Chapter Seven
Christine sighed as she walked again to music that first period on Monday. Sleeping in then only just remembering that it was a music practical lesson as she arrived at the school had not been a good start to the day; seeing as she had forgotten all her vocal music.
Also realising there was a vast amount of knotted hair at the back of her head underneath the top layer of curls had not helped either; stopping to check it in the bathroom and ripping out a great chunk really didn't fix the problem.
So as she entered the music building, ten minutes late, to find that all the practice rooms were taken up by years eleven and twelve students and the classrooms were used by year sevens, Christine was not happy.
Groaning in frustration she got her name marked off by Mr Hawkinson and attempted to find someone to share a room with. Elinor and Heather were already sharing and Carlotta was a true menace to ever attempt to work with. Michael and Alex were arranging a jazz piece for trumpet and saxophone in the end room and William the Asian who never talked was practicing his 8th grade scales on piano, his fingers flying across the keys with great speed.
But then there was Erik, who was sitting in M3 by himself, composing upon the grand piano, humming as she entered.
Christine listened calmly to the piece he was composing; a sweet melodic piece and she guessed it was for both vocals and piano from the way he muttered, scribbling across the music manuscript.
Erik jolted, only just seeing her and smiled by reflex. Remembering the weekend however his smiled turned to a defensive grimace as he held his manuscript to him, eyes darting, and his black mask was upon his face once more.
"What are you doing here?" he asked nervously and she shrugged.
"Every other room either has a class in it or is already being shared by students; could we please share? I need to practice" she said nervously, wondering what caused his smiling face to suddenly turn grim and defensive.
"I guess" he said grudgingly, turning back to the piano, beginning to play the piece through; a classical vocal piece in Latin with piano accompaniment. He hummed to it, biting the inside of his cheek as he saw in the reflection of the plastic music stand Christine frown and dump her books upon a chair.
After a little while he paused to alter a bar, glancing at Christine who was flipping through her musicology theory book, impatiently catching up on some reading.
"You can use the piano now" he said guiltily, picking his manuscript off the music holder and carrying his books and pen over to a chair.
Erik sat, doing his work as he figured out the notes in his head. Christine sat at the piano and placed her fingers upon the keys lightly; playing the introduction to a song she used to warm up.
As Christine opened her mouth to sing the fire alarms began to squeal and she groaned, remembering today they were having a fire drill.
Standing and gathering her books she left the room to make her way to the oval where the entire school should meet.
Erik sighed and collected his books; this was going to be a long day.
"Christine can you believe Angelina dared show her face after she was found with Brendan between her legs on Saturday night? I mean-what a slut" Meg said grimly as she sat down next to Christine in period three Modern History.
"What? Do you expect her to stay home from school and miss class because she's afraid of you?" Christine said in confusion and Meg rolled her eyes.
"That's not the point!" she exclaimed and Christine raised an eyebrow, sceptical and sighed. Meg hadn't mentioned much about her and Brendan's breakup, even though they had been together for over eighteen months. She had been strangely quiet in the past days and Christine knew something was wrong.
"You and him over?" she asked, pulling out her text book as Miss Kempfern entered the classroom and Meg glared at her cousin.
"Of course"
"Hey" Raoul said, smiling with adoration, kissing Christine as she approached her locker and she smiled; he had a talent to brightening up her day.
"Hello you" she said sweetly, his arms falling gently around her waist as she ran her hands through his messy blonde hair.
"How's your day been?" he asked as she pulled out her English books and placed them with her folder atop her locker. Sighing she turned to him.
"Not that good really, I just feel really out of it" she said leaning against his tall strong torso and he held her to him.
"Well do you want to spend lunchtime with me? Go to the canteen, hang for a bit?" he suggested and she smiled.
"That would be perfect"
Erik sat at the grand piano in M3 again, practicing through lunchtime. He knew it was safer at the music building; only the band geeks and music students were up there at lunch and they wouldn't try to bother him. Erik couldn't face being mocked again as he had been on Saturday night.
As his fingers flew across the keys Erik heaved a sigh and stopped, pulling out some blank manuscript and began to write a piece.
