Follow The Music
Keep pushing to meet someone halfway. You could be overwhelmed by a change in someone's tune. What seemed great in the morning becomes impossible in the afternoon. You could be taken aback by this change. Stay centered. Tonight: Follow the music.
Natalia frowned over her cereal. Follow the music? Horoscopes never made much sense to her.
"Are you ready for school?" Ivan asked, hovering nearby in the kitchen, watching his adoptive sister curiously. Natalia was a rather different girl, quiet and quite reserved.
"I am now," Natalia replied standing up and putting her empty bowl in the sink to be washed later.
"Would you like me to drop you off at school?" Ivan offered. Normally Katyusha, his older sister would drop the young girl off at the local high school but Katyusha had an early call at the hospital she worked at and had to leave before Natalia even woke up.
"No thank you brother. I will walk. It is a nice day today," Natalia said calmly although on the inside she was freaking out. If her brother dropped her off, then the rumours would start up again. Yes, she was fiercely devoted to her brother, having saved her from the dreaded orphanage not too long ago, but she wasn't in love with him.
"You will be careful, da?" Ivan said, holding open the door as Natalia slipped on her shoes.
"I am always careful, brother," Natalia replied, walking out the door. Ivan watched his sister walk away, a bit of worry in his stomach. Ivan was quite aware of the rumours circulating the high school [a distressed Katyusha had informed him after she had comforted a crying Natalia] and wished he could take matters in his own hands. But no, this was Natalia's problem and like a Braginski she would face it with pride and perseverance. Ivan would not intervene.
Natalia walked along the sidewalk, lost in thought. She wasn't looking forward to school – she never did. It was same old, same old. Same teachers droning on things Natalia could care less about. Same idiotic students whispering and paying absolutely no attention to the lesson. Same egotistic, vain, self-centered, overdramatic, melodramatic, boring students walking through the hallways, sitting in the rooms, talking with their friends – it was all so tedious for Natalia! Natalia couldn't be bothered with making friends with these… one-track minded people. They already had made her social outcast – why bother even attempting at friendship?
Natalia sighed as she neared the high school. Kids were milling about on the pavement, just standing and talking to each other. Natalia couldn't wait for the end of the day. Katyusha had promised to take her to an actual professional ballet performance. Finally she'd get to see what a professional ballet dance would be like. Natalia's favourite dance style was ballet. She was proficient in many other types but ballet was her best.
Natalia walked through the courtyard, ignoring the students and their stares and walking towards the school. Once upon a time the stares would've gotten to her; the rumours would've broken her. That was a long time ago. Natalia didn't care anymore. Perhaps, if she had actually paid attention, she would've noticed the small smile thrown hopefully in her direction.
School was a blur. English was dull, Math was torture, Science was a haze and History felt like it ended a second after it started. Natalia sighed, smiling. Soon the bell would ring and she would be on her way to the ballet performance. Nothing could bring her day down.
The beginning notes of Clair De Lune filled the air as Natalia's cell phone rang. Her brother had gotten her one in case of emergency although it had never been needed until now.
"Hello?" she asked, straining to hear the other line. Students milled about around her; talking in loud voices of the things they'd be doing afterschool.
"Hello Natalia? This is Kat – I know I promised you we'd go see that performance at the Queen Theatre but…"
"But what?" Natalia asked gripping her phone, knuckles turning white. No, this can't be – she was looking so forward –
"Something's come up at work and I'll be coming too late to take you. I already called Ivan and he can't come either. I'm so sorry Nat I know how much you wanted to go…"
Natalia blocked out the rest of Katyusha's words. She didn't understand why she was so mad – it wasn't Kat's fault she couldn't go. But Natalia could only see red as she stomped down the hallways. She was too mad to go home, too mad to do anything.
By this time most of the school had left the premises, leaving Natalia alone in an empty hallway. Natalia blinked multiple times, trying to not cry. It just wasn't fair – she had been looking forward to it so much in the morning!
Soft guitar music filled the air as Natalia fumed. Stupid hospital, stupid Katyusha, stupid Ivan – stupid everyone. Now she'd have to wait until the performing troop came back the year after to see them perform. It just wasn't fair!
Natalia froze, looking around. She had finally just noticed the soft music playing in the background. The music confused her – where was it coming from? Since this was real life and not a corny teen chick flick the music must be coming from somewhere…
Follow the music. Natalia rolled her eyes. Of course her horoscope would come true of all days. She decided to walk in the direction the music was coming from, keeping her footsteps silent. She didn't want to surprise whoever it was that was playing the music after all.
