TUNING LESSONS

Jonah was with Dan and Maxxie. They were on the other side of the city centre, because Maxxie had a rehearsal for a new play which was opening in the west end. Jal had done everything she could not to get in his way; she still felt guilty about him losing the job at Christmas.

Jal focussed on the music.

It was simpler than other pieces she'd seen, not even as hard as the Weber she played to get into the school, but she couldn't concentrate. Her fingers kept slipping, and her mind was shot.

"You alright?"

Jal glanced up towards Jake.

She nodded, tapping her pencil on the heavy wooden desk.

"Just can't be arsed with the theory."

She turned back to the manuscript, trying to imagine the melody in her head, but there was no use. She began to bite her nails, tearing off skin around her cuticles like chicken.

"Are you worried about Jonah?"

Jal turned to Jake again. It was the first time one of her friends from university had mentioned him; it almost seemed like Jonah was a taboo sometimes.

Jal nodded again, slowly.

She stared at Jake, for the first time noticing the depth of his hazel eyes. They were almost as bright as Chris's had been. His curly hair was messy too, and Jal's gaze followed a thick chocolate brown coil falling over his face. She imagined how it would feel wrapped around her fingers.

Jal shook her head and scolded herself for daydreaming. She had work to do.

She ignored her thoughts, and refused to look at Jake again on principle. Her concentration was still rubbish; she couldn't take her mind off Jonah, Chris or Jake. She felt guilty for even looking at someone else, even though she knew Maxxie was right. And how did she know that Jake would be interested in her anyway? She had a kid, a whole load of excess emotional baggage, and papers of scandal behind her, even if she was one of the most advanced musicians in the school.

Jal cleared away her stuff and crammed everything into her bag. She picked up her clarinet case and swung her bag over her shoulder before scrabbling around in her pockets, looking for her mobile.

"It's here."

Jake was pointing to her phone; it was hiding behind his book.

Jal snatched the phone quickly, smiling in thanks at Jake, and jabbed the buttons hard.

"Fuck!"

She pressed her fingers over the buttons, desperately willing a reaction to take place, but nothing.

"Want mine?"

Jake was holding out his iPhone.

"I don't know how that works."

Jake grinned, showing off his gorgeous smile. Jal had to tell herself off again.

She told Jake Dan's number, and soon she was talking to him. She could hear Jonah gurgling in the background. It sounded suspiciously like a melody. Shit. She'd be furious if Maxxie was right about Jonah too.

Xxx

Jal was rehearsing the duet with Jake.

She listened to how he played, and noted his changes in expression and volume so she could criticise him. It had to be perfect.

Jake, of course, had been gracious enough not to criticise her part much anyway.

Despite the fact it was ridiculously out of tune because her clarinet had been knocked in the corridor. He even tuned it for her after.

He came to an end, the tension building in the piece up to the last few bars.

"It's good. Really good."

"Sure?"

"Well, just tighten up in that mid section and make sure the timing doesn't slip, and then it's absolutely perfect."

Jake smiled again, and Jal couldn't help returning his grin.

They went through the piece again, Jal counting out the music precisely for him so they could get the timing right to the millisecond.

They only had a few minutes left until they had to leave the room - someone else had booked it.

When he finished, Jal bent over the music to write in some notes to remind them of expression and volume. She could sense Jake watching her, and she felt suddenly very self-conscious.

Jal turned to face him slowly. He closed the lid of the piano, balancing her clarinet on top of it, and was focussing on her intensely, even though she was looking straight back at him in confusion.

"What are you doing?"

Suddenly, she felt his lips pressed against her, his tongue flicking over hers.

He drew back, and Jal stayed still.

He waited for her to respond, but she didn't.

She was thinking everything and nothing all at once.

Jal didn't look at Jake as her eyes began to itch, and she reached for her clarinet.

"We'll have to practise in my flat, Jake. We need to go over the piece some more."

She knew he was disappointed, but she was still too scared of letting Jonah down.

And Chris.

She didn't know if she was ready to be kissed again yet.