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It was another rainy day in Lutherton as angels' translucent tears tapped wildly against the glass. Mid-afternoon, in the somber April of 1954, the students had all gone out already except for one. High up on the second floor, a single window was pushed ajar, inviting the melody of the rain to accompany his playing. A soft, melancholy tune drifted out into the busy town with its bittersweet refrain.

A pianist, running his fingers up and down the black and white keys, playing the same song that had played in his memories many times before. The piece was with him in the beginning, as he grew, during his success, and at the aftermath of failure.

Gentle notes, tumbling after each other, sang tales of happiness, sorrow, laughter, and tears. A placid ballade, or a mother's lullaby, floated from the keys into the silence's inaudible stupor. All earthly things seemed to dissipate, letting the harmony overtake the atmosphere. Note after note, the music continued.

"That's beautiful Gene…" Amie commented. She had even forgotten how long she had been standing behind him.

"I didn't see you come in." The pianist replied. His calloused fingers were those of the concert pianist, but now they belonged to just another student practicing after dismissal.

"Didn't realize when I had."

There was a short pause between them as the music continued. The two of them stood frozen in the small, practice room as they basked in the nostalgic tune.

"What piece is this…?" Amie asked, rhetorically.

"Chopin. Etude in E Major." Gene answered.

"La Tristesse…" Amie read from the score, "It's beautiful."

"It's beautiful, and haunting. Some notes are easy, some notes are hard, and the song goes on as it is. Sometimes it's high, sometimes it's low. Sometimes it goes smoothly, and sometimes it feels like it's all going to tumble down."

"And in the end, you find yourself right back where you started."

Finally, as Gene's fingers touched the last ivory key, the music ceased into a silent melody.

"Anna… she really did love that song." Amie said, penetrating through the silence.

Gene didn't reply.

"I wonder what she would say if she was still here right now… She really did change everything, whether she believed it or not."

"I don't regret it. I don't regret it at all."

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La Tristesse – Prelude

. It was almost a year and a half since then, and so much happened in that year and a half. Time moves so slowly, mocking the eyes that cast upon it, yet it races away while hearts fail to realize its theft. Like ghastly shadows moving across the wall, time grimaced at the tragic, yet blissful fate that was about to occur.

The train raced through the tracks, yet it couldn't have seemed more slower for Gene. The loud, obnoxious voice from the steward had rudely awakened him, announcing the arrival at Lutherton.

Grumbling as he picked up his bags, the train came to an abrupt stop. The train station wasn't as busy as he had expected as he had gotten off. His eyes narrowed as noontime sun poured down mercilessly.

"Damnit, this stinkin' thing won't budge!" A loud, not to mention obnoxious, voice boomed from the bench.

Furtively glancing at her, Gene saw a girl about his age, screaming and struggling to pull her bag out from behind the bench. How she got it in there, he didn't know or care – if he stopped by to help, he'd be late.

Walking by, he observed the faces of the other pedestrians who also shared the same annoyance with him. She screamed and kicked, refusing to let any ear ignore her cry.

At first, he passed her without even a helpful look, but he paused halfway. Turning behind him, he looked shamefully at her, wondering if she even knew how stupid she appeared to the general public.

"Ugh! Why won't you get out? What am I going to do… I'm going to be so late."

A smirk grew across his face, just watching her amusing act.

"Ah!" She screamed as one of the straps tore off from the bag. "It's really stuck…"

"Do you need help?" Gene offered.

"No, I don't need your help." She grunted, still tugging at the strap still left on.

"Well, somehow I'm not convinced. If you're not asking for help, then stop bitching about it."

"Well you're not very polite for someone that I've never met before."

"And you're quite loud for a small girl your size."

Her eyes widened, insulted, "Well, mind you."

Gene sighed, moving closer to her, "Here… let me help you… pulling on the strap isn't going to help."

