Waltz of Two Hearts

by Misty Meadow

Chapter 3

Sonata reached around the door frame, her hand fumbling until she found the light switch. As the bulb flicked to life, the state of the room became apparent; it was an absolute dump. Frowning, she looked around trying to spot the person responsible. A rustling of sheets alerted her to her target.

“Damnit Aria, get up. You’ve been moping around for the last few days, and honestly, I don’t even know how this room could get so bad in such a short space of time.”

“Ugh, Sonata, it’s not that bad.” Aria pulled herself out from the blanket pile and looked around. “Ok, it might be ‘that bad’. Must’ve knocked my waste basket over when I got in last night.”

Sonata let the matter drop, it would only take a few minutes to clean it up. “You’ve still been mopey, but I’ve got an idea. Sunset was telling me earlier about a lady she works with. Apparently she found this new music bar just across town. It caters to the young, and even has open mic sessions.”

“I don’t feel like making music at the moment,” Aria growled at her.

“Oh I didn’t think you would be, but you should at least check the place out, you can listen for inspiration, and you might even enjoy yourself.” Sonata lightly bumped her friend on the shoulder. “It’s got to beat sitting in a darkened room.”

Aria slumped her shoulders. “Fiiinnneeee. Where is it, and when are they next open?”

“Squee.” Sonata bounced up and down. “It’s 1056 Everfree way, and they should be open tonight. I’ve been wanting to go since I found out, but I want someone to go with. This will be better than taco Tuesday.” Sonata started to vibrate with glee, until she suddenly stopped. “Oh poo.”

“What?” Aria asked, concerned.

“I’m not free tonight, me and Sunset have plans.” Her bottom lip stuck out, and she started to pout. “That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go though.”

Aria turned away and started cleaning up her room. “I guess I don’t have anything better to do tonight. I’ll let you know what it’s like tomorrow.”

With a quick thanks, Sonata left the room to go and prepare for the evening. The mess was straightened out in no time at all, so with a heavy sigh, the purple haired Siren donned her jacket, and headed out into the blustery late afternoon.

---

By the time Aria reached Everfree Way, the sun had already started to slip beneath the horizon. This was coupled with the winds that had picked up steadily over the course of her walk. The wind bit her through her clothing, her arms wrapped tightly around her chest to try and keep her core warm.

Thankful for the fact that at least it wasn’t raining, she made her way in a brisk walk, almost a jog, closing the final stretch of road. The area around her didn’t seem the place to anyone would go looking for a new music bar. On the far side of the road it was almost wall to wall warehouses, and on this side it was offices or open lots.

But ahead of her, the blue of a neon sign was unmistakable, the light called out to her, enticing her to give one last burst of speed. Finally reaching her goal, she didn’t even spare a minute to look for the name, merely slipping in as fast as she could to escape the unrelenting cold.

She vaguely recognized the other patrons, but only their existence as she closed on the bar.

“Something warm please,” she said to the back of a purple haired bartender. She settled onto a stool, rubbing her arms to regain some warmth, and finally started to take note of her surroundings.

The first thing that struck her was blue. The theme of the place seemed to be blue, mixed with whites and other light colors. The second thing that caught her attention was that everyone here was female.

“Here ya’ go you pretty little thing.”

Aria turned around to find the bartender smiling at her, a cup of something between them, steam visibly rising. From the smell of it, it was something coffee based.

“Eeeerrr, thanks. How much?”

“First ones free darlin’.” And with a wink, she walked away to serve another patron.

Rather than ask and draw attention, she took her drink and headed away from the bar. The central area was a small dance floor, around the edge of which was lined with small booths, a tiny stage at the opposite end from the bar. She took a seat in one of the smaller booths, facing away from the stage.

The drink in her hands did a wonderful job of warming up her fingers, but her chest was still cold. Taking a sip, she almost choked i back out; this was not ‘just’ coffee. Guessing at a whiskey, she took more reserved sips, allowing the heat of the drink and the burn of the liquid warm her core up.

---

One hour and three drinks later, Aria was just finishing up a conversation with one of the bar’s regulars. She had explained that Pandora’s Box was in fact a woman's gay bar. The music and open mic had started up twenty odd minutes earlier, and so far her opinion had been mixed. One woman had been partially talented, but another had made her want to rip her own ears off. Right now, no-one was onstage, and the bar’s playlist kept the music going.

