In the park, Teffy strums her guitar. TS taps a beat on her water bottle. Tay Tay sings the harmony. A crowd of kids gathers, smiling, swaying to the music. Then Hannah appears at the edge of the group, whispering and pointing at their instruments.
Teffy's jaw tightens. 'She's trying to make us sound bad,' she says. She plucks a sharp note from her guitar. The other kids drift away, one by one. TS and Tay Tay exchange worried glances.
She marches over to the older girl and stands tall. 'We're The Taylors, and we make music we're proud of.' The older girl rolls her eyes and sneers, 'Your music is embarrassing.' Teffy's cheeks burn.
Teffy walks back to TS and Tay Tay. Her fists are clenched. 'I want to show her,' she whispers. Tay Tay puts a hand on her shoulder. 'What if we show her instead?'
The three girls huddle close and begin writing a new song. Teffy strums a bright chord progression on her guitar. TS taps a rhythm on her water bottle. They practice the harmony three times — each time louder, each time stronger.
They set up at the center of the park. Teffy sings the first verse, her voice steady and clear. The older girl approaches with arms crossed, ready to mock — then she stops. The melody wraps around her like a warm blanket.
The older girl opens her mouth to say something mean. A note slips out instead. Teffy catches her eye and gives a small nod. The older girl hesitates, then hums along. The harmony swells.
The other kids clap and stomp. The song ends with a final, bright chord. The older girl looks down at her scuffed shoes, then whispers, 'That was... good.'
Teffy grins. She reaches into her backpack and pulls out a second guitar. 'Want to learn the chords?' The older girl looks up. She nods slowly, a real smile breaking through.
The older girl takes the guitar. She sits down beside the group. 'I need help with the barre chord,' she admits. Teffy laughs and sits beside her. 'We can figure it out together.'
They play together — four guitars this time. The music is bigger and louder and full. It rolls across the park and into the neighborhood. The sun is going down.
Teffy strums the final chord and watches her new friend try it on her own. The music doesn't stop. It only gets bigger.