Purgation

   "It's all really simple. Nothing a six month old guitarist can't do. Give it a try. First, do a G, then G2, then a D tab. "

"You do know you make all this sound too easy right?"

"It is what it sounds like, Kyla. Simple yet brilliant. Kinda like me, you know."

Skylar Williams shrugged off the comment by blowing loud raspberries at her friend and guitar guru Matthew Callahan. The morning dew from the long grass of the garden radiated a fresh scent that seemed to be aiming for the balcony where Kyla sat on a plush divan, trying to get to grips with the six-stringed finger buster, a Gibson Hummingbird belonging to Matt.

"So how are you getting along in your quest to rule the skies?" Kyla asked between strums.

Matthew is a student at Cambridge University chasing his dream of becoming a pilot. He has come a long way from home, and despite only having left Singapore for two months, Kyla could tell he was already feeling a tinge of homesick. For Skylar was a shrewd psychology student at the same campus, and could make out the telltale signs of a homesick puppy.

"It's going fine I guess. Apart from busting my brain with the math every other day, it's all dandy. Seems you've got the hang of the first few tabs. Next do an E minor, then a D, then the G2 and G for this part."

Matt was introducing Kyla to the music scene, her first instrument being the guitar, at her request. He starts her off with the simple stuff, beginning with an acoustic rendition of Green Day's Good Riddance. It also helped that Skylar had a good ear for music, which, in Matt's eyes, just meant she had a similar taste to him, and was familiar with the song. Skylar pauses abruptly before starting on the next set of tabs.

"I'm pretty sure you'd be chuffed to bits to have your family around these parts," Skylar pipped in, keeping a nimble eye on Matt's microexpressions.

"Yes, I may be missing my peeps back home, Kyla. What else can you conclude from your psychoanalysis of your subject here, Doctor Williams?" Matt replied with a hint of bemused sarcasm.

Matt didn't like being figured out easily. He took pride from knowing more about his compatriots than they do about him, and while he wasn't chasing a psychology degree, he was astute enough to counter whatever mind-game pedigree Skylar had. 

"Well, captain," Kyla starts, a jab at his dream career, "You seem to be missing a certain dear friend as well, and I would love to help you if not for these troublesome strings here."

Matt didn't like where this was going. Neither did he like the sounds emanating from the Gibson. Some of the strings were brushing off Kyla's dainty fingers, letting out a suppressed tick. 

"I miss all of my friends," Matt mutters nonchalantly, as he grasps Skylar's hand on the fretboard, and starts correcting her when necessary, almost shadow playing the guitar, all the time handling Skylar's fingers with all the smoothness of a puppeteer with his marionette from above.

Skylar silently mimics Matt's long fingers, thoroughly enjoying the whole experience.

"Of course you jolly well do, but I'm pretty sure all of them aren't named Isabella." 

Matt was immediately caught off guard, releasing whatever pressure he had on Skylar's fingers on the fretboard. Skylar though, was content to keep the pressure on and continue playing, having hit home.

"So who is this Isabella girl?" Kyla pressed him.

Matt was oblivious to her question; he could feel Kyla's brunette hair flowing in the wind against his shoulder. A faint smell of lavender seemed to disrupt the steady flow of the morning air. The sun shone through Skylar's left, and Matt had his breath taken away as Skylar's charming caramel face revealed a shimmer of light from a pair of lovely brown eyes, hiding behind her black thick-framed spectacles. 

"What?" Matt managed, still transfixed by the beauty that beheld his eyes.

"Captain, we've lost power from the engines!" Kyla exclaimed, playfully snapping her little fingers in front of him. 

"That's very funny, Doctor." Matt was out of his trance, albeit still taking in Skylar's beauty inconspicuously.

"Just know that the paybacks are a pain. Anyway, Isabella's an old flame; it doesn't matter."

Skylar had put the guitar down on a stand facing the divan. She rested her head on his right shoulder, deftly inserting the Linkin Park themed guitar pick into his left breast pocket.

"As old a flame as that guitar?" Kyla asked inquisitively.

So that's how she knew, Matt exclaimed in his head. The guitar was a gift from Isabella, and it featured a small signature of her name she had signed herself among the white dove decorative found embellishing the pick guard. He could still make out the small inscription spelling out "Izzy" on the guitar from where he was. 

"Yeah, that's how I found out, Matt." Skylar could see Matt's eyes had turned to the guitar as he figured it out.

"You're getting really interested for a psychoanalysis, Doctor. Alright, she wasn't just any other girl. She bought me that as a gift, would you believe that?" Matt gestured toward the Gibson.

Indeed, Isabella Summers was in many ways a really close friend of Matthew. But it was only very unfortunate that all the relationship they had together was thrown away under a startling turn of events both found too hard to handle. And although they're both now on casual terms, Matthew was wistful to let go of what they used to have together.

"I wonder what kinda paint thinner she was smelling when she thought of that." Skylar kidded.

Matt laughed it off but although it was all humorous to him, Skylar could see he was still deep in thought regarding the curious character that is Isabella Summers.