Closing his eyes he allowed his hands to come up with the notes and soon he heard a perfect melody being played for him.
Leaning forward he pencilled in this melody and looked at it, wondering what he could make from it; concerto? Suite? Aria?
Smiling as he decided Erik began to find the lyrics...
"There should be no one up here; I want to show you a new piece I've just perfected, it's really quite beautiful," Christine said as she walked up the stairs to the music building.
"I'm sure it is with you playing it" Raoul said squeezing her hand and she smiled at him.
"Flattery will get you nowhere" she giggled and he pulled her to him at the top of the stairs.
"Oh I think it might" he said seductively and leant his face against hers, nose against nose, just taking in each other's presence.
They continued along the long hallway of the music building until the couple reached M3. Christine placed her hand upon the doorknob but paused when she heard someone begin to play a beautiful melody. Her eyes widened as she heard a perfect tenor voice begin to sing.
"Hearing is believing, music is deceiving
Hard as lightning, soft as candlelight
Dare you trust? The music of the night…"
"Who is that?" Raoul said, peering to look at Christine. She was still standing with her hand on the door, eyes wide, mesmerised by the music.
He sighed and pushed the door open gently and Christine gasped as she saw Erik sitting at the piano, eyes wide at being caught out. He removed his hands from the piano in embarrassment as Raoul smiled at him.
"Was that you singing?" he asked curiously and Erik nodded, scratching his head nervously as he looked at Christine who just stared at him.
"Ummm...yeah" Erik said and Raoul smiled.
"You have a real talent; it sounded pretty damn good. We were wondering if we could borrow this room soon. Only for a couple minutes if it's okay" Raoul asked and Erik nodded.
"Oh, yeah I was just about to leave anyway" he said, gathering his books and pieces of music manuscript he had scribbled across.
"You sure?" Raoul checked and Erik smiled and nodded.
"Sure" he said and walked out, his face going red as he left.
Erik walked down the hallway and stopped in the locker room, placing his music with his flute case and locking the locker. He pulled out his iPod and put it on shuffle, tuning out to the music as he entered M1. He sat down at a spare computer and opened his school account, destler01, and started composing on the Sibelius music composition program provided.
Why did it have to be her who caught me?
Because you have the worst luck in the world you dumbshit
Oh shut up
No, why don't you just get over her instead of gaping at her like an idiot? Honestly it does nothing for your image.
What did you think of my lyrics? Do you think they're good enough for the music assessment approaching?
Well...now that you ask. I like the 'Music of the Night' idea but not sure about that second verse you wrote...
What was wrong with it?
Hearing is believing? It's a bit cliché don't you agree?
How so? What else could I write for it? Any ideas?
How about...'Turn your face away, from the something light of day, turn your thoughts away from something light, and listen to the music of the night'? I think that's pretty snazzy...
I like it, but how about the 'garish light of day'? And 'thoughts away from cold unfeeling light'?
That's good...now I remember why I bother keeping you around...
Shut up...
Christine sat at the piano and let her fingers play the sweet tune, closing her eyes as the introduction end and she began to sing.
"Think of me
Think of me fondly
When we've said goodbye
Remember me once in a while
Please promise me you'll try.
When you find that once again you long
To take your heart back and be free
If you ever find a moment,
Spare a thought for me…
We never said
Our love was evergreen,
Or as unchanging as the sea
But if you still remember
Stop and think of me…
Think of all the things
We've shared and seen
Don't think about the way things
Might have been…
Think of me,
Think of me waking,
Silent and resigned
Imagine me,
Trying too hard
To put you from my mind
Recall those days
Look back on all those times
Think of the things we'll never do
There will never be a day when
I don't think
Of you"
She turned to smile at Raoul and he took her hand, kissing her cheek as he sat next to her at the piano. Christine played quietly, her fingers trailing across the keys as Raoul kissed her neck, mesmerised at the beauty of her voice, her devotion to music.
"Christine..." he whispered lovingly as she began to sing the last verse, smiling hard with Raoul's arms around her.
"Flowers fade,
The fruits of summer fade,
They have their seasons
So do we
But promise me that sometimes
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