As he pushed her aside, Gene pulled the bench backwards and lifted the bag upwards from the base. Once it loosened, the girl who was still holding onto the straps flew backwards, hitting herself onto the cement floor.

"Jerk! You're supposed to catch me!"

"Well, well, this is what I get for my assistance?"

As she got to her feet, she brushed her hair. "I could have done it myself! Why did you step in?"

"Oh so now I'm the bad guy? Are you sure I'm the one that's not being very polite?"

"W-well I'm fine, thank you very much." She retorted, brushing off the dirt from her clothes.

"So this is where we part and never see each other's faces again."

"Fine, here's the proper introduction." She lent out her hand towards him, "I'm Anna Brianne Strauss."

"I'm Gene. I could care less about what your middle and last name was."

She smiled disbelievingly, "You are so rude. You're new aren't you?"

He shrugged.

"I can just tell. You'll never last in Lutherton like that."

He smirked at her, "I get by."

Then, she bent down trying to get her bag back together.

"So what are you doing here? Just waiting?"

"I'm waiting for someone."

"Stood you up, huh?'

"Maybe… Maybe not."

"Well, you can keep waiting, and I'll continue on with my life."

"No, I'm going to be the one who leaves first." As she put the bag over her shoulder, she stuffed a $50 bill inside his shirt pocket. Then, she turned, deliberately flipping her hair into his face. "Bye. Thanks for your hand."

Gene sighed.

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As the sun moved across the sky, the blue hue changed to colors of sweet lavender and sour tangerine. Holding a small piece of paper with directions scribbled on it, Gene finally arrived at the school dorm. Expected, he arrived at the poorest set of dorms, but he couldn't expect anything more given to a transfer student.

It wasn't long before he checked in since his roommate had evidently arrived before he had. Landon Fletcher, someone whom it was safe to call a best friend. They had both previously attended the same school, but they had only been acquaintances. It was when they both realized they were the only ones who were able to test into Lutherton that they had become the best of friends.

For whatever reasons Landon had for attending, he was accepted for his cello mastery. Gene was accepted by special request by the headmaster after auditioning for his piano. Ever since childhood, he dreamed of going to a music school where he could play his piano all day, but the more real his dreams had become, the less he had wanted them.

"Hey! What took you so long? It's about time you got here. I furnished everything already." Landon greeted as Gene entered the small, dorm room. "I made you instant noodles." He pointed towards the stove, "You know, I heard that a few years back, there was a guy at this school who ate instant noodles every single day and died."

Gene set his bag down by the doorway, "That's a pretty farfetched tale. Where'd you hear that?"

"I have resources." Landon said proudly, blowing on his noodles, "Heh, lucky that we're rooming with each other. I guess they have their special rooms set to the side for the newcomers who got into this school without paying a dime."

"I'm not here so people will like me. I'm here so that I can study the piano. Once I'm done with this school, I'll go on to the next."

Just then, the two heard a knock on their door. Both of them had turned, but only one got up to answer the door. As Gene opened the door, a delivery man greeted him with a giant, draped package behind him.

While signing the paper, the delivery man rolled in the package into the center of the dorm room. Landon had to move aside his table to make room for the massive package.

"It's my pet gorilla – sorry, forgot to tell you about him." Gene thanked the delivery man as he exited the dorm.

"Don't tell me you're going to be playing that all day."

"That's what I'm here for…" Gene spoke casually, undraping the piano. As he removed the cloth, a magnificent, black piano was revealed. A Steinway original, it was requested by the headmaster, custom made for Gene's own personal use.

"So here it is, huh? If you want me to move one of the desks, I'm done. You have to move it yourself."

"Having it in the middle of the living room is just fine for me, I really don't mind."

Landon glared at him, "Fine, I'll move it."

"I'd rather have a grand, but I had to leave that back home."

"A stand-up is softer."

"Well, at least you won't have to hear the trumpet across the hall."

