Madame Galura looked at the new student in her class. "I hope you've already introduced properly, because we're just going to start. No time for some small talk and questions. Class, today we're going to work on the volume of the sound. Let us begin …"
I don't have to sing at my best, just like papa said, Melody thought. She then remembered what her father had said. "Remember not to sing at your best from the start, people don't need to think you've already took lessons. But don't sing to bad, you have a beautiful voice, let them hear a bit of it," Erik had told her.
She took a deep breath and started her singing with half the capacity she possessed. Jean-Jacques seemed to know she didn't do her best, he saw the half bored look on her face. He looked strangely at her. Melody didn't seem to notice that he was starring at her, but unfortunately Madame Galure noticed.
"Jean-Jacques, please focus your attention to the singing, not the eyes of your neighbour," she said with her stern voice. Jean-Jacques grinned a bit embarrassed to Melody when she turned her face to him, her face showing a little shock. The rest of the class just laughed a bit. And Phillipe just had to give his opinion to the whole situation. "Come come now, Jean, she just here and already have taken seizure of her. Give the rest of the group some time to gain her trust"
Jean-Jacques reacted quick: "too bad you've already lost it, isn't it" Phillipe just glared at him and Jean-Jacques smiled. But Madame Galure ended his victory too quick for his taste. "Everybody quiet. I don't want to hear another thing that don't concern this class. Now everybody, commence again". Melody concentrated again on singing half her capacity.
After about two and a half hours, the lesson was over. Melody lifted herself from her chair and was about to leave the room when Jean-Jacques stopped her. "What was that all about?" he asked her. She didn't knew what he was talking about, so she just gave him a look.
"You seemed as if you did not take the lesson serious," he told her "It was if you were bored" Before she could answer, Katerina joined the conversation. "Let her be Jean, she just new and already had argue with Phillipe. Don't expect that she is overenthusiastic."
"But it seemed like she was…" he tried once more. "Enough Jean, just drop it okay," Katerina said as if she warned him for something. He immediately stopped the discussion and looked at Katerina. Melody thought that he would do anything for her, the look on his face showed this anyway. Melody smiled and walked off, leaving them some time.
But immediately she regretted that choice, she didn't knew how to get to the next lesson. She was about to turn in her tracks, but a voice halted her. "Where are you going?" Melody turned around to meet the source of the voice and was surprised to see Phillipe in front of her. "I'm going to find some help in order for me to find my next class," she answered him in a cold voice.
"Well, maybe I can help you," he offered her. "No thanks, I will manage without your help," she said glaring at him. "Still a bit angry about that mask thing?"
"You think," she answered him sarcastically. She was about to turn away from him when he said: "Well let me at least give me a chance to make it up to you," he tried. "Fine, just show me the way. But don't think everything is forgiven and forgetting." "I wouldn't have thought of it," he said smiling.
At the moment Melody and Phillipe left, Katerina and Jean-Jacques came around the corner. "Oh no, Phillipe already have her in his claws," Jean-Jacques said. "I think she's smarter than that to fall for his tricks, don't worry. She probably haven't forgotten what happened this morning," Katerina said.
A few moments later
"Here you are," Philipe said. "Thank you," was all Melody said. She entered the room and nobody was there yet. Her eyes widened and she turned around, but all she heard was a clicking sound. "Philiipe, open this door this instant!" she yelled at him. She heard him laughing. "Now now, not so tough anymore is it."
Anger was boiling in every fiber in her body. "Open this door right now" "Or what else," he taunted her. She took a few steps backwards and then she kicked the lock as hard as she could. Luckily the lock was already a bit old, so the door opened when she kicked it.
Phillipe had not expect this. He starred in fear at Melody, who's eyes now seemed to flare with pure hate. He did not waste any time and started running. "Yeah you run, little coward. Now look who's tough"
Jean-Jacques and Katerina were walking at ease when all of the sudden Phillipe passed them with enormous speed. "I wonder what happened to him," Katerina asked. Jean-Jacques snickered a bit. Then they saw Melody walking in their direction and neither of them could contain their laughs. Melody looked at them, realizing that they've seen Phillip running down the hall and she too laughed. "Can you guys show me where to go to?" she asked.
