Practically Strangers

Kirstin POV

Five minutes had passed since Avi ignored me. I saw message.

BassCannonKaplan: Sorry, was talking on the phone.

At least he understood what he did wrong.

Taylor_k: Hey Avi. I'm bored, wanna talk?

BassCannonKaplan: Sure, do u want to ask each other questions?

Taylor_k: sure, I'll go first. How old are you?

BassCannonKaplan: I'm eighteen. How about you?

Taylor_k: I'm 17. Next question, what's your favorite color?

BassCannonKaplan: Wait, what about my question?!

Taylor_k: No, you asked how old I was!

BassCannonKaplan: That was just a follow-up question!

I knew this was a silly argument, but I was not going to let him win it. I'm a very competitive person. Just another thing nobody knows about me.

Taylor_k: I said one question each! Follow up or not, that still counts!!

BassCannonKaplan: Fine, whatever. My favorite color is green. Green is my favorite color of all time. I wish it was socially acceptable to have green hair. Emerald green. WITH STREAKS OF BLACK! Omgsh...

He was so funny.

Taylor_k: You can get green hair!

BassCannonKaplan: Yeah, but it would be harder to get a role in my school opera.

Taylor_k: Ooh, do you sing opera?

BassCannonKaplan: Ah! No, it is my turn to ask. No follow-ups, remember. My question is........ Taylor, do you like to sing?

I nearly laughed. He had no idea.

Taylor_k: Oh yes. I sing in a lot of my school musicals. Never an opera though. It might be too hard though.

BassCannonKaplan: Yeah, it is very hard. Apparently it is so hard that I didn't even land a role in this year's. :(

Taylor_k: Oh no! Wait can we stop playing the one question thing?

BassCannonKaplan: Sure.

Taylor_k: That sucks about the opera thing!! I bet you should've gotten the lead or whatever. Idk how opera works.

BassCannonKaplan: You haven't even heard me sing tho

Taylor_k: Wait, can I?

BassCannonKaplan: What do u mean?

Taylor_k: Can I like call or skype you?

It was too late. I forgot my identity for a second, and now I had already sent the message to call him.

BassCannonKaplan: sure! I'm in bed, so a call might work a bit better, so you don't have to see my shirtless body lol

I wouldn't mind.... But he can't see me, because then he would know who I am. I'd just have to hope that he wouldn't recognize my voice.

We exchanged numbers, and began the call.

"Hey Taylor!", I heard him say excitedly into the phone. His voice was so deep!

"Hi Avi," I replied. I hesitated for a moment, waiting to see if he would recognize my voice. "So, do you wanna hear me sing?" Thank goodness, he didn't recognize me.

"Of course," I said calmly, "I'm excited."

He began singing, and I swear the whole world changed. His voice was so deep, but not all raspy and weird. It was really smooth for a bass, and it was so amazing. When he finished, I applauded into the phone.

"That was AMAZING!" I said, not lying in any way.

"Aww, really," he said, obviously embarrassed, "you're so sweet." I smiled. He was so nice.

"Now it's your turn to sing, Taylor." He spoke as if this was part on the deal.

"W-what? I don't have anything prepared!" I tried getting out of it.

"Just sing a song that everyone knows," he tried to comfort me, "Like 'Break a Little' by Kirstin. Ooh, do her acoustic version! It's sooooo good. Her voice is amazing." When he said those words, I nearly melted. He didn't seem to know that he had just complimented me so much. That song was one of the only songs that my producers didn't change around from my original lyrics. It was completely mine, and he complimented that one specifically.

"Okay," I agreed, "I will, but I don't know if I'll be able to." I knew I was lying. I would be able to.

I finished the song, and didn't hear anything. "Avi?" I asked.

"Oh, right. Wow. Wow wow wow wow. You sound just like her, it's amazing!" He spoke like it was a compliment, but to me it was just a fact of sorts.

"Thank you so much, Avi." I thanked him gratefully. "I think I have to go now, my parents are calling." That was a lie, but after that mini performance, I couldn't imagine talking to him calmly until the next day.

"Bye, Kirstin!" He said. I freaked out. Did he know?

"What?" I asked, trying to sound oblivious.

He laughed. "I know you're not Kirstin," he stated, "You just sound so much like her."

I sighed. "Bye, Avi Kaplan."

"Bye, Taylor Kaplan."

A/N

Longest chapter yet! Yay!