Rose's Journal

Chapter 6: The Second Search (Flarrie Perspective)

Flynn stood in front of the door, almost immediately regretting her decision to do this.

"Ugh. Let's just get this over with, okay?" Carrie said as she opened the door to let Flynn in.

She was really regretting it now. Flynn walked into the grand entrance of Carrie's house. She had been there lots of times before when Carrie, Julie, and she were all still friends, but it still shocked her every time.

"Okay, so I have a few ideas for a song, and I've been working with a few new sounds," Flynn said, trying to break the ice.

"Cute, but I was thinking, I mean I don't know maybe because it's for a grade we'd try something GOOD," Carrie exclaimed. Flynn just rolled her eyes. Typically, she would fight back, but she needed to make sure things went as smooth as possible, so the boys could keep looking. Carrie was obviously taken aback with Flynn's lack of a response and promptly got back to work. Carrie sat on the couch and took out her laptop. Flynn sat several feet away from her and took out her laptop as well. They both sat in silence for a while. Suddenly, "Killer Queen" by Queen blared from Carrie's laptop.

"You like Queen?" said Flynn.

"No.. it was just.." said Carrie, seeming embarrassed that Flynn heard that.

"I LOVE Queen!" said Flynn, in shock that they had something in common.

Carrie smiled, and it was a genuine smile for once towards Flynn, not a snarky half smile. Flynn smiled back. Why was she suddenly feeling butterflies?

"They were just so ahead of their time, always experimenting with new sounds. I've just always admired them. Most people expect me to be just into pop, but I want to do more, like them, experimenting with my sound," said Carrie, getting lost in her own words.

"What's stopping you?" said Flynn, "You SHOULD I bet it would be super cool!"

"I've just always..." Carrie cleared her throat, "Why do you care? Let's just do the project. You don't have to pretend to care."

Flynn was taken aback. They were friends at one point, but after their band had to break up because of Julie and Flynn's falling out, she took Julie's side. She hadn't talked to Carrie like a friend since then, and it shocked her a little. But the way she talked with so much passion when she talked about changing her sound made her feel connected to her.

"Okay, but I totally think we should go in that direction for the project. Some really cool 70s and 80s rock. I'm absolutely obsessed with it!"

"NO!" Carrie said a little too harshly, "I do pop techno, and so do you. Let's stick to what we know."

They sat for a while, playing beats back and forth but nothing stuck. Flynn turned to Carrie, "You know what we need?" Flynn asked.

"A time machine, so we can go back and convince Ms. Harrison that we shouldn't have been paired together?" Carrie replied smartly.

Flynn rolled her eyes, "No. I was going to say a piano! I just really think we could get somewhere with a physical instrument in front of us."

"That's not the WORST idea you've ever had," said Carrie, smirking, but not in her typically bitchy way, "I'll go get mine."

Carrie came back a couple minutes later with an electronic piano. She set it up in the middle of the room. Flynn went over to it and began to mess with the keys. "So, what do you think of this for the melody?" Flynn said. She began to play a few notes.

"Okay, I like it, I like it," Carrie said. "How about this for the harmonies to that?"

Carrie walked up to the piano and began to play flawlessly, "Wow, I never knew you were such a good piano player," Flynn said, "Did your dad teach you?"

Carrie smiled, "No, actually it was.." Carrie's face fell. "Never mind, let's just get back to the song."

Flynn was perplexed, but nevertheless, they needed to get back to work. So, she chose to ignore it. They began to play the song at the same time. The melody and harmony fit perfectly.

"Yes!" said Carrie, "I think we have our chorus."

"Definitely," said Flynn. She put her hand up to give Carrie a hi-5. Carrie returned it, but when Carrie's hand hit Flynn's, they stayed there longer than expected, looking right at each other. So much felt wrong. She was genuinely bonding with Carrie, someone she was supposed to hate, and they were actually having a good time now. But, when Carrie's hand touched hers, it felt right. She couldn't explain it, but all she knew was when their hands touched, and she looked into Carrie's eyes, Carrie's gaze matched her own.

Suddenly, they heard a loud thud coming from upstairs.

"What was that?" Carrie said, snapping back to reality and taking her hand off Flynn's.

"A bird probably flew into the window," said Flynn, knowing full well that it was the boys.

"Yeah, you're probably right," said Carrie, stepping away from Flynn, no longer looking her way. "We.. should just get back to work, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah that works," said Flynn, still trying to shake off what just happened.

They finished up their session, stealing glances at each other, but neither willing to address what had just happened between them.