"Of course we can, follow us," Jean-Jacques said. She followed them and after two minutes, they arrived. When they entered they've noticed that Phillipe wasn't there yet. "Probably still running from you Mel," Katerina said. They all took a seat, Jean-Jacques and Katerina sat next to each other and Melody sat alone. Their teacher, Monsieur Orfraie entered.
"Well well, it seems we have a new classmate. Please dear, tell us something about yourself." Melody looked around, noticing that everybody knew who she was (it were all the same people from last class). She figured out that the 'us' was just used for being polite.
"My name is Melody Destler and that's it. There is nothing more you need to know about me," she said. "Okay then, let's start. Class we are going to …" and at that moment, Phillipe entered the room.
"A little late isn't it Phillipe," Monsieur Orfraie said. "Go and take a seat next to Miss Destler. Phillipe looked at Melody and saw that the hate in her eyes had not decreased. He quickly took his seat. "As I was saying, today we are going to work in groups and work about the emotion anger"
Phillipe gulped silently and prayed he had not to work with Melody. Her anger could easily lead into aggression, as he already find out twice. Melody on the other hand cursed silently, anger was also one of the traits she shared with her father. She knew how bad tempered she was and she didn't want to hurt anybody this time.
Monsieur Ofraie divided the class in groups of 4, and he had put Melody together with Jean-Jacques, Katerina and Phillipe. Every group have to perform a little fight, in which one has to stay calm. Because he had seen the anger in Melody's eyes when she was assigned to work with Phillipe, he had instructed her to play the calm role.
Melody mentally cursed, and prayed that she could keep her temper down during the preparations and performance with Phillipe. Phillipe did his best to avoid her gaze. Katerina seemed to be angry with Phillipe because of what he had done to Melody.
"Okay, before thing run out of control, let us start with this assignment," Jean-Jacques said trying to keep everybody calm. "Does anyone have an idea for a argue?" Melody asked. "Maybe we must ask Phillipe, he seem to get in such situations very often," Katerina said with venom dripping from every word. Phillipe opened his mouth to say something, but he closed it in a second.
After a little preparation time
"It's time for the group of Miss Grabat (which Katerina's last name) is and co," Monsieur Ofraie announced. They all stand up simultaneously and went to the little stage. The very moment they got there, Katerina slapped Phillipe across the face. "How dare you even insinuate that, you pig," she yelled. "Oh like you didn't knew. God you are so foolish" he said. Then Jean-Jacques arrived. "Look who's here," Phillipe said "the little innocent boy" Jean-Jacques formed a frown. "And what those that have to mean?" he asked.
"You know good enough what I'm talking about. Sleeping with my sister while you're engaged to this troll," Phillipe said. "What troll, why you," Katerina almost attacked him. Jean-Jacques face grew angry when Phillipe had said these things. "First of all, don't you ever dare to call my fiancée a troll again or I'll rip you open with my sword. Second of all, what craziness are you talking about, me sleeping with that demon."
When he was saying this, Melody arrived. "A demon you said, well that's the first time you call me like that. Normally you call me sweetie pie." Katerina's face felt. "So it's true then" and then she slapped him across the face. "And you even dare to call me a liar," Phillipe said. He was going to attack Jean-Jacques and Melody just stood there.
How she wanted to hit Phillipe for attacking Jean-Jacques, but on the surface she remained calm, almost amused by the whole situation. She went over to Phillipe, very slowly and then touched his shoulder. "Calm down brother, he's not worth this much energy. Come home with me" Phillipe gave Jean-Jacques one last glare and then he left.
Katerina glared also at him and took off, throwing various insults at the poor boy's head.
With that their performance was over. Clapping was heard and some of the pupils started to talk about the way Phillipe and Melody had worked together, seeming to remember what had happened only this morning. After the performance, Melody regained her cold composure towards Phillipe. But it seemed as if he was trying to make up for everything that had happened.