Landon's eyes bulged out of his head. "Why Lord, why…"

"Are you okay in there? You're really starting to worry me." Anna yelled, waiting outside for her twin sister in the bathroom.

"Oh shut up, yours are worse." Amie retorted.

"Well, be quiet. Talking isn't going to make anything better."

"You should be one to talk, Anna. I rarely talk as loud, or nearly as much as you do so don't even throw that at me."

Anna rolled her eyes. Just then, she caught Nathan walking towards her from the end of the hallway. She was about to greet him, but he had his fingers on his lips as he approached her. She smirked.

"You know what Martha said to me the other day, she was saying oh how annoying my twin sister was. And mother, you won't believe it, she tells me if she knew her child would have that big of a mouth, she would never have given birth."

"Hey Amie!" Nathan yelled, pounding on the door.

"Ah!" Amie shrieked, "Holy mother of God, you scared the shit out of me Nathan. Literally…"

Nathan squeezed his eyes shut, "Overshare Amie… overshare."

"Anna! Why didn't you tell me?"

Anna was too busy laughing to reply.

"You know, Nathan it's funny that you come by. We were just talking about you. Anna was just talking about you. You know she always does…"

Anna's face grew pale.

"And oh you know the other day… She told me the strangest thing about you. You, and her."

Amie… you wouldn't…

"What is it?" Nathan asked.

"She told me..."

Nathan raised an eyebrow.

"She told me that your shirt tail was hanging out from behind."

"Really?" Nathan turned behind him to see.

"Yeah, it's been like that for the whole day."

"Ahh, whatever."

"So what are you doing here so late?"

"Ahh, I just decided to say hi to Mrs. Mitchells."

"Or playing a prank on her?" Anna corrected.

"It's just the funniest thing to see her face puff up."

"She'll be so angry…"

"Exactly." Nathan slammed his hand against the door once more, "Ah well, I'll see you two later. I gotta run before Mrs. Bitchells comes by."

"I'll get you for that…" Amie replied.

"Bye, Nathan." Anna said, laughing.

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The night had come sooner than usual, hovering over the school with darkness. Though sleeping in the other room, Landon was still snoring loudly as Gene lied awake, staring at the lamp looming over him on the ceiling.

The silence of the night was somewhat soothing, and fearfully addicting. It possessed a sense of nostalgia, being the only time that the sky would grant him peace. As his eyes were lost into the endless array of darkness, his mind and imagination swirled together, losing itself in a memory.

"What is this Ceci…" Gene asked his nine-year old peer. "It's just a thing with white and black… things."

"It's a piano!" Cecelia replied excitedly.

Gene leaned over and peered at the stack of papers set up against a stand, "What's… Fur Uh-leese?"

"It's my song!" She hopped onto the stool, "Here! Listen!"

Gene had remembered it so well, the first time he heard the piano. He stared, awestruck as his friend played gracefully across the strange-looking instrument. He had been wondering all the time what she had been doing inside while the rest of the kids were playing.

Each note fascinated him, playing a tune unlike any other he's heard before. It was as if his imagination had come alive, waltzing all around him as the music played.

"Wow! I wanna play!"

Cecelia smiled and scooted across the stool, beckoning for Gene to sit beside her, "Here, I'll teach you! Press that key… and then that one… and then press the black one after that one."

"How cool!" Gene had just recognized the tune to be Mary Had a Little Lamb, "But you still play better."

She blushed, "I'm working on it. Papa told me about a music school called Lutherton. He says there are a lot of players that know how to press the keys really pretty."

"Wow… I wanna go there…"

"Me too."

Gene sighed. Finally, he was there, the college he and his friend talked of so much. For the next few years, Gene always stayed over with Cecelia as she taught him more and more nursery rhymes on the piano. However, it all ended one day.

"My parents divorced… I have to go move with my Father." Gene said sadly at Cecelia's doorway. Behind him was the moving truck, and his father yelling at him to come.

