Just Like A Movie

“Are you ready?”

Mele fiddled with the recording microphone, still not quite satisfied with its position.

“Hold on a mo.”

Fali sat nearby, laptop resting on his knees, waiting for her signal. The time had finally come - she was about to record her new song. If her manager approved it, it would be live in no time.

Her hands trembled slightly as she rubbed them together for warmth - though the morning wasn’t cold, and they both knew it.

“I’m really nervous.”

It had been a few days since they’d moved in. The furniture was, of course, delayed, but neither of them minded. It was inconvenient, sure, but far from unbearable.

He smiled.
“Nervous? What for? It’s not a live show. You can redo it as many times as you want.”

She nodded, unconvinced.
“I know, I know… I just-” She let out a breathy laugh. “It’s silly, isn’t it? Oh, man. Give me a minute.”

He nodded patiently as she ran through a few key parts of the song, humming softly under her breath. Her fingers moved with precision and grace - even her paralyzed ring finger didn’t seem to matter, though it stood out slightly as her hand danced up and down the fretboard.

He smiled as she calmed herself, watching her expression shift from anxious to focused. Finally, she straightened her back and gave a small, determined nod.

“Alright. Might as well give it a shot.”

He mirrored her nod, raising his left hand while his right hovered over the record button.

“Okay. On one.”

He lifted all five fingers and curled them down, counting silently.

“Five, four, three…”

His voice faded as he finished the countdown in gestures alone, pressing the button at one.

Mele began to play - softly at first, a gentle current of melody filling the empty room. The acoustics were perfect; the bare walls gave her voice a natural warmth, turning the sound into something intimate and alive.

Fali leaned back, smiling faintly as he listened. Her voice was the kind of sound you wished your alarm clock made - a sound that could wake you up smiling.

Mele squealed in delight as she reread the email for the seventh time, then threw her arms around Fali again - for the fourth.

“Ahh! I’m so happy!”

She wheeled around the room with one hand, spinning like a child on their birthday. Fali couldn’t help but smile. The email was simple but life-changing: her song had been approved. It was lovely, they said - almost ready for release. She had her record deal.

Along with it came something even more special: permission to sell her physical records exclusively in their shop. No other place could. The shop was practically guaranteed to thrive now.

He chuckled quietly. He’d never seen her this excited.
“This means way more to you than I thought.”

She stopped racing in circles, grinning ear to ear.
“Yeah! I’ve been dreaming about this since I was a kid!”

She laughed again, radiant.
“And this means I can keep making music without performing live! Oh, today couldn’t be better!”

Fali grinned back. He could think of a few things that might make it better, but he kept them to himself. Instead, he lifted his hand for a high five - and received yet another hug instead.

Not that he minded.

The afternoon sun streamed through the shop’s wide windows, catching in her dark hair until it shimmered gold. Long shadows stretched across the carpet, and for a moment, everything - the light, the laughter, the promise of tomorrow - felt perfect.

The shop’s bedroom was cold at night, especially since it was empty. Nothing retained heat. Yet Mele and Fali, lying under the same blanket, the hard floor softened only by a thick duvet beneath them, felt nothing of it. Their shared warmth was enough. They stared into each other’s eyes, letting the day slowly catch up.

They weren’t touching - not yet - but it felt as if they could almost hear each other’s thoughts, a quiet connection forming in the stillness. Mele spoke softly, a whisper that seemed needed only to stir the calm in the room.

“I’m so happy. It’s almost all going how we wanted it to.”

He nodded.
“It is. I’m surprised, honestly. Whatever deity’s watching over us must’ve gotten tired of playing games.”

She giggled.
“Do you think we’ll be left alone for a while longer? I have lots of things I want to do without a higher power interrupting.”

He chuckled.
“Who knows. But if something does happen, we have all the time in the world to try again.”

She nodded.
“That’s true.”

A flicker of nervousness appeared in her eyes.
“Uhm… Fali…”

“Mm?”

“I… just want to say thank you. You’ve been under so much stress recently because of me.”

He smiled warmly.
“Don’t worry about it. Look at us. We’re fine, aren’t we?”

She nodded.
“Yeah… I don’t know, it just seems like you’ve been more anxious lately.”

He swallowed a gulp of air that threatened to betray his worry.
“It… does?”

She nodded again.
“I wondered if it was my fault…”

He shook his head gently.
“I don’t know, but it’s definitely not your fault, okay?”

She nodded.
“Okay…”

Then she met his gaze, eyes glimmering in the slanting moonlight filtering through the curtains, smiling softly.
“I love you, by the way.”

He returned her smile.
“So do I.”

She shuffled a little closer - difficult without control of her legs, but she managed. Her legs brushed his, even if she couldn’t feel it.
“No, like… I really love you.”

She held out her arms, wrapping them around his neck and pulling herself closer. He copied her, drawing her in until their bodies pressed together. Their lips met - warm, soft, inviting. His heart thudded as he felt her heartbeat against his chest, syncing almost naturally with his own.

They parted slowly, breathing heavier than usual. Her smile, gentle and radiant, opened quiet vulnerabilities in his heart.
“I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”

Her brown eyes flashed with longing, voice dropping to a private whisper meant only for him.
“I’m yours tonight. All yours.”

Outside, a soft wind whispered past, carrying their hopes and dreams. Among them, one shone brightest: that despite everything, hope remained, holding them together, keeping them unbroken as the waves of life surged relentlessly around them.