Seemingly Infinite Playlists

They shared earphones the day they first met, one day at a mutual friend's birthday party. They were both sitting in the same corner and you can cut through the awkward atmosphere with a samurai's sword. The people that brought them here were too busy making out in the kitchen so they both sit on the couch, her hands on her lap and his arms crossed across his chest, earphones plugged into his ears and tuning out the rest of the world. She hums along to a song she had stuck in her head for the past few days, and was startled when the guy next to her suddenly talked.

"I'm sorry, is my volume too loud?"

She looks at him in confusion.

"Eh?"

"You were humming the same song I was listening to... or not...?" he shyly asked, biting his lip and giving her an unsure smile. She smiles and shakes her head.

"It's okay, the volume's fine." His smile grows wider, and he tilts his head to remove one and hands it over to her.

"Want to listen?"

The rest of the party was spent that way, joined by earphones as they talk about their favorite singers, discuss their favorite lyrics and argue about the best band in existence (she likes The Beatles and he's stubborn about Red Hot Chili Peppers but he won't tell her he loves The Beatles too).



One night at a party, a boy and a girl fell in love with shared earphones and a seemingly infinite playlist.



There were slow songs for when they first met, shyly getting to know each other. Dancing beats for when they met and met again, laughing and having the time of their lives. There were ballads that made them cry (although he was shy admitting it until she caught him crying over his music player) and there were heavy metal punk and grunge songs for when they fight and not see each other for days. And there were classics


And then there were the love songs. Those love songs, they recommend it to each other, finding new songs and beautiful lyrics.

Secretly they dedicate each one to the other, making mixtape upon mixtape that had titles like "what your smile does to my heart" and "I hate how I love your stupid face" and "songs my heart wants to tell you" or something equally cheesy.


But music players run out of batteries, wires become overused and frayed, songs fall out of the charts and mixtapes were phased out.


The songs they listened to were now full of angsty lyrics and screaming voices, more noise than music as they both try to drown out the wailing of their own heart.





For there was no melody yet invented to appease broken relationships and hearts and souls.







Once upon a time there was a boy and a girl. They love music. Music loves them as well. Then they both decided they have to find their own notes first, know their own stories so they can have better lyrics, their own unique scores.









Once upon a time, there was a boy and a girl who shared earphones in a party. They shared music, songs, seemingly infinite playlists.









Once upon a time, there was a boy. And a girl. They shared earphones once.








Now. They both use only one when listening to music, even if they have both to use. The other ear is trained to listen to the voices around them. For maybe they can hear that voice again.



"Eh?"



"Want to listen?"





And a new song is written out.