"Are you going to be back?"

Gene shook his head.

"Oh…"

"I don't think I cane come over for piano lesson anymore…"

Cecelia looked down sadly, but then she smiled, "Hey, I've been working on a new song! I wanted to play it for you when I finished, but since you're leaving, I'll play you what I have now."

He smiled weakly. "Okay…"

"Sorry, Mr. Richardson! It won't be long!" Cecelia called out to his father. Then, she beckoned him in eagerly and led him to her piano.

Slowly, she lifted the wooden lid and revealed a ribbon of white and black keys. Briskly, she took her nimble fingers an spontaneously set them across the monochrome piano.

Gene's eyes were large, waiting anxiously for the piece to begin. He remembered the short moments of silence that seemed like they lasted for an eternity. A concerto of emotions spilled into the melody of quietness, harmonized with a duet of pain and sorrow. Gene could see Cecilia trembling, but he couldn't understand why since she seemed happy on the outside.

The slow tempo of his heartbeat thundered in the silence as she began to play; play with her emotions. The notes poured out into the air, making it seem as if he and Cecilia were the only ones to witness this valuable treasure. As he peered over her shoulder, he read along the noted manuscript, "La Tristesse, Etude in E Major. Chopin."

Gene grumbled, ruffling his hair in the night air. As he abruptly rose from his bed, the blankets fell from his body, allowing the cool breeze to fall against his skin. Though he was awake, his mind gazed dreamily out the window, watching the clouds transcend across the night sky.

Sighing heavily, the memory quickly dissolved into his mind as a mere impression of the night. His forehead was decorated with beads of sweat and his tongue was dry and thirsty. As he rose to his feet, he reached for the empty ice chest and advanced towards the door.

Standing amidst the darkness, he tried to remember his dream, but it had already vanished from his memory. Quickly, he turned the doorknob and pushed it open, but instead something was caught in the doorway.

"Ah!" A voice screamed from outside.

Gene stepped backwards, a bit startled at the unexpected voice. He turned behind him to find Landon still sleeping and let out a sigh of relief. Poking his head out of the lacuna of the doorway, he asked the girl, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm okay…" She said, "I dropped all of the ice."

"Sorry."

"I thought I was the only one awake."

"So did I…" Gene added, puzzled. "Here, let me help you."

As he opened the door wider, he bent down and helped the girl pick up the small cubes of ice from the damp carpet, putting it back into the chest. Though it was dark, he could faintly make out her long, raven hair and her slim figure in the shadows.

"Thanks… Well, now I have to go back." The girl said as the two of them rose to their feet.

Gene held up his chest, "Why don't you show me the way there? I'm new here, so I have to find my way around."

"Yeah, I didn't recognize your voice. Well, don't worry about it, I'll show you the way."

As the two of them walked through the shadowy hallways, they spoke in a soft conversation with each other, careful not to wake the others in the dorm. They could hear the soft chirping of the crickets outside, and the low rumbling of those asleep in their beds.

"It's a hot night tonight, hmm?" The girl said as she brought him to the ice machine.

"Yeah…" Gene replied, filling up his ice chest.

As the girl poured out her chest, her eyes focused on the silhouetted figure beside her. He seemed somewhat familiar in her memory, but at the same time unrecognizable.

"Here, let me take yours." He said, beckoning for her chest. She thanked him and gave it to him.

"Hey, are you hungry?" She asked.

"A little bit…"

She winked, "The fairy godmother has come for a visit." She pulled a ring of keys out of her pocket and walked towards the vending machine. Quickly, almost as if it was a memorized procedure, she opened the vending machine and robbed it of a few bars of candy. She tossed him a few and kept some for herself, "Shh, don't tell."

Gene was sure she wasn't an administrator; she must have been an apprentice, or a student coach.

"Goodnight. Don't stay up too late okay?" The girl said as she left down the hallway, returning to her room.

