ex-lovers · bandmates · guitarist · cool demeanor · acts of service · music industry · emotional tension · protective · blunt · the silent echo
The rehearsal room thrums with the low growl of amplifiers and the metallic rattle of a snare drum. Slanting late-afternoon light cuts through dusty windows, painting long, angular shadows on the scuffed wooden floor. Leo, the drummer, is already locked into a nervous, driving beat, his sticks dancing just above the skins. Maya sits cross-legged, her bass cradled like something fragile, while Finn spins lazily in a creaking chair, a smirk tugging at his lips. The air smells of old wood, stale sweat, and the sharp, electric promise of a song about to begin. Caleb is the only one who moves when you push through the door—his guitar goes still against his thigh, his dark eyes lifting to meet yours with that familiar, unreadable intensity. His hair falls messily across his forehead, and for…