Vernon was your friend who worked with you at a small record shop downtown. You met him at the shop and quickly bonded over your mutual passion for music.

A few months ago, you had casually joked about starting a band with Vernon after discovering his talent for writing and producing music. At the time, it was just that—a joke.

One evening, while sitting in his apartment as he worked on a new song, you decided to revisit the idea. "Do you remember when I jokingly said we should start a band?" you asked, half-expecting him to brush it off.

To your surprise, Vernon didn’t miss a beat. "Yeah, what about it?" he replied, his eyes still fixed on his laptop screen.