Ch 1. Music Class
The bell had just rung to end class and the hallways were immediately filled with students and school staff. In one of the many buildings located on the campus, a young woman was squeezing by heading to the music area of the Music and Arts Center building. Her bulky backpack caused her to lean forward slightly making her look like a prehistoric creature but she didn't care. Behind her glasses, her honey colored eyes were filled with excitement as she entered the choir room. Grabbing a stand and a chair, she positioned them next to a wall before sitting down and adjusting herself to feel more comfortable.
"Idalia!" At the mention of her name, she turned to the entrance of the room and saw her friend, Milly, enter. Milly quickly grabbed an unoccupied stand and chair before dragging them to where Idalia was. "Girlfriend, you said you were going to wait for me at the entrance today," she grumbled.
"Sorry, Milly. I forgot that I had told you yesterday that I would wait for you," Idalia sincerely apologized.
"It's okay, girl! Just wash the dishes tonight when we get to our place. You owe me," Milly playfully said before she turned to look around her. Spotting him, she kept her eyes on him before moving her eyes around to make it seem as if she weren't just staring only at him before returning her gaze on him.
Idalia already knew who Milly was looking at therefore she teased her while getting her notes out from her backpack, "Stop staring so much! You're making yourself so obvious. You'll probably scare him away with that look!"
Instantly, Milly turned her eyes on her and worriedly asked, "Do you really think so? But I heard that guys like it when a girl gives him her all attention. Dalia, I don't want to scare him away!"
Idalia continued sorting her things. "I was just joking, sis! Anyways, where did you even hear that advice from?"
"I read it in an article."
"And you really believed that?" Idalia asked. Her eyebrows had furrowed and she had given Milly a side look.
"Shoot, don't give me your judgy look!" Milly dramatically exclaimed. "And yes I did believe it! That's how my cousin noticed his girlfriend."
"Just confess to Roy, Mill. He might like you and even if he doesn't there are still plenty of other guys."
"I know but..." Milly sighed before exclaiming, "Wait! How come you're giving me advice when you've never even liked someone?!"
Idalia raised an eyebrow while looking at her, "Probably because I've seen and heard of many of my friends' relationships. I know so much that I could write many short stories on dating and romance."
"Wow, Dalia. Have you really never dated? Not even liked someone?" Milly doubtfully asked.
"Nope. And nope."
"You know what? That sounds believable, especially since you're only interested in music stuff. You might as well marry these notes!" Milly exclaimed while pointedly looking at the note sheets that Idalia had placed on her stand.
Idalia smiled amusedly. "I really should, huh?"
"It seems that I have to play matchmaker. Do you wanna go-" Before Milly could finish, Mrs. Hill had entered the room.
"Good afternoon to each and every one of you! How's everyone's day been today?" She asked the class and some answered "Good" and others "Ok."
"Could be better if Roy looked at me," Milly said underneath her breath, and Idalia who had heard her, amusedly glanced at her before looking back at the front of the classroom.
"Well, since almost everyone's day been okay, today's class should go by smoothly, right?" Everyone replied with either a nod or "Yes" before Mrs. Hill continued, "Let's warm up our vocals with the exercise on page 16."
Idalia flipped to the page before standing up with her classmates and began to sing the notes. The class smoothly went by with the exercises, lessons, and Mrs. Hill's comments before Idalia realized that class was about to end.
"Everyone please pick up the worksheets at the top of the piano before leaving. I expect you all to do this and to turn it in next time I see you," Mrs. Hill said and concluded the class for that day. "Idalia, please stay back for a few minutes," she added.
A surprised Idalia quickly responded, "Yes," before packing up the rest of her items. Although it was a surprise to her, she supposed that maybe it wasn't a bad thing since she also needed to ask Mrs. Hill something regarding the upcoming musical event.
"Girl, are you in trouble or something?" Milly whispered as she peeked a look at Mrs. Hill.
"I hope not," Idalia whispered back before slipping her arm into one of the backpack's straps.
Milly gave her a doubtful glance before shaking her head. "I'll see you back at our room later tonight," she said before walking towards the door but stopping and then turning to look playfully at her friend, "Also, don't forget to wash the dishes!" With that, she then left the choir room and soon after, the room was empty except for Idalia and Mrs. Hill.
Idalia walked to where Mrs. Hill was. She felt a bit of a bad feeling but she brushed it off. "I'm here, Mrs. Hill," she said once she stood in front of her teacher and she bowed her head slightly for good manners.
Mrs. Hill turned to look at the bright woman in front her before sighing. "Sorry, Idalia. I have bad news regarding the musical play that you had signed up to participate in." At once, Idalia felt her heart drop and her fingers had started to slightly tremble.
"What happened?" Idalia nervously asked.
"I'm sorry, Miss Miller, but I just got news that XX University has cancelled our chance to perform at the musical play they're holding. Professor Russell, who was in charge of the event, had to suddenly leave overseas to attend to his son who faced a grave situation. The person in charge now is the one who made these changes and so far we haven't heard from Professor Russell's side." Once again sighing, Mrs. Hill apologized to the young woman in front of her, "I'm sorry, Idalia." She knew that the girl had been looking forward to the event, for what reason she didn't know, but she had seen her practice and give it her all to perfect her flaws. Idalia Miller was already a talented musician and she had seen her passion for it. When the event had been announced, Idalia was one of the first students to sign up and her eyes had sparkled behind her glasses while doing so. Mrs. Hill could only see how hard it was for the girl to take the news.
"Don't worry, Idalia. This isn't the only opportunity around and given your talents, another opportunity will come up very soon," Mrs. Hill placed one of her hands on Idalia's left shoulder and patted it once before gently escorting her out of the choir room.
Idalia who had entered the class excitedly and bright now exited with a heavy and upset heart. Her eyes had lost the sparkle which had once brought away the attention from her eyebags and her arms held each other in an embrace. Her tired and dejected figure walked out of the building and some friends had tried to ask her if she was okay and if she needed help but she had with a small smile told them not to worry and that she'd be fine. Choir had been her last class for the day but she knew that those friends of her's still had one or some classes left. When she came to her apartment room that she shared with Milly, Idalia entered and immediately went to sit on her bed after dropping her backpack to the floor. The room was messy with some of Idalia's expensive items and clothings scattered on the floor since she hadn't had the time to organize her stuff compared to Milly's nearly organized stuff and clean side of the room.
Removing her glasses and placing them on the night table next to her bed, Idalia brought her pillow to her chest and let the tears fall. Tears ran down while her eyes were tightly shut and her sobs came out muffled due to the pillow. Her dark blonde hair fell forward acting like a curtain to enclose the girl and her feelings. Tremors ran down her body while she tried to not let out her feelings strongly and violently.
Mrs. Hill's news repeated in her mind and she knew that it wasn't the only time she could perform but she was tired of waiting. The musical play would have given her the chance to show her talents to many professional musicians and known talents from different countries. However, as much as they were important to please and impress, there were other people that Idalia felt were more important to her. Her parents. The event would have given her the chance to show her parents how far she had come and she believed that with that small time of attention on her, her parents would remember their good memories from when she was a child and give her more attention and love. But that opportunity was no more, just like her childhood.
With the little amount of sleep that she had been having the past few days due to staying up to prepare for the event, Idalia realized that sacrificing her sleep was all for nothing and tiredly laid on her bed. She didn't notice that while still crying, she had entered dreamland. After some time, the room was filled with dead silence which one would have thought was empty had it not been for seeing the girl on one of the beds and the ever so light movement of her side heaving up and down.