Chapter 16

I watched calmly as the curtains slowly rose up in front of me to reveal one of the largest crowds I had ever seen and coming from me, that was saying a lot. I could hardly believe that I was standing here in the NHSMC finals.

The day when Sesshomaru, Kohaku, Will, Lucas, Lily and Isabella discovered me in the forest seemed like a lifetime ago. So much has happened since then that I wasn't really sure how I did end up standing on this stage. Then again, did that really matter? All that really did was that I was here now with my friends and we were totally going to rock this stage.

I glanced over at Kohaku who smiled and began our piece with the first note. He started low and slow and gently crawled up the scale to a higher pitch.

Then Lily and Isabella joined in with their trombone and clarinet. Lily's trombone added a backbone to the piece with its deep, dark tones.

On the other side, Isabella's clarinet put a sweet and soft side to the music. Isabella was a lot like her clarinet. Both looked and sounded sweet on the outside but could show a more dangerous side when they wanted to.

Will leapt in with the flute matching Isabella's sound with some twists of his own. I had often thought that Will and his flute was an odd pair but it seemed to work for them. Will could be a perfect gentleman one minute and a ruthless bully the next. He was a hard one to understand but even I had to admit he was a master musician and performer.

Perhaps even odder than his love for the flute was Will's relationship with Lucas. How was it that two boys as different as night and day could be the absolute best of friends? It was certainly not something I, or anyone else, could explain.

Lucas caught up in Lily's melody with his trumpet and their music melded together. Then it was finally Sesshomaru and my turn.

I started with a high note and then lowered to fit into Kohaku's piano music. Sesshomaru mirrored by notes exactly two seconds behind me so it had an amazing echo effect.

Our piece was haunting but in a remarkably beautiful way. The lights were dim and the audience seemed to be under a trance as our music swelled around the room. I couldn't help smiling as my bow ran lightly over the strings on my new violin.

Everything was going so perfectly that I wanted to leap around the room with joy. How had I ever given up performing for so long? I would forever love and miss Shou but this was what I had been born to do.

Lily and Lucas's trombone and trumpet climbed higher and I was amazing that such large instruments could produce such sweet sounds.

Sesshomaru was still shadowing my violin until he fluently skipped a note and flew higher than me and now I was his echo. There was a collective gasp from the audience at our master move and a flurry of applause. I grinned over at Sesshomaru and had to hold back a laugh at his delighted expression.

Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, our song came to an end. The audience swarmed to their feet and the applause was defining. Lily threw her trombone up in triumph and we all joined her in the effect.

Cameras went off everywhere and I felt as though we had already won the Nationals, even though it was only about half over. As we ran off the stage the clapping followed us and filled the hallways.

Isabella burst into tears as soon as we had left the stage and actually allowed a laughing Kohaku to pick her up in a hug and spin her around.

I laughed as Sesshomaru did the same to me and Will to Lily. "I can't believe this is really happening!" cried Lucas, almost to overcome to speak, "That was absolutely amazing!"

"No kidding," Lily added, "There is no way we won't win after that!"

"I wouldn't be so quick to start talking like that," said a snotty voice behind us, "After all, I haven't gone yet."

Sesshomaru slowly put me down but I didn't even have to turn to know who it would be. "Hello, Ruby," I said with a sigh.

We all turned to face the smirking girl and I noticed happily that Sesshomaru kept one arm firmly wrapped protectively around my waist.

Ruby noticed and frowned. "Don't get me wrong," she said, "You guys were great and all but my school is going to win this thing."

"As I recall," Isabella drawled, wiping away her tears of joy, "You didn't win at Regionals. What makes you think you will now?

"And as I recall," Ruby snapped back, "You guys didn't win at Regionals so it could go either way."

"Regionals are more important than Nationals!" Isabella practically shouted.

"Ok, you two," said Sesshomaru in his most commanding tone and arm still around my waist, "This agreement is not going anywhere good. Ruby, you saw us up there on that stage and even you must admit that all of us were absolutely amazing. I wish you luck in your performance and we will just have to wait and see the results."

Ruby turned a sickly sweet smile on my best friend and replied, "Of course you are right, Sesshomaru. I wish you luck as well. If your school does end up winning, which they won't, I'm sure the only reason will be because of you."

"Oh shut up, Ruby!" Sesshomaru said in an absolutely calm voice.

We all looked up at Sesshomaru in shock as Ruby said in a tiny voice, "What?"

Sesshomaru smiled very tightly and replied, "I believe we have all been very patient with you Ruby but that was the last straw. You are still only ok when it to music and you are certainly a beginner when it comes to playing in a team. You have insulted my team far enough and I am tired of you looking over them as if they were nothing but an annoyance. They are my team and friends and I would thank you kindly if you stared to respect them as well as me."

We all stared at Sesshomaru in shocked silence and he left my side and leaning very close in Ruby's flushed face finished, "And the reason we are going to win today is because we are the best team of musicians here. That's all."

With that his normal blank expression returned and he returned to his rightful place by my side.

Ruby spluttered for several seconds before she turned on her heels and flounced away. I glanced up at Sesshomaru with a raised eyebrow but only smiled. He looked down and smiled as well.

"Do you guys really think we are going to win?" asked Isabella softly and I turned to her in some surprise because she was usually so confident about everything but she looked almost terrified now.

I stepped away from Sesshomaru and up to Isabella, putting my arm around her shoulders and said cheerfully, "Were you even listening to us out there? Of course, we will! Now stop worry, Isabella Farren because you are really starting to freak me out."

Isabella stared at me for a long moment before breaking into a giant grin, "You're right, Rin," she said snidely, "with my clarinet skills how could we not win?"

Lily snorted in mock horror, but I just laughed. That was just Isabella for you.

Just then the announcer's voice came back on booming that Ruby's school was up next. My friends and I moved forward to watch the performance.

As I watched Ruby and her group perform I felt a strange feeling. Watching the group I saw the flawless deliver of notes but there seemed to be something lacking in the performance. My eyes narrowed as I tried to pick out what it was. Chemistry was the wrong word and so was togetherness. I just couldn't put my finger on it…

"Friendship," came a voice from behind me. I turned my head to see Sesshomaru leaning over my head to watch Ruby. "Friendship," he repeated, "I think that is the word you are looking for. There isn't any bond between them. It's easy to see, if you know what to look for."

I turned back to the stage and replied softly, "I wonder if the judges know what to look for?"

Sesshomaru nodded and said, "Oh, I would think so. Those people have been in this business a lot longer than we have. They know what makes a great team?"

"Do you think we have what they are looking for?" I asked.

"More than any team I have ever been on in my whole life" answered Sesshomaru, "maybe even as much as Shou and you."

I laughed softly as I watched Lily whisper something in Kohaku's ear and Will point something out to Lucas and Isabella and replied, "You might just be right. This really is a special thing."

"More than we will ever really know," remarked Sesshomaru as he leaned down to gently kiss my cheek.

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