"Wow, you're good at masking your emotions," he tried, but after he had uttered these words he could have hit himself. Good word choice, Phillipe he thought. Melody just glared at him. Jean-Jacques stood behind him and said to him: "I guess you ruined it good this time" "Oh shut up," was all that Phillipe said.
A few more performances followed and the class was over. It was time to get some lunch and Katerina and Jean-Jacques had already invited Melody to join them for lunch. She gratefully took the invitation.
They were in a small restaurant where a few of their follow students were. The group asked them if they wanted to join them. And because of that, Melody sat with 2/3 of her class to have lunch. She didn't thought that this would happen the very first day.
"Man Melody, you are fantastic when it comes to cover up your emotions," a boy named Gustave said. "The way you acted so calmly with Phillipe was amazing" Meldoy didn't knew how to react so she just thanked him and said that he was also great in acting. During the meal the all made some small talk and learned a few thing about her classmates. They also asked her a few things, but she answered them shallowly, not wanting to give away to much personal information.
After the dinner they all went back to school to improve the handling of their chosen instrument. Melody, of course chose the violin. She remembered her father playing the violin for her mother. That small gesture seemed to mean al lot to her, so Melody took the liberty to ask her mother why it meant so much to her. She had answered that her own father used to play the violin, and that he took her to various small towns and even large parties to play it. She also told her daughter that he had died when she was very young. Melody seemed to understand the importance of it all and she was anxious to learn to play it also.
Luckily for her, Phillipe wasn't in this class. After her third introduction and two and a half hour of class, she just went to her own little apartment. She used her remaining time before she had to make dinner to restyle the place, putting several things in various places to see which position pleased her best.
She went on for a few hours until everything was in the right place. She was about to start on making her dinner when the bell rang. Odd, I haven't given my address to anyone , she thought. She opened the door and in her surprise Phillipe stood there. She was about to slam the door shut, but he had put his feet between the door in order to make sure she could not close the door. "What do you want?"she asked him with anger in her voice. "I came here to sincerely apologize for my behaviour ."
"Like the last time I guess, in which you tried to lock me up in some random room" her anger still rising. "No, not like that. I really want to say sorry". Melody, not neglecting the education she received from her mother, said: "Come in, I'll make us some tea. But if you even dare to touch even one of my things, you' ll be found somewhere dead along the road" and with that she stepped aside, allowing him to enter her humble home.
"You live her all by yourself," she heard him ask while she was making tea in the kitchen. "Yeah, any problems with that?" "No not really, I'm just curious why it is you live alone" Melody felt like she didn't need to tell him a single thing about her personal life, so she answered him that it was not of his business.
She entered the living room with a tray with two cups of tea and set it down on a small table. She mentioned him to sit down and offered him a cup. He took the cup and waited until she sat to start talking.
" I don't know why it is that I acted in that way," he started and Melody rolled her eyes. "But it seems that because you are acting kind of mysterious, I wanted to see how you really react if I would lock you up in a room. I thought that you'll show who you really are in such a situation, because it seemed as if you put on a role in the morning." He paused for a while.
Melody saw the honesty in his eyes, knowing he really was sorry for the way he acted this morning. "But I guess I was wrong, you didn't put on a role. And I learned that the hard way. I hope you accept this explanation, because it is the only way I can put this"
Melody seemed to be in deep thoughts, she didn't knew if she had to accept his apologiy or not. "It's a shame I know what kind of actor you are, maybe this is all an act and are you deliberately trying to mess with my mind. How can I know you are telling the truth."
Phillipe sighed deep "I guess you can't know for sure. The only thing you can do is trust my words." That answer was enough for Melody to know he told the truth. "Apology accepted, but that don't mean we are on best friend terms. You still need to earn my trust"
Phillipe smiled. "Good to know, and I think it's time for me to leave, so that you can start making work of your dinner" and with that he stand up and left the room going to the front door.
After dinner, Melody washed the dishes and went to bed early. She reviewed her day and was glad she was accepted by her class and that nobody asked more questions about her mask.
Deep in the night, a dark tall figure roamed the small apartment. Melody, who was now deep asleep, didn't noticed that the figure entered her bedroom. He stood there, taking a moment to look at her and then left silently.