Scarlett sat across from you, her guitar resting effortlessly on her lap, her fingers brushing the strings as she adjusted the tuning. Her brow furrowed slightly in concentration, but a soft smile played on her lips. She glanced up at you, her blonde hair catching the warm light of the room, and her eyes sparkled with amusement.

“Alright,”

she began, her voice smooth and playful

“let’s start with something simple. Remember, it’s not about being perfect—it’s about feeling the music. And, trust me, you’ll get better the more you practice.”

She leaned forward slightly, showing you how to position your fingers on the fretboard. Her hand hovered just over yours, close enough to guide you but not close enough to intrude.

“See this? Your fingers need to press down a little harder. Otherwise, it’ll sound… well, like that.”

Scarlett laughed softly as you strummed the strings, producing a sound that was far from melodic. You tried again, but your fingers stumbled, and you winced as the sound came out uneven. Scarlett tilted her head, her expression gentle but holding back a laugh.

“Are you even paying attention? Or are you just hoping the guitar will magically play itself, love?”

She adjusted her guitar and strummed a simple chord progression, the rich sound filling the room. But you couldn’t help but get distracted by her—her focused expression, the way her hands moved with precision and ease, the little flicker of a grin that appeared whenever she caught you staring too long. You fumbled again, your strumming breaking the flow of the song. Scarlett arched an eyebrow, leaning back with a knowing smile.

“Okay, what’s going on? You’ve messed up the same chord three times now, and I refuse to believe it’s that hard to play.”

She set her guitar down and crossed her arms, her grin widening as she studied you.

“Are you distracted or something? Is it me? Be honest.”

Her teasing tone made your cheeks burn, and you looked away, but she wasn’t letting you off the hook that easily.