I was taking a walk around my neighborhood. It was a lovely morning, the autumn smell filling my noise, the autumn leaves giving a satisfying crunch as my sleek, black boots stepped on top of them. It was the weekend, so I didn't have to worry about anything.

It felt good to think about.

I looked at a stop sign, which was covered in graffiti. Some people see it as a crime and as gross... but I think of it as art. It is a way of expression. Sure, its illegal, but is expressing your feelings that others may not understand illegal?

I smiled as I read some of the graffiti markings.

"Music is life," I whispered, reading one of the phrases. "I like that a lot." I turned the corner and started walking down a new street. I exhaled. For once, I didn't have my music on full volume. It was at a gentle volume— and I only had one earbud in.

I walked for a few more minutes until I heard music. I knew it wasn't from my earbud. I paused my music and glanced around the street. I started to follow the noise to find... a boy in a black hoodie was gently strumming an electric guitar. It was a younger boy who seemed to be a middle schooler. I started very slowly walking closer.

He glanced up at me.

"You play good," I said.

The boy immediately got shy. "Thanks," he whispered as he stopped strumming.

"How long have you been playing?" I asked.

"Um... a few years... my parents don't allow me to play inside so... I sit out here," He said as he started putting the guitar back in his case.

"What? Why are you stopping, it was beautiful," I said as I put my hand on top of his case. My knees were now on the ground in front of the little boy. "Sorry," I said as I lifted my hand from the case. The boy just stared at me as if I was a kidnapper. "I didn't mean to startle you... It's just... I've been playing for a while and know good playing when I hear it. You got talent, kid."

The boy seemed shy, but he then lifted the guitar out of the case and handed it to me. I hesitated as I looked at the guitar.

"Do you want me to play something?"

The boy nodded.

I gently grabbed the guitar. It had good weight to it. Good quality.

I started strumming a complex melody that took me years to perfect. The boy gaped at me and pulled his hood back. I noticed that me and him were dressed very similarly, as I too had my black hood up. I stopped playing after a good minute. I pulled back my hood.

"Wow... you are good," The boy breathed. I don't know why I felt so comfortable playing in front of him. I can't even play in front of people I've known my whole life, but this felt different.

"Thanks. You know, you got nice form," I said as I handed the guitar back. "Keep it up," I said as I got up. I started walking down the street again. It blew my mind that he was so determined to play the guitar that he would sit outside in the cold every morning just to play... People can hear all over the neighborhood, but he wasn't scared. I suddenly felt bad that he couldn't play inside. I thought I had it bad. Before I even knew what I was doing I spoke.

"Hey kid," I called as I turned around. The boy looked at me. "If... if you want lessons and want to play inside... I can teach you how to play."

"Really?" The boy asked. He had a genuine smile on his face.

"Yeah," I giggled.

"I'd love to!" He said. "Where do you live?"

"424 Windward Avenue," I said as I started to walk off.

"Awesome! I'll come... when?"

"Whenever after school hours... does that work?" I asked walking backwards so I could face him. I saw as he nodded in the distance. I could see his smile from here. I smiled.

"Wait!" I heard the boy call. I turned around. "Do you go to the same school as my brother?" He asked.

"That depends, who's your brother?" I asked.

"His name is Liam Harvath."

I froze. Liam?

The boy waited for my response. I then spoke. "I know a Liam... I don't know his last name though."

"Oh, well my brother said that there was some girl in class that played guitar and wrote music. Is that you?"

I stood my mouth wide open. I slowly shook my head—

"Ivan, who are you talking to?" I heard a voice that sounded familiar. The boy turned around as a boy who looked my age walked toward us. He then locked eyes with me.

It was Liam.

The Liam.

I stood there in complete silence. The boy, or Ivan, then looked up and said, "This is... what's your name?" He asked, looking at me.

"Abby," I murmured.

"This is Abby, she is going to start teaching me how to play electric guitar. She is so good at it!" Ivan exclaimed.

"Huh," Liam said as he looked at me. "Hey, Ivan, can you leave us for a sec?" Ivan nodded as he ran back to his house and started packing his guitar. I stood there in silence.

Liam finally broke it by saying, "I knew you could play."

"What do you mean?" I asked quietly.

"The music-room. You have a voice too."

I felt like crying. Anxiety started to build up. He heard me in the music-room?

"Abby?" Liam asked. It now made sense... I heard footsteps outside of the door... it was Liam.

"Y-you heard me playing... in the music room...?" I stuttered.

"Yeah. I was going to play drums for a while, cause I can't play at my house, but I saw you go in there and decided to listen. It was beautiful. You got talent."

"No, I-I don't. Really... um... I'm gonna go," I said as I turned around and started running down the street.

"Abby!" Liam called, his voice quiet yet loud.

I kept running as fast as I could. I was so embarrassed. I made it to my house and ran inside front door and ran into my room. I shut my bedroom door and slid down it as I began to cry.

Just then I felt myself break as all my thoughts of myself began to unleash.

I will never be the person I want to be.

No one understands.

I am a failure.

"No," I whispered as I wiped my face. "I'm better than that... at least, I will be," I said to myself. I then stood up as I grabbed the Battle of the Bandz poster from my trash can.

If Ivan is so determined to sit in the cold in front of an entire neighborhood every morning just to hear a small tune, I can do this.

It all starts with a step.

I exhaled.

Can I do this?

I guess we'll find out.