Everybody has something. It’s not a physical thing you’ve received like the shirt you bought last week or the groceries you had to get for yourself. You never know how or when you got it. You don’t even know how long you’ve had it. It’s strange. Some flaunt it, some hide it, and some deny they even have it. A something.
This story starts with Vic. Vic was never outstanding. He was the most average as you could get. Whatever you consider average to be. His hair was short and straight, his face wasn’t very revolutionary, and he was an okay height. He had an average amount of friends, with an average family, and an average life, or so it seemed. “Average” was the only way to describe him. Fortunately, Vic knew how average he was. He didn’t mind though, everyone was average. Everyone had an average amount of friends, with average families, and average lives. It’s similar to how the world turns. Everyone did the same thing they would have done the day before. Nothing was out of place, and, most importantly, no one stood out.
One day, something odd happened to Vic. He woke up like every other morning, got ready for their day, ate a good breakfast, and walked out the door to start their day. From home, Vic walked to his first destination, work. Vic was a widely regarded doctor around the city, he passed his finals with flying colors despite his young age. As he walked he kept his head up and kept an eye on his surroundings. He turns around the same corner he does every day and, oddly enough, it was the first time they noticed someone sitting on the curb of the sidewalk. They had a black hood over their face and a few black strands of hair peeking out of it. As he walked past them he could hear the person hum a tune, but Vic never listened to music. He shrugged them off and went on his way to work.

It was lunchtime and Vic decided to go get a sandwich and a latte from the nearby coffee shop. It was silent as he walked in, the baristas smiled at him and began working on his sandwich. Then he got served his sandwich and latte. As he ate, he looked out the window and watched things pass by. It was the same every day. He saw someone unfamiliarly familiar walk into the coffee shop. They had a black hood over their head and they were quite short. The mysterious person sat down across from Vic at the far end of the coffee shop. They took off their hood to reveal their long wavy black hair. She had pitch black eyes, the kind that was so brown they looked black, they looked like black holes that sucked you in. She glanced up at Vic then got up to go the back or the coffee shop. This whole day has felt weird from the beginning.
He finished his sandwich and gulped down the rest of his latte. Just as he was about to leave, he hears a tune. It was familiar. Vic never listened to music. The wavy-haired girl sped out the coffee shop as the music played, the baristas struggled to stop it. Vic rushed out the door after her. He ran after her and tackled her as she was about to cover her face with her hood.
“Turn it off,” he demanded.
She pushed him off and got up, ”What’s your problem?”
“Costumers are going to get distracted by that ruckus, turn it off.”
The girl rolled her eyes,” Y’ know, back then, people enjoyed the music playing everywhere”
“It’s distracting, I suggest you turn off the music before I create a bigger scene with the authorities involved.”
The girl stared at him blankly and sighed, “ Fine.”
She walked back into the coffee shop and unplugged a Bit from the speaker system. The baristas scolded her then let her go on her way.
Vic followed her on the way out,’Why would you do that?”
She glares at him and says, “Maybe because people are ignorant? Because the world is a repetitive, bland place where nobody cares to find out new things or develop and change? It’s almost like everything is monotoned.”
“Listen, ma’am, I wasn’t asking for a lecture. Just stay out of people’s way, you and everyone else will benefit from it.” Vic steps back and begins his walk back to work.
“What will I benefit from being alone, huh?” she remarked.
He stopped.
“Y’know, maybe if people were to consider venturing out more, the world would be more colorful,” she finally said as she walked away.
Vic stood there taken aback. He couldn’t sleep well that night.

The next day, Vic woke up late, which never happens. He messily put on the clothes he had on yesterday and popped a piece of toast into his mouth as he lept out the door. He turned the corner and found the same girl from yesterday leaning on the wall with Buds in her ears. She was nodding her head lazily as she tapped her foot. Vic groaned and walked right past her. Ironically, she began following him.
“What are you doing?” he asked, visibly annoyed.
“Jumping out of an airplane obviously, genius,” she replied.
“You know what I mean.”
She laughs, “Where are ya going?”
“It’s none of your business.”
“Yes, it is,” she said.
“No, it isn't.”
“Yes, it is.”
“No, it isn't.”
“No, it isn't.”
“Yes, it is!”
She began to laugh, “ See? I told you it’s part of my business!”
Vic groaned even louder, “ Very funny. I’m supposed to be at the front of the hospital at this time to start work, but I overslept.”
She looks at him sympathetically and pats his shoulder, “ You’ll be okay, you better start rushing over to get there.”
He looks at her and smiles then runs all the way there.

Lunchtime rolls around, Vic walks to the coffee shop. He notices the girl sitting outside the coffee shop on the bench. He sits next to her and asks,” Not going in?”
She shakes her head,” Nope. They won’t let me after yesterday.” She still had the Buds in her ears.
He stands up and goes in. She was slightly hurt by his sudden urge to leave. He came back with two sandwiches and a latte and an espresso. They both ate together in silence. Vic decided to break it by asking,” Do you enjoy listening to music?”
She nods eagerly, “ Why do you think I went to such measures to do what I did yesterday? Not a lot of people nowadays like listening to music because it’s distracting.”
” I don’t listen for that exact reason,” he chuckles awkwardly.
“Well then, wanna hear what I’m listening to?” she asks taking out one of her Buds and passing it to him.
He hesitantly puts the Bud in his ear a listens to the music. It had the same tune as the song from yesterday. Strangely, he enjoyed it. They remained in comfortable silence as they ate. The song was never one he had heard of but it was quite good.
“What song is the name of this song?” he asked.
“My own,” she said proudly.
He was shocked, “Really?”
“Mhm! I attempted to plug a Bit into the speakers yesterday to get my song out there...”
“I could only image, your name-” Vic never realized he hadn’t asked her. “What is your name, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“My name is Tori,” she said.
“When did you learned you enjoyed music?”
She thought for a moment, “ Since forever.”
He smiles then looks at the time,” I have to get going now, I’ll see you tomorrow Tori.” He went on back to work.

That evening when Vic got out of work he went to a music shop. It was full of an array of instruments with a variety of styles. He scanned the store and ended up at the keyboard section. Unlikely enough, he bought a keyboard and a book to learn how to play. Needless to say, he stayed up all night learning to play it.

In the morning, Vic chugged down a cup of coffee and headed out to work. When he turned the corner, Tori wasn’t there. It was different, but he continued on to work. As he walked in, he sat at his desk and typed in the same paperwork as usual. Originally, Vic enjoyed his job. He enjoyed making people feel better from their sicknesses and making sure people stayed healthy. Oddly, after yesterday, he’s never been so happily occupied by something before. He knew the whole music thing would never work out. He would stand out, no one would ever want that. Maybe being average wasn’t his thing. Maybe he had to be the person to make the world more colorful.