saturday morning at Lost and Found music studios. I was in the green room with Luke, James and John, who were all trying to figure out the song I was playing on my guitar. It was a game we liked to play when we had nothing to do, or had a lot to do but were procrastinating from doing anything about it.

"Ooh, I know this! What Do You Mean, JB," James guessed correctly. I stopped playing and James dabbed - a victorious dab.

John groaned. "Dude, that's like the tenth song in a row you've guessed," he complained. "You play percussion, how are you so good at this?"

"Because I only know a few chord progressions, whereas you guys know close to a million," James explained. "So while you boys are racking your progression-filled brains trying to figure out which of the hundred songs is being played, I'm choosing between two." James ended his explanation by holding up two fingers, which John slapped away, not taking losing too lightly.

I placed my guitar down. "Alright, we should probably head to the rose room. We need to show Mr T what we've done," I said and then paused. "Or give him an excuse as to why we didn't do anything."

"Whoa," Luke said. "Is Theo being - responsible?"

I rolled my eyes while the others started laughing. "Shut up," I said, although I couldn't hide my own laughter.

I got up and began to walk out, the boys following me, until we reached the rose room. Instantly, I scanned the room until my eyes landed on her. At first, it was an accidental thing that I had done once or twice before - catching sight of her whenever we were in the same room. But as time went on, I realised it was no longer accidental. Every time I entered the same room, Taylor Dunn was the first person I searched for.

She wasn't hard to miss, with her incredibly long blonde hair that looked as if it hadn't been cut or brushed in years. It was practically at the point of dreadlocks. I dug it. A lot.

John bumped my shoulder with his. "Now it makes sense why you were in such a rush to get here," he teased, nodding towards the girl I had just been checking out. I rolled my eyes, but didn't deny anything.

John laughed, not missing the fact that I didn't say anything back.

I looked back at Taylor who was looking straight ahead at Mr T. She always looked so down, which was one of the reasons Luke told me I shouldn't go for it (even though I never asked for his advice). He said no boy our age is mature enough to handle issues so serious, and that if I wanted something to happen then I should encourage her to get help. He was probably right, but it didn't matter anyway. 

Taylor carried herself with such a presence, like she was incredibly mature and wise. I figured I was the last person in the studio she would go after - even Nate, who was fourteen, was more mature than I was.

Despite all this, I didn't stop scanning the rooms for her every time I entered.

Mr T cleared his throat, grabbing my attention, and he began talking about how proud he was of us this year - the usual stuff. Luke, John, James and I all looked at each other and suppressed our laughter. It was very clear that this was not directed at us - "you guys have really stepped up and shown initiative, responsibility and created a platform to showcase your songs on your own" - it never was.

"Now," Mr T after his long and predictable monologue. "Boys. Show us what you've been working on."

We all looked at each other and then back at Mr T. I grinned sheepishly, unsure as to how the others were reacting. I was too scared to look away from him.

"Well, you see," Luke piped up. "We have been working so hard on our writing. But, unfortunately, we've been writing so many songs at once that we haven't finished anything."