It didn't take Natalia long to find the source of the music. Seated underneath the staircase was a lone figure, strumming quietly to himself. Natalia recognized him faintly – he was in a few of her classes. A boy she didn't really pay attention to nor cared for.
The boy's green eyes were twinkling as his fingers moved on the guitar. He seemed to enjoy playing the guitar, Natalia mused. Almost the way she enjoyed dancing. It was captivating watching him – he never seemed to look up from the guitar, his eyes always twinkling, his fingers always moving. Who was this kid? Natalia couldn't even remember his name. Perhaps if she had tried better to get to know the people in her class…
The boy finally stopped playing, looking up with a sigh. Natalia's eyes widened and she flattened herself against the wall so he would see her. Too late.
"Hello? I-is someone there?" he called out nervously. He had supposed the school was empty – the thought of having an audience unnerved him. "Please, if you're there… please come out. I'm not going to bite or anything," he added, smiling slightly, the smile that had been unknowingly ignored by Natalia earlier.
Natalia bit her lip, moving towards the boy. There was no point in hiding. Hiding was for cowards and Ivan and Katyusha did not bring her up to be a coward. "Hello," she said shyly, stepping into the boy's view.
The boy's eyes widened. "N-Natalia… hey," he said, eyes softening. "Didn't know you were still here."
Natalia shrugged. "My sister was supposed to take me to see a performance but something happened and she could not come. I felt like wandering the halls for a bit before going home," she told him. "What are you doing here?"
The boy blushed. "I was hoping to practice some of my guitar somewhere I wouldn't be interrupted in…" Natalia blushed as well.
"I'm sorry – I'll leave you to your guitar," she said quickly, turning away.
"No wait! You're an exception," he said shyly, smiling a sweet smile at her. Natalia's blush deepened.
"Thank you," she said quietly. A silence lingered between them.
"W-would you like to sit and listen?" the boy said shyly. Natalia nodded and sat down beside the boy as he moved to make room for the girl.
Again the fingers were pressed to the guitar and began to move. Natalia was taken by how the boy never faltered, never hesitated. It was very much like how she danced. Daring to take a glance, Natalia noticed the twinkle returned to the boy's. He looked up briefly and their eyes met before he looked back down, blushing a deep red.
Minutes had trickled by when the song finally came to an end. "D-did you like it?" he asked hopefully.
"It's beautiful," she said softly. The boy blushed, looking away. "Would you like to be friends?" she asked suddenly. "I've never had any except for my sister and brother and…"
"I'd love to be friends," the boy said, cutting into Natalia's shy explanation. She smiled.
"I'm Natalia Braginski," she introduced, extending her hand to his. He smiled.
"I know. I'm in your math and science class, remember? I'm Toris Lorinaitis," he said. Toris. Natalia blushed.
"I knew that," she murmured. Toris laughed.
"I don't mind if you didn't," he said quietly. He had always felt bad for the girl, what with the rumours and harassing she seemed to always get. Natalia smiled shyly at him and Toris's heart leapt. She was such a pretty girl too...
The two spent the rest of the afternoon together, Natalia listening to a shy Toris play his guitar, even going as far as to perform a bit of her ballet for her new friend. By the time they had to bid farewell to each other, Natalia had already forgotten about the ballet performance she unfortunately missed.
Because she followed the music, she ended up making her first friend.
The End.
A/N: Suddenly, the pair heard a voice overhead them.
"Um bitch, that's like my BFFL. Back off." Toris looked up in shock - could it be? Could it actually be his long lost love - Feliks?
It was! "Feliks!" Toris cried out, tossing his guitar to the and slow motion running to the other boy.
"Like duh, that's my name - don't overuse it!" he chippered as Toris ran into his arms.
"I missed you so much!" Toris admitted.
"Like, so did I. Let's go shopping and chill and stuff."
"Ok!" And with that the two skipped away.
"Hey wait what about me?" Natalia asked. There was no response. Sadly, poor Natalia began to sob heaving tears of saddness as it began to rain, rather like a hit Bollywood movie.
The Actual End.
Aha nah, even I'm not that evil [or am I?]. Yeah, the basis of this story is completely random - I was reading the horoscopes in the newspaper and saw that for Virgo. FUN FACT: me and Natalia have the same birthday :D So yeah, I saw that for my horoscope and thought it'd be cool writing it for Natalia. She's so much fun to write about when she's not crazy. I should try writing a crazy!Nat story. One day. Heh heh heh.
Reviews make Toris play guitar for you.