hard | daniel seavey

nine

ayla's pov

"Thanks so much," I took my receipt from the cashier guy, taking my bowl with me as well. Walking over to Daniel, "Okay, so I got some more we can put down," I whispered excitedly, opening my laptop, then my bowl. As I took a bite, I stopped, pointing to Daniel, "What's a word for like, nice? A synonym?" I asked. "Because it's gonna be like, when you're alone, it's nice, you know?" I glared at him with this vision in me, I felt on top of the world. He thought for a bit, biting into his burrito. Tapping my fingers, still thinking, his eyes lit up, "Lovely!" He shouted. Widening my eyes and gasping, "That's perfect." I typed the next lyrics:

"Isn't it lovely? All alone"

"Yes, perfect!" I high fived him, "And it's gonna be kinda fast. Like a duh—na-nuh-nuh-nuh," I spoke in a low whisper, thinking of the next thing.

"Ooh. What about something like 'Heart made of glass,' to relate to a fragile person? Like me!" I laughed, getting more and more into it, Daniel nodded with my idea, "How about putting 'Mind of rocks." He thought, "Or stone! Because that rhymes with 'alone' and it can represent that you're not really you because of how molded depression has made you," He threw in. Genius! Typing this all down, I was so elated:

"Heart made of glass. My mind of stone."

"Tear me to pieces," I typed, seeing Daniel almost spit his sweet tea out, frantically pointing, trying to swallow his tea faster, "Skin and bone!" Yes. I typed it in:

"Tear me to pieces, skin and bone.
Hello. Welcome home."

I added the next part myself, humming the tune in my head as I typed it down. My heart slowed as I thought of the next part, Daniel had already half finished his burrito and was walking over to sit next to me. I shivered nervously as I felt him sit. Thinking back, I starting thinking out loud, "Maybe I could add some personal stuff in there? But not too broad?" I thought of when I was leaving, "Like when I left, it could be 'Walking out of town, looking for a better place,'" I harmonized lowly to add effect, "because that's what I did and it'd get us a higher grade if there was a story behind this song," I lied. I didn't care about the grade, I just wanted to make this song good. Daniel smiled, nodding distinctively, "Yeah. That's good, you should always write your songs using personal perspectives, they turn out a lot better." I agreed, coming up with the next part on my own. Still referring to my past.

"Walking out of town, looking for a better place.
Something's on my mind, always in my headspace"

Daniel watched me as I typed, and I spoke at the same time, "But I think that it should change throughout the song, like a story," I spoke, bouncing up, I felt my necklace hit me.

I had worn the necklace today. I wanted to wear it my first day at UCLA, but I didn't have the courage to. Daniel had given it to me. It was the one with the emerald, hanging on the chain he got me that day at Disney. I hoped he didn't notice.

He was turned to me, listening and looking at me like I was something, "So, she was hoping before, but now she knows that she will get through this," I was taking another bite of my bowl by now. "That's perfect," He lightly spoke, his eyes hovering over the necklace, "Hey. You still have it?" He seemed surprised. I nodded, holding the stone in my hand, "Of course I do. I mean," I paused, admiring its beauty, "it's,"

"Perfect," Daniel softly mumbled finishing my sentence, looking at me. I felt butterflies inside of me again. But I went on.

"Um. And then," I continued to murmur with my head up, feeling confident in this next part, "I was also think that, uh. When it's back to the chorus, we should harmonize a little bit afterwards to close off the song on a good note." I thought. He stayed quiet for a minute, "I told you, you still got it," Daniel mumbled with a grin. I chuckled, then wrote the rest: