Chapter 7: Concert Confrontation

I tried to stay positive. When I got home, I did my laundry and told my family all about camp. Erik, the music, everything. I didn't mention that he had asked me to be his girlfriend. It seemed like it had been a one day thing. Or a 5 minute thing if you really got down to it. I was hurt. Silly, since it was only a crush, but not so, since it developed and died so quickly.

Sunday came all too quickly. It was the day of the Concert. Lucky for my family, we didn't have to travel to some odd place for that year's concert. Instead, it was held in our hometown, at the Really Useful Group Theater of Performing Arts. I biked there, and waited as everyone, choral group and orchestra alike, were organized into their respective areas. That year was the 10th year the camp had been open, which was why it was at the Useful Theater(this is what we called it for short).

Meg was there and for the most part, I stayed with her and my friends, some of whom I wouldn't be seeing for another year.

And so the concert began. The entire camp opened it with the song Gloria, by Vivaldi. From there, the Advanced Orchesta(my group) played the Concerto VIII in A minor for Two Violins. This was such a hard piece, but all our work paid off. It sounded amazing, especially with Mr. Reyer and Nicholas soloing in it. Next came the Junior Boys Choir singing Break Forth into Singing, Ave Verum, and Sahayta. Junior Girls came next, singing Music Alone Shall Live(how very true!), Cantate Domino, Sarasponda, and Hashvenu. It was amazing how many pieces I knew that they were singing. I'm a decent singer, not spectacular in any way really.

Finally the Intermediate Orchestra played. Two pieces, Accents and Boogie Man Blues. I found them quite distasteful, I didn't like the director much. He picked pieces that were too hard. And this was the case again…

But the Senior Girls Choir quickly brought the bar backup by singing the Overture to Die Zauberflote, Nodle Kangbyon, and Fire! I was amazed how they could switch from German to Korean to English so fast.

The Senior Boys raised the bar even higher by singing River in Judea, Barb'ra Allen and Nkosi Sikelel'/iAfrika. They closed the first half of the concert.

As I placed my violin in its case and took out a snack, Erik finally approached me. I tried to look like I could care less, though I think he saw right through that façade. When Nadir came up and began to make fun of us, he told him to "go die." He sounded quite irritated.

"Can we talk?" he asked. I nodded and followed him into the hall.

"Raoul won't leave me alone," he began. "He knows I asked you out."

"Yeah. I told him." I replied. I felt sorry for Raoul, being the last to know. So on my way home, I told him. I told him that Erik had asked me out and I had said yes. He looked so dejected.

"He told me not to treat you the way he did." Erik continued.

"Raoul never treated me badly. I was never dating him, I never liked him." Erik said nothing.

"Can you give me your screen name?" he asked. A flicker of hope ignited in me.
"Sure. If you give me yours." I said. He wrote his down and I wrote mine down.

"Time to go in folks!" Ray came around and ushered everyone in. Fate had hit me again. Erik grabbed my hand and we went in. I was almost completely happy again.

We did not open the second half of the concert. Instead the A Capella Choir did, singing Sweet, Sweet Roses of Morn. Then the Senior Girls showed their real talent with Bee! I'm Expecting You! and, ironically, Why Do Fools Fall in Love? I remember turning to Alena, asking if I was a fool. She laughed, but didn't really answer. The Junior Girls Choir then blew the crowd away with Petit Efant and A Menagerie- The Bandicoot, Giraffes, Whale. They were odd little pieces but cute none the less. The Intermediate Orchestra managed to scrape by with Water, Colors, and Cripple Creek. Unforcunatley for them, the Junior Boys showed them up with Get On Board this Train, The Water is Wide, and, in honor of Father's Day, Dear Old Dad. I don't think there wasn't a dad in the audience who didn't laugh. Everyone loved the piece!

The Senior Boys matched them with There is Nothin' Like a Dame and Shut De' Do'. That got a standing ovation it was so amazing. Some of those guy singers were just…I can't even put it into words. And just with a week of rehearsals! This is the power of music.

Finally, it was our turn. We began with Prelude to An Early American Folk Hymn by Claude T. Smith and then went right into the Finale of the St. Paul's Suite, the Dargason. It was a very peppy sort of jig, and it was awarded with a standing ovation.

The whole camp ended the concert with Light The Fire Within. Though we hated to play it, it was a very good song, and made the end of the concert an absolute success.

Once again, I found myself with Erik. As we left the theater, I cast one last look at Raoul. He looked at me sadly and then disappeared into the crowd. I still don't know if I have remorse about it.

Outside the theater, Erik pulled me into his arms and gave me a fierce hug. I could have melted. He was serious about me. I wasn't just a hook-up at music camp. I was his girlfriend.

That night, when I logged onto the internet, I found him waiting for me. And that, was the beginning. Well, the end of the beginning. The rest, was yet to come.

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Erik has her now. She cannot be mine. So, I made my choice. I am moving to New York, to be with my father. I will spend more time with my brother and father, I will forget about her. All these years, as I have liked other girls, she has always been there. Not anymore, she is someone else's girlfriend. It almost feels like a betrayal, though she doesn't know how I feel. She could never feel the same way, my Angel. I will forget about her. Christine…Christine…