The Academy likes to get fancy.
When she got Carmilla's text, Laura imagined a nicely decorated school auditorium, maybe some colorful crepe paper hanging from the walls. But as she walked into Robert Karnstein Hall with her arm looped through Carmilla's, she gaped at the full-size concert hall.
Glass chandeliers hung from the 50-foot ceiling to accentuate the large stage. The massive, gold-trimmed curtains matched the red velvet of the hall's 2,000 seats, divided into three floor sections and two balcony sections on a second tier. Large panels lined the walls to enhance the theater's acoustics, and above the main entrance hung a large portrait of a handsome, dark-haired man.
"Robert Karnstein," Laura read the name engraved on a small golden plaque beneath the painting.
Following Laura's gaze, Carmilla's face fell. She quickly regained her composure. "He was my father."
"Was?"
"That's a story for another day, sweetheart." She gave Laura a sad smile. "Now, c'mon. There's someone I want you to meet."
Carmilla led them towards a tall, dark-haired woman surrounded by a group of parents and students.
Laura recognized Mrs. Karnstein immediately, stopping in her tracks and pulling Carmilla to a stop. "Wait. Robert Karnstein is your father? You're Mrs. Karnstein's daughter?!"
"And Lois Lane has done it again, ladies and gentlemen!" Carmilla smirked. "Carmilla Karnstein. Pleasure to meet you." She dramatically picked up Laura's hand, gently kissing her knuckles.
Laura giggled with a blush. "Stop that! People are staring."
"And they have good reason to. Have you seen yourself?"
Laura's blush deepened. "Okay, stop. Let's go see your mom."
The couple approached Mrs. Karnstein, drawing the tall woman's attention.
"Carmilla, darling! I'm excited to see how far you've progressed with your students. Tonight will be wonderful, I just know it." She gave her daughter a warm smile.
Carmilla grinned. "I hope I don't disappoint. Mother, I'd like you to meet Laura."
Taking notice of Carmilla's company, Mrs. Karnstein's smile widened. "Oh, I'm afraid you're a little late. We've already met." She addressed Laura, "Hello, dear. Hollis, correct?"
Laura gave the woman a polite smile. "Yes. It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Karnstein."
"Oh, please, call me Victoria."
Laura giggled, "Yes, ma'am."
Carmilla spoke up, "How do you two know each other?"
"Remember when I ran into you in the hallway? I was at the school because I was interviewing your mom."
"Yes, darling. Your friend here is quite wonderful."
The theater's lights dimmed, immediately returning to its normal brightness before flashing once more. The large crowd began to disperse, claiming their seats for the night.
Mrs. Karnstein glanced at her watch. "Ah, the first performance will begin soon. I hope you enjoy the show, Laura." With another warm smile, the tall woman strode off to find her seat.
"Met the parent before meeting me? Aren't we moving a little fast, cupcake?" Carmilla joked as she guided Laura towards their seats, a delicate hand placed on the small of her back.
Laura rolled her eyes. "It was for work!"
The two girls sat a few rows from the stage in the middle section. Their seats allowed them a full view of the stage.
Carmilla leaned her head back against her seat, lazily staring at Laura. "So, what? Are you a reporter?"
Still distracted by the grandeur of the concert hall, Laura nodded. "I'm a journalist. I just moved here a month ago for a job offer downtown."
"I see." The dark-haired girl closed her eyes. "What do you write about?"
"I got lucky. With my new job, I have a lot of freedom with my stories. I pretty much just write about whatever catches my eye."
"And have you found anything interesting?"
Laura glanced at her companion with a small smile. "I just might have."
The recital consisted of a mixture of group and solo pieces. There were performances from different orchestras, bands, and choirs of various age groups, and the occasional brave soul had the opportunity to present their skills unaccompanied. The acts varied in genre from classical to rock to modern pop, allowing for an entertaining show for the audience.
After a magnificent performance from the senior orchestra, the host walked onto the stage to announce a twenty-minute intermission.
"So, cupcake. What do you think?" Carmilla asked, standing up to stretch her legs.
"They're amazing! They learn all of that at the Academy?"
Carmilla chuckled, "These kids live and breathe music. They were born with the talent. We're just here to help them along the way."
"Well, I could hardly play 'Hot Cross Buns' on the recorder in the first grade."
"Then stick around. We could teach you a thing or two."
Laura smiled. "I'm holding you to that. You still owe me a guitar lesson."
A tiny, frantic voice interrupted their conversation, "Miss Carmilla! Miss Carmilla!"
Carmilla knelt down to speak to a small brunette girl, "Hey, Grace. What's wrong?"
"Emma's string broke while she was tuning her guitar! Can you fix it, please? You're the fastest." Grace pointed towards another little girl sitting on the side of the stage. She was noticeably upset as she stared down at a small guitar.
"Of course, sweetheart." Carmilla stood up, looking to Laura. "Sorry, creampuff. I'll only be a moment."
