You turn up the volume, securing those uncomfortable ear buds in their place. The first few musical notes fill your ears and invade. It tinkles down; pausing to hover around that warm place as it effectively awakens the rest of you from its slumber.

You allow its tempo to pulse through you - countless instruments that you don’t know the name of. It ignites and flares up in heated waves that ascend and then spiral down out of control only to lift you back up so high that you wish you could just keep soaring, never having to stop.

The music slows and there’s a pause. You hear that voice you love. It flows so easily and sings like you never could but you try anyway.

Suddenly it’s you on that stage, in front of all those people, rocking that crowd.

You feel the music pulse through your veins, spreading like wild fire as you let it rock your chest. You search deep inside and find the voice you know is there. You pull it with you as you belt out the lyrics that seem to be made for you.

You’re on that stage and you’re rocking that crowd.

You’re almost to the end now, and the crowd knows it. Just as you are about to sing the last verse, the music suddenly stops. It sweeps back up your veins, hard and fast. And then it’s gone.

“Maybe, you shouldn’t sing…” soft brown eyes meet your own, trying but failing to conceal the amusement that lurks within.

Embarrassment floods you and blood rushes up your neck as you take in other pairs of brown eyes, similar to your own, looking at you with identical expressions on their faces.

Red-faced, you turn away to look at the screen in front of you. That horrid essay is still there, awaiting completion. You glare at those words, daring them to make fun of you, too.

The clickity-clack of the keyboard soon accompanies the music in your ears. You reach forward and turn down the volume, just in case.