Author's Note: Thanks for reviewing. Here's chapter two! You guys are awesome.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 2: Passion

"Where are you headed?" Mikey asked as David looked in the mirror after hockey practice.

"Just going to the arts building," David shrugged. "I haven't touched a piano in like three days." Mikey snorted. "Look, I'm not a good enough hockey player to get a scholarship, and I don't have a super rich brother in law to pay for my college. It's music or nothing for me. I have to practice every day."

"Yeah, man I know," Mikey nodded. "And I apologize for keeping you from the ivories this weekend."

"Apology accepted," David laughed and headed towards the door.

"Portman," their assistant coach, and history teacher Guy Germaine walked in. "Where are you going?"

"Music room's only open for another hour Coach," David said. "Unless you can convince Mrs. Germaine to keep it open for me?"

"Go," Guy shook his head, "I won't tell Coach Conway."

"Thank you!" David smiled and ran off.

"There goes your captain team," Guy said and the guys laughed.

Eva stood in front of the office and took a deep breath. She was staring at the door.

Gabrielle Germaine: Arts Chair.

She knocked on it. A small woman with dark hair and lively green eyes answered.

"Hi," she said. "Can I help you with something?"

"Oh," Eva said. "Um, my name is Eva Riley." She nodded. "I wanted to sign up for studio art time."

"You do that through your art teacher, Eva," Gabrielle said. "I'm sure you know that."

"I do," Eva said. "But I'm not taking art as an elective, I'm a freshman, it wasn't available."

"Oh," Gabrielle said. "Eva, I'm sorry, the policy is that studio time during the day is reserved for upper class students in art classes."

"What about after classes?" Eva asked. Gabrielle looked at her. "Or at night? I'll skip dinner once a week if that's what it takes." Gabrielle was surprised by the girl's eagerness. "Ms. Germaine, have you ever loved something so much that you'd put up with anything to have the opportunity to do it?" Gabrielle looked at her.

"I was a professional ballet dancer, I'm familiar with that feeling," she said. Eva nodded. "What did you say your name was?"

"Eva Riley," she said softly.

"Tammy's niece!" Gabrielle said.

"Um, yeah, Tammy Duncan," Eva nodded. "She's my aunt."

"You have quite an advocate," Gabrielle smiled. "She wrote me a glowing recommendation for you, asking to let you into the sophomore art electives. She said you're extremely talented."

"I'm good," Eva said. "I'm not extremely anything." Gabrielle smiled. "But I do have to keep my work up."

"Of course you do," Gabrielle said. "I'll check the schedule and see what we can do."

"Thank you!" Eva said. "I really appreciate it."

"Tammy wouldn't bullshit me," Gabrielle smiled.

"You know my Aunt Tammy?" Eva asked.

"My husband lived with her in college," Gabrielle nodded. "Before we moved to Paris, I know her pretty well."

"Oh," Eva said softly. "OK." She said and walked out. David walked in.

"Here are the keys David," Gabrielle said and handed him the keys to the music room. "Was it Coach Conway or my husband who kept you?"

"Mike Gaffney?" David shrugged. She nodded. "Sorry."

"It's OK," she said. "David, I know you love hockey, but if you're serious about the piano…"

"Mrs. Germaine, I know," he said. "I'll try to get here on time from now on." She nodded. "How long do I have?"

"As long as you need so long as the lights are off and the door's locked when I get here in the morning," she smiled.

"Thanks, you rock," he said. She smiled and turned off her computer.

"I don't think a 17 year old boy ever told me I rocked," she laughed.

David walked quietly into the music room and sat down at the large black baby grand piano. Music was his only real connection to his biological father, they really didn't have much in common, or had ever bonded much even though David had lived with him from the time he was 10 until he came to Eden Hall. But music they shared. Patrick was a fairly successful song writer and studio musician, which was the real reason David worked so hard. He wanted Patrick to be proud of him as a musician. He pressed his hands against the white keys and did a few warm up scales and finger exercises. He closed his eyes and started playing for real, a soft melody coming out, he'd been composing, or trying to and failing hopelessly after a few bars.

"Come on Davey," he mumbled to himself, "what comes next?"

Eva walked quietly into the house shutting the door behind her and walked up to her bedroom. She plopped on her bed and smiled. It had been not so horrible, good even. It was really good to see David again, and Mikey still liked kissing her.

"I don't see why I have to go!" She groaned and pulled her pillow over her face. She should have stayed at the dorm. That was the first thing to go through her mind when she heard Bella shriek, but she'd promised her parents she would come home and talk about her first day.

"Bella!" She heard her mother Cassie sigh, clearly exhausted. "You wanted to take ballet, baby, and you made a commitment and we honor our commitments in this family."

"I don't want to!" Bella shouted and slammed her door. Eva stood up and poked her head out of her door. Cassie was standing breathing deeply.

"Everything OK?" Eva said.

"Oh, Eva," Cassie said. "Honey, I didn't realize you were home." Eva nodded. "How was school," she walked in. "Tell me everything."

"It was good," Eva shrugged, "I saw David Portman, and Mikey." Cassie nodded, clearly her mother was still distracted, "I got studio time, because Aunt Tammy told the arts chair I'm extremely talented." Cassie nodded again. "And, then," she stopped, "do you want me to talk to Bella?"

"Oh sweetie could you?" Cassie said. "She always listens to you." Eva nodded and stood up and then knocked on her sister's door.

"Go away!" Bella's high pitched squeak came through.

"Bella, it's Evie," Eva said. "Can I come in?" Bella walked over and cracked open the door. "Bad day?"

"I hate that you're not at Paxton anymore," Bella sniffed. Eva smiled. "Plus Eddie ignored me all day and said I had cooties!" Eva hugged her.

"I missed you today too," Eva whispered. "Get changed for ballet, you're giving Mommy a migraine."

"OK," Bella nodded and walked back into the room.

Mikey sat at his desk going over his homework. He really just wanted to sleep, it had been a hard practice. He glanced over at the picture of his parents and smiled. He liked seeing their faces smiling back at him. He missed them everyday. He picked up his phone and dialed the house number for Bangor.

"Hello?" He heard a female voice answer.

"Hey, it's me," he said, waiting for whoever it was to identify herself.

"Oh, hey baby bro!" He smiled. "I'm really sorry, kiddo, I'm running out, some kind of dessert emergency at the restaurant. Do you want to talk to Ellie?"

"Sure," he said. He loved his six year old neice Elisa, or Ellie, named after his mother, more than anyone. Ellie was more like his baby sister than his niece anyway, .

"Alright," Julie smiled, "I love you, I'll call you later OK?"

"OK, I love you too," he said.

"Mikey!" He heard a perky voice on the other end.

"Hey Ellie!" He said. "I miss you sweetheart."

"I miss you too," she said.

"So, how was school?" He asked. "Tell me everything." He sat back and smiled as she chattered.

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