Chapter Seven
Music
Fang POV
I resist the urge to groan at the bell and start packing my stuff up. Beside me, Gage checks her schedule while simultaneously shoving everything into her messenger bag.
"Ah, vultures." She mutters under her breath.
"What?" I ask.
Her head snaps up to look at me. "Oh. I, uh... never mind." She splutters for a few seconds. "I forgot where the music room is..." she explains at my look that says, 'go on.'
I give her a half smile. "I'll show you." I stuff my sketchbook into my bag and walk out, Gage trailing me.
"So... do you have music next as well?" Gage asks, flipping her bangs out of her eyes from where they peek out from under her baggy black beanie.
Oh, wow. Talk about alliteration. Try saying that ten times fast. Baggy black beanie, baggy black beanie, baggy black- you know what? It's actually not that hard. Never mind. Forget I said- er, thought- anything.
"Yeah. My little sister made me sign up for it." I answer. Why did I say that?
"She used the Bambi eyes, didn't she?" Gage asks in a knowing tone.
"Yep."
"Those horrid eyes will be the death of me. Pure evil." Gage jokes.
"You have siblings?"
"Four younger siblings, one older. You already met her, though." Gage replies, dodging random people in the hall way.
"What are you in music for?" I ask in a conversational tone, leading Gage down the stairs of the Fine Arts building. First floor is anything and everything music related, second art related, including a mini art museum, and third is creative things. Drama is the building right beside this one, a sky bridge adjoining the two Fine Arts buildings.
"I play violin." Gage responds offhandedly.
"Didn't know we even had violin." I comment, opening the door for Gage.
As she walks through, she replies, "I'm the only one so far."
I nod. Then notice something.
I just had a full conversation with someone I just met today. And it wasn't one of the kids' friends or a bunch of threats.
Nudge would say that I'm making progress.
We walk into the music room, the teacher smiling from her place at the front.
"Well, hello, there. Since you're the first few, go ahead and choose your seat." The woman says as she pulled blonde hair into a ponytail. "Oh, and your violin in int he instrument closet. Feel free to go get it." She addresses Gage.
Gage nods and heads toward the back.
"Does everyone know you?" I ask jokingly as I lean in the threshold of the closet.
"No," Gage begins, swinging a small violin case on her back. "We met this morning when I was getting a tour of the school and dropping my violin off." She explains before striding past me to a seat in the back of the room. She unzips the case and opens it almost reverently to reveal a white violin with a black design on it. The lines of the design swirls and dance around each other, a complicated and elegant design.
One word: Wow.
"I'm going to take the slight widening of your eyes to mean that you are now in awe." Gage says, smirk planted on her face. She unstraps the violin and takes it out, running a hand along it. "This," She starts, holding out the violin, "Is my baby. Also known as Alitameloscalith. It means noble sorrowful song of the violin. Lita, for short. Creative, I know." Yeah. Read that name again really slowly. You might understand it then. Might.
By this point, people have started to file into the room, talking loudly as they attempt to find a seat. A few people(more like half the class) notice Gage and I talking and give us weird looks, as if to say, "Why does the new girl have a violin, and why is she talking to Fang?"
"Okay, students, find a seat and sit do-" The music teacher is cut off by the blaring bell. An annoyed look crosses her face as she closes her mouth, waiting for it to end. "Anyway, you get the gist. My name is Mrs. Smith, you music teacher. Now, if you play a wind instrument or are looking to play one, you're in the wrong place. That's across the hall." At this, a few kids stand up, embarrassed, and make their way out of the room. "Okay, now all of you play or are looking to play stringed instruments, right?" Everyone nods, more or less. "Good. My rules are simple. No gum, keep things school appropriate, only use your technological devices when I allow it, and don't injure anyone. Got it?"
Nods of consent all around the room.
"Now, some of you may have not decided what you want to learn to play yet. Some of you have. I will be teaching guitar, piano, and, now, cello. Our new student, who plays violin, has agreed to teach up to four people violin. Gage, come introduce yourself."
Gage rises and strides to the front of the room, her white violin and bow contrasting against her mostly black clothing. She offers a small smile. "Hey, guys. My name's Gage."
Mrs. Smith is about to ask something when the door bursts open, and Iggy's tall frame fills the doorway.
"Well, someone's late." Mrs. Smith comments.
"I know, I know, but it's hard not to get lost when your blind. Wait. This is the music room, right?"
Yeah. I guess I forgot to mention that Nudge and Angel used to Bambi eyes to get Iggy in music too. I'm not really sure how it works on him, but he claims he can feel it. I find that slightly creepy.
"Yes, it is. And you are?" Mrs Smith asks, holding out her hand. She must not have cached the blind part of Iggy's excuse. That, or thought it was a joke.
"Iggy Ride."
"Ah." Mrs. Smith retracts her hand. "You're my blind student." She looks at the class. "There's an empty seat in the back..."
I stand up and walk toward the front.
"Come on, Ig," I say, then turn and start walking to the back. Iggy follows close behind, then plops down into the seat beside me. "My guess is that Angel made you join." I state more than ask in an undertone.
Iggy nods. "Remind me again why her name is Angel?"
I chuckle quietly and return my attention to the front.
"How long have you been playing violin?"
"I started teaching myself when I was seven. When I was nine, I got an instructor that taught me notes and what I hadn't previously taught myself. by the time I was twelve, my instructor quit, saying there was nothing more for me to learn." Gage explains, shifting positions, looking slightly uneased behind a relaxed, laid back facade. What would make her nervous? Better yet, what would make her so good at hiding it?
I'm barley even started on unraveling the mystery of Anna-Mae Gage Black...
I was originally planning on this chapter being longer, but felt that this was a good place to leave off.
Ooh, what is Gage's secret, hmm?
May you keep a strong heart and a steady mind,
-KaiAmazonKnightley
