Alice then walked over to the bed and sat down while Talon pulled out a chair and took a seat. He looked at Alice intently, noticing the mix of emotions playing out on her face - anger, annoyance, and enthusiasm.
"So... I'm really mad at Maya," Alice began. "She canceled the contract unilaterally, even though we didn't have a written agreement. But the guitarist is actually her boyfriend, and he's angry because he found out you were performing with her at the bar. So, there's not much we can do about it."
Talon nodded slowly and responded, "I hope nothing too bad happened to them."
Alice shot him an annoyed glance. "I don't really care about her. It's her problem," she said. "But don't worry because I have good news for you." She smiled broadly.
Alice went on, "The bride apparently witnessed your performance with Maya at the bar and was quite taken with your guitar playing. She spoke to me and proposed that you have the opening solo performance before Maya and her team at the wedding. The catch is that she expects you to both play the guitar and sing the song."
Talon nodded slowly, feeling extremely enthusiastic at the news. "I'm sure I can handle this, Alice," he replied confidently.
Alice clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Don't take this matter too lightly, you young man!" she chided. "I heard you singing last week, and while it seemed to be quite standard, I could tell that you had the potential to do more. Are you confident in your abilities?"
The main aim for Talon was to perform in front of a minimum of 500 people; this would grant him access to an additional 10 skill points, which he could use to further enhance his guitar and vocal abilities. His singing skill was only at 7, a beginner level. However, he was confident that he could do it. Talon was aware that he could choose songs with difficulties he could overcome and use his guitar skills to disguise his shortcomings. Consequently, it was clear why Talon was optimistic about his upcoming performance.
Alice suggested, "What if you showed me by singing a song while playing the guitar? I can record it and send it to the bride."
Talon agreed, "Yes, I'll do it."
Alice then surveyed the room and clicked her tongue. "You don't have a smartphone?"
He shook his head. "No, I can't afford to buy a new one yet."
Alice then stood up, "In that case, come with me to my room. We can record it there."
Talon nodded and brought his new guitar, which made Alice raise her eyebrows.
"Now I remember that you have a new guitar," she said with a wide grin.
"Yes... thanks to you, Alice," he said gratefully.
Talon followed Alice out of the room, ensuring that he locked the door securely behind them. As soon as they stepped out, they saw Marlo standing in front of his room, his eyes fixed intently on Talon.
"So," Marlo started again, his tone dripping with sarcasm, "Your guitar was broken. Where did you get the new one from? Did you steal it?"
Talon's eyes narrowed in suspicion as he heard Marlo's words. He paused for a moment, realizing that the only people who should have known that his guitar was broken were Alice and Maya. But now, Marlo was proclaiming it as if it was common knowledge.
Talon was now certain that Marlo was the one who had damaged his instrument. Marlo had effectively incriminated himself. Talon's hands tightened into fists, and he prepared to confront Marlo, but then something unexpected happened. Alice rushed over to Marlo and pushed him against the wall.
Alice's eyes widened with fury. "How dare you say something like that about him! How did you know that Talon's guitar was broken!" she said firmly.
"The fuck are you doing, Alice?!" he snapped back.
Alice's face was contorted in anger. "No one knows that Talon's guitar is broken. How do you know that?!" she demanded.
Marlo shifted his eyes and said, "I heard it. He was crying after his guitar broke."
"What is your problem with him, huh?" she continued.
Marlo then grabbed hold of both of Alice's wrists.
"Alice, why are you so fiercely defending this guy? He has no future," Marlo said.
"Let go of me, or I'll punch you in the face, Marlo. Don't make me even angrier," Alice replied.
"Listen, there's something wrong with you. You're too close to him. He's nothing but a piece of trash. He's not even worth anything. He's a busker," Marlo said.
Talon quickly stepped in and seized Marlo's wrist, squeezing it firmly. "Let go of her, Marlo!" he demanded.
Marlo glared at him, his eyes blazing with anger. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he snapped.
Talon tightened his grasp and forced Marlo to relinquish his hold on Alice. "You jerk! Don't you ever put your hands on me again!"
Marlo tried to lunge forward, his fist poised to deliver a punch to Talon's face; however, Talon was quick on his feet and agilely dodged to the side, Marlo's body crashing into the wall.
As the commotion grew louder, doors along the hallway began to swing open, revealing curious onlookers. Some peered out from behind their doors, while others boldly stepped into the hallway to see what was going on. Their eyes dart around to take in the chaotic scene. Some were dressed in pajamas, others in street clothes, but all seemed equally perplexed by the disturbance. As they emerged from their rooms, they formed a small crowd that gathered around the three at the center of the drama.
"What in the world are you doing so early in the morning!" they yelled.
Alice stood firm with a look of determination. "This person needs to be taught a lesson," she declared.
Marlo felt his anger rising further, and he clenched his fists. "You guys are the worst!" he yelled.
Marlo then stood up and was about to punch Talon brutally, but Talon was one step ahead. He quickly ducked and threw a hard punch at Marlo's stomach, sending him crashing to the floor.
"Stop it, Marlo!" some people shouted.
"I'll call the police!" they shouted.
Alice stepped forward, her eyes fixed on Marlo. "Get out of here, or else I'll report you to the police," she said firmly.
Marlo glared angrily at Talon and then slowly rose to his feet. "I swear I will have my revenge!" he declared.
"Get out of here, Marlo!" Alice snapped again.
"You people have interrupted my sleep!" some of the others chimed in.
"I don't deserve to be thrown out of here just because of that insignificant man, Alice!" he said resolutely.
Alice firmly told Marlo, "If you don't shut your mouth, I'll give you one more punch in the face."
Marlo was still desperately trying to keep his anger at bay, his fists clenched tightly, but he lacked the courage to do anything else.
"God damn it all!" he hissed, and without another word, he stormed into his room and slammed the door shut.
Alice shouted, "I'm not going to let you keep living here any longer, Marlo!" but there was no response from within.
"Damn it, that asshole!"
Alice was seething with anger as she sat in her room, accompanied by Talon. She hastily chugged a bottle of mineral water, and some of it dripped from her lips onto the white cloth covering her chest.
She forced a smile onto her face and glanced at Talon, asking, "Is this incident distracting you?"
Talon shook his head slowly.
He already knew who had broken his guitar, and although he was still annoyed, he had done something that made Marlo feel embarrassed in front of many people. Asking Marlo to compensate him with money for the damage to his guitar was also not the right answer, as the guitar didn't hold a high enough monetary value; its worth was more in the memories it held.
He tried to calm himself; he had to be more careful with whom he chose to associate in order to stay away from people like them. Moreover, he had acquired a new guitar, and he would need to take better care of it.
"No," he replied, "I don't think so."
"That's good," she said. "Then let's get to it."