Beneath the Surface

Elise sat in the quiet of her apartment, her guitar resting against the wall. The faint hum of the city filtered through the window, filling the silence she didn’t have the energy to break. Her mind, however, was anything but still. It replayed the studio session with Alexandra on an endless loop, each glance, each word, each shared note circling like a song she couldn’t get out of her head.

She leaned forward, rubbing her hands over her face as if she could shake the thoughts loose. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Collaborating with Alexandra was supposed to be about the music—about creating something raw and true, something that mattered. But somewhere along the way, it had become about her. About the way Alexandra’s eyes lit up when they nailed a difficult section, the way she bit her lip in concentration, the way her laugh had a habit of catching Elise off guard.

Why was it so hard to breathe around her lately?

Her phone buzzed on the coffee table, pulling her from her thoughts. She glanced at the screen, her stomach doing a small flip when she saw Alexandra’s name.

Alexandra: Hey, just realized we left that rough cut on the desktop. Can you double-check it tomorrow?

Elise exhaled, her shoulders relaxing slightly. It was such a mundane message, yet her heart still skipped in response. What was wrong with her?

Elise: Sure. I’ll handle it in the morning.

She hesitated before adding:

Elise: You get home okay?

The response came almost instantly:

Alexandra: Yeah. Thanks for asking.

Elise set the phone down, running her hands through her hair. The conversation wasn’t remarkable, but the warmth in her chest lingered anyway.

The next morning, Elise arrived at the studio early. She needed the quiet to center herself before Alexandra showed up. Maybe if she immersed herself in work, she could wrestle her emotions back under control.

She booted up the computer and located the rough cut they’d recorded last night. Listening to it again, she felt a familiar swell of pride. Their voices blended seamlessly, creating a sound that was uniquely theirs. But beneath that pride was the memory of Alexandra’s gaze locking with hers during the bridge, her expression open and vulnerable in a way that made Elise’s chest ache.

The door creaked open, and Elise’s pulse quickened despite herself. She turned to see Alexandra stepping in, her bag slung over one shoulder and a coffee cup in hand.

“Hey,” Alexandra greeted, her smile warm but a little tentative. “You’re here early.”

“Yeah,” Elise said, keeping her tone neutral. “Wanted to get a head start.”

Alexandra nodded, setting her bag down. “Good idea. Did you check the rough cut?”

“Listening to it now,” Elise replied, gesturing to the speakers.

Alexandra came closer, standing just behind Elise’s shoulder. Elise could feel the faint heat of her presence, and it took everything in her not to lean back, not to close the small distance between them.

They listened together, the room filled with nothing but the sound of their music. When it ended, Alexandra let out a soft sigh. “It’s good,” she said, her voice thoughtful. “But it’s missing something.”

Elise glanced at her, their faces unexpectedly close. Her breath caught for a moment, and she quickly looked away. “What do you think it needs?”

“I’m not sure yet,” Alexandra admitted. “Maybe a subtle string section, or some layered harmonies. Something to give it more depth.”

Elise nodded, focusing on the screen. “We can try a few things.”

They worked in relative silence, the occasional exchange of ideas punctuated by the quiet hum of creativity. Elise was hyper-aware of Alexandra’s every movement—the way she tucked her hair behind her ear, the way her fingers tapped against the desk when she was thinking, the way she tilted her head when something clicked.

At one point, Alexandra leaned over to point at the monitor, her hand brushing against Elise’s. It was a fleeting contact, but it sent a jolt through Elise that she couldn’t ignore.

“Sorry,” Alexandra said, pulling her hand back quickly.

“It’s fine,” Elise muttered, her voice a little too soft.

Alexandra hesitated, her eyes searching Elise’s face. “Are you okay? You’ve been… quiet today.”

Elise’s heart thudded painfully, and she forced herself to smile. “I’m fine. Just focused.”

“Okay,” Alexandra said, though she didn’t sound convinced. She lingered for a moment longer before turning her attention back to the computer.

By the time they wrapped up for the day, Elise was emotionally exhausted. The unspoken tension between them felt like a tangible thing, growing stronger with every shared glance and unintentional touch. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could ignore it—or how much longer she wanted to.

“Good work today,” Alexandra said as they packed up. Her voice was light, but there was a flicker of something deeper in her eyes.

“You too,” Elise replied, slinging her guitar case over her shoulder. “See you tomorrow?”

Alexandra nodded. “Yeah. See you.”

Elise left the studio feeling like she was walking through a fog, her thoughts a chaotic mess. She didn’t understand what was happening between them, but she couldn’t deny it anymore. Something was there, simmering just beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to spill over.

And as much as it scared her, part of her didn’t want it to stop.

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