"Oh, don't worry about me. I'll be fine." Laura watched as Grace grabbed Carmilla's hand, dragging her towards her friend. Carmilla turned her head to look at Laura, jokingly rolling her eyes.
Laura kept her gaze on Carmilla as she saw the dark-haired girl sit on the floor next to Emma, carefully adjusting her black evening gown. She whispered something to Grace, who promptly nodded and ran off. Carmilla turned her attention to Emma, gently taking the guitar in her hands as she wiped away the young girl's tears.
"She's something else, isn't she?"
Laura let out a small yelp, turning around to see a grinning brunette man. "Will! You scared me!"
Chuckling, Will stole Carmilla's seat, "Eh. I would say I'm sorry, but I'm really not."
Laura shook her head with a smile, "You two are the same. What are you doing here?"
"My nephew goes here. Plays the cello."
"Aw, that's so cool!"
"Yeah, the kid's a little musical genius." He nodded his head towards Carmilla. "Speaking of musical geniuses, enjoying the view, are we?"
Laura blushed, returning her gaze to Carmilla. Grace had returned with an extra guitar string and a pair of pliers. Carmilla was in the process of replacing the broken string. "I'm just trying to figure her out."
"Like I said, Carm's something else. Believe it or not, she's one of the most compassionate, caring people I know. She just doesn't show it."
"Why?"
Will shrugged. "Troubled past."
"What happened?"
"Not my place to tell. Everyone has their backstory, some more tragic than others. Just be patient with her. She doesn't trust many people, but I have a feeling she'll open up to you eventually." He turned to Laura with a serious expression. "She may seem tough, but she can also be extremely fragile. I hope I don't have to worry about another person hurting her."
Sensing his implication, Laura firmly shook her head. "I would never hurt her."
Will's face shifted into a fond smile. "I had a feeling you'd say that. I like you, Laura. I think you'll be good for her." Without another word, Will stood up and walked away.
A moment later, Carmilla reclaimed her seat with a sigh, "Crisis averted. I saw you talking to Will. What'd the little weasel want?"
"Uh, nothing! We just talked. About things."
The dark-haired girl chuckled, "You're a terrible liar, cupcake."
Laura bumped her shoulder against Carmilla's. "Oh, shut up."
Carmilla leaned towards the shorter girl, running her hand across Laura's jaw. "Make me," she purred.
Blushing, Laura grabbed Carmilla's hand to restrain it in her lap. "Nope."
The lights dimmed as the host walked onto the stage to introduce the next performance.
With her hand still confined in Laura's lap, Carmilla shifted her fingers to entwine them with Laura's, giving her hand a light squeeze.
Laura smiled as her eyes remained focus on the stage, missing the similar smile on Carmilla's face.
After another musical act, the host addressed the crowd as a large group of students walked onto the stage, taking their positions in the orchestra and choir.
"For the final performance of the night, the kids would like to invite a very special someone to the stage. She's one of the Academy's very own music instructors, and she's been a huge factor in the growth of many of our students. Please give a huge round of applause for Carmilla Karnstein!"
The concert hall was filled with a loud applause as a bright spotlight focused on Carmilla. She stood with a smirk, waving at the crowd as she walked onto the stage. One of the older students brought her a microphone with a stand, stopping to whisper something in her ear. The dark-haired music teacher nodded, smiling at the boy as he returned to his spot.
Carmilla spoke into the microphone, "Hey, everyone. I guess I'll be doing a bit of singing for you tonight. But first, I want to congratulate all of the students here at the Academy. Each of you is so incredibly talented, and I'm excited to continue watching you grow in your journeys toward musical success."
In the crowd, Laura grinned, enthralled by the compassion and confidence in the girl's voice.
"We're going to play a little song we've been working on." Carmilla smirked as she turned to face the students. "Let's do this thing, kiddos." The dark-haired girl raised her hands and began to count, "Five, six, seven, eight…"
The percussion students began with a simple melody, soon joined by other members in the orchestra. Carmilla turned towards the audience. Taking a deep breath, she began to sing the first verse.
Cold nights, strange dreams
Memories stuck like glue
Her face, her voice
Sail across the seas with you
Can you hear all the angels?
Carmilla smiled as the kids jumped in to sing the chorus, creating an eerily majestic atmosphere within the theater. Her gaze wandered the crowd, finally coming to a stop on Laura.
When you feel like you're out there on your own
Know there is someone watching over you
When out at sea feels nothing like a home
Oh sailor, we will blow the wind like
And if you're tired of them
Telling you what to do
I hope you know that you can sail right on
I hope you know you've got the ocean blue
From her seat in the audience, Laura stared back at Carmilla. She smiled as she raised her hand in a small wave, receiving a wink from the dark-haired girl. She thought back to Will's words from earlier.
I like you, Laura. I think you'll be good for her.
She sure hoped so.