She waved to her temporary friend as she left, leaving her in peace. The night had been enjoyable mostly, but she was thinking it was time to leave. She put her hands on the table to push herself up, when everyone else started cheering, and she realized the music has stopped.

Before she could question it, guitar strings made their way across the quickly hushed room, laying out a sweet melody. With her back to the stage, she hadn’t seen the new act approach, but she could already tell they had more skill than any who had been onstage so far tonight.

Rather than stay and listen, she made a move for the exit. But then the voice stole her breath away:

“If we walk away forever. There's no turning around,”

Aria froze, for a half step, as she was listened closely to the song. The strumming combined with the voice was mesmerizing, yet she didn’t know why.

“Gotta say what I feel, while you're right by my side,”

The pain in the voice creeped towards her own heart, one that was barely holding itself together.

“I'm not sure I'll find words, to cover the wounds. That I see in your eyes,”

Aria closed her eyes as the music washed over her, putting her hand to her heart. Oh how she wished it could be Adagio singing to her. Alas, this was not something the elder siren would traditionally sing.

“But I gotta try...”

At this moment her heart felt compelled to turn around and stay for the rest of the song yet her feet didn’t want to work, and the exit loomed ever closer.

“I know you're not to blame,when the clouds turn to gray. But if we stay or walk away, one thing will forever stay this way,”

The guitar’s strumming softened at that point and Aria finally started to slow down and turn around.

“Forever I will love you. Forever I will love you!”

Aria’s eyes widened at that moment, as she turned around to see the purple and black acoustic guitar, her guitar, in the gloveless hands that once held her own heart. Adagio was sat on the edge of the stage, guitar in her lap, her legs kicking as she played.

“Can you search down inside, and let go of the pain,”

She tore her eyes away, unable to look with her heart burning.

“If I stop trying to win, and just let you in,”

Her knees went weak, her body beginning to shake.

“I didn't travel this far, to watch it all fall apart”

Balance fleeing her, Aria stumbled forwards, crashing into a waitress returning empty glasses.

“So give me your hand…

The noise attracted Adagio’s attention, her eyes scanning the scene until they locked with a familiar set of vivid purple ones.

“And take a chance...”

The last line came out as an almost whisper. Frozen together, the girls didn’t move for about a minute, and many of the patrons began to look back and forth between them. Finally, Adagio flinched, and the guitar slipped onto the stage beside her. Before Aria could call out, the yellow woman had jumped to her feet and bolted through the stage door, and out of sight.

Getting her legs to move, Aria ran across the dance floor, and vaulted up onto stage. Through the stage door in seconds, she was just quick enough to see wisps of orange and yellow hair disappear around the corner at the end of the hall.

Reaching the end, she was in time to see the fire exit slam closed. She ran up to it, and pushed on the release bar- it wouldn’t budge. She tried again- no joy. Throwing her shoulder against the door achieved success, and she all but fell out into the freezing cold alleyway.

She scanned both ends of the alley, but found no sign of her target; she had lost her.

Defeated, she trudged back inside, the warmth coming back as the door closed shut. Part of her was glad, not catching her meant she didn’t have to deal with the whole mess right now, but the majority of her was saddened. Retracing her steps, she found her way back to the stage, and spotted her guitar lying there.

With a heavy sigh, she scooped it up, and headed towards the main exit.

“HEY! Where do you think you are going with that?”

Aria spun around to see an irate bartender on the warpath. Gulping, Aria started back tracking.

“But it’s mine.”

The woman scoffed. “Hardly. That girl has brought it with her every other night for the last two weeks.”

“Look, I can prove it.” She pulled out her I.D. “I’m Aria Blaze, and look at this.”

She spun the guitar around, and showed the back of the neck to the barmaid.
There on the back, an inscription in an almost calligraphic scratch:

’Aria Blaze,’

But what caught the older woman’s attention was the Inscription on the back of the guitar’s base:

’Love you Always, Adagio.’

Eyes popping out of her sockets, the staff members jaws locked open. “You’re her…”

Blinking, Aria looked confused. “What do you mean ‘I’m Her’?”

“You know, her. The girl from the song.”

Author's Note:

The song was an original work by me and thanks again to EternityFlame for editing

Comments

[The Dazzlings Adagio 1]

This is the best story of I have ever read, and I've been on here for about two years. Please keep writing new chapters!

[Misty Meadow]

7719585 Thank you sooo much for you're comment

[Texus]

okay this chapter was good. I liked the bar scene.