Chapter 7.25

12th June, 2014

"Nick, get in, we're leaving!" Nick's mother shouted from outside the front door.

Nick slowly came out of the house in long black dress pants with a plain sky blue dress shirt tucked in the waist, holding two pieces in his right hand.

"Get in," Nick's mother commanded as she was being lifted into a van via the disabled wheelchair lift. Nick nodded shyly as he jumped into the front seat next to the driver.

"Where are we headed?" He said to Nick who was shuffling nervously in his seat.

"The City Hall, please."

"Of course, buddy."

They drove in tense silence for 15 minutes until they reached their destination. Nick helped the driver taking his mother out of the van. He pushed her inside of the hall. They stood awkwardly around the other families with their children when the loudspeaker spoke.

"Could all contestants make their way to the green room please. Thank you."

Nick looked nervously at his mother. She frowned and furrowed her eyebrows.

"Don't look at me like that. Get in there now. You need to focus."

"Yes, Mom."

Nick made his way to the green room, following all the other children. He sat down on one of the chairs stiffly and opened his piece books.

He analyzed them one last time before his name was called. His heart sank to his stomach as he walked out onto the stage.

Stopping before the piano, Nick gazed out into the audience with a blank expression. He gave a small bow which led the applause as he walked to the bench and sat down. He gazed emptily at the blank stand in front of him. He didn't need music. He felt like a robot. A robot of music that could play perfectly without even trying, like it was nothing. A human metronome.

He held his hands up to the keys as the crowed watched intently. He began to play, rhythm so perfect you would have thought it was a MIDI file. The piece played was Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata 3rd Movement.The sound emitting from the piano empty and lifeless, like the player was trying their best to disregard the intent of the music. As if they disrespected the composer. As if they did not want to play the instrument at all. As if they wanted to be alone, isolated from everyone and everything but their thoughts.

The sound suddenly stopped. Nick looked up the the crowd, tears rolling down his face.

"Daddy?"