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The next morning, the sun greeted Gene with a pillow being stuffed into his face. After returning the night before, he slipped back into bed as if nothing had happened. Gradually, as he opened his sleepy eyes, he saw Landon's face yelling at him with eyes as large as walnuts. He was a worry-freak, but sometimes he actually had good reasons for being so.

"Hurry! We're going to be late. It's our first day there, and they won't be too amused when they find out we're tardy."

"Huh…? What time is it?"

Landon combed his hair hastily in the mirror, "It's already seven!"

"Holy-" Gene jumped out of bed and glanced at the clock, "You really are serious!"

"No shit."

Gene grumbled, fixing his hair and grabbing a random outfit from the floor to put on for the day.

"Stupid Landon…" Gene grumbled, staring at the clock on the classroom wall, "Class hasn't started yet…" He glanced back at his schedule, confirming the beginning of class to be at seven.

The classroom was practically empty – the teacher hadn't even arrived yet.

Gene took out the same piece of paper with directions scribbled onto it and glanced at it once more, "Classroom C-4…" He looked up at the sign above the door that read A-9. It seemed as if that was as far from C-4 as it could go.

"I can't believe you did that!" A loud, obnoxious voice screamed. Immediately, Gene's eyes darted towards the door to see Anna, a copy, and a thin boy about a few inches taller than her.

Nathan sighed, "I just had to. He just sat there with that stupid look on his face."

"I can't wait to see his expression when he finds out."

"Ahh, who gives."

"Excuse me." Gene said, walking up to them. "Could you guys tell me where classroom C-4 is?"

"Uhh… there's a C building?"

Amie hit Nathan lightly in the arm, "I think the C building is down there somewhere… Anna?"

Anna was speechless. Gene smirked at her.

"Hey, it's you. The girl who was stuck at the train station."

Anna's face turned ripe-red, "No, what are you talking about? I've never seen you before."

Gene rolled his eyes, "I don't have time for this… could you just tell me where the C building is?"

Anna walked up beside him and looked at his schedule, "Go down the hallway, turn right and when you get to the B building, go down the stairs and they're the portables you see outside."

As she recited out her directions, Gene could see her highly vexed expression on her face. "Thank you. Here, take this for your services." As he left, he stuffed a $50 bill into her bag.

Nathan whistled as Gene exited, "I wonder who that guy is. Hahah, he just dissed you right there."

"What?!" Anna cried, growing more and more defensive, "No! I'm the one who gave that to him!"

How could you have given it to him? You've never seen him before…" Amie asked.

"I… b-but…" Anna folded her arms as Nathan laughed at her even more.

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The light shined down upon the campus, revealing the different buildings that rose high into the heavens, yet none of it interested Gene. Walking at a fast pace, he rushed through the light crowd of both bikers and lazy walkers down the path Anna had marked for him.

Gene was surprised when he had arrived at the C buildings, that Anna had even given him the correct directions. As expected, the portables were small and disconnected, appearing as if it blended into the background.

The rhythmic ticking of the clock greeted him as he stepped into the office. There were empty seats positioned along the walls, a door directly across from him, and a sleeping lady, slumped over on her office desk.

"Uhh.. Excuse me." Gene said, hovering over the lady.

"Huh…" She fixed her glances, glancing up at Gene, "Oh! I'm sorry. What do you need?"

"I need to speak with Mr. Strauss."

"Oh, he's not here right now. Ms. Kwong is substituting him for the time being. If you would wait here, he'll be back soon..

Kwong… that sounds familiar. "Thank you."

Sighing, he took a random seat by the wall. Kwong… where have I heard that name before…

He waited in the room for several minutes, listening to the clock tick at a steady rhythm. As he glanced across the room, he observed the numerous awards posted along the walls and the golden trophies displayed in the glass menagerie across from him. The school wasn't anything he had expected, yet as long as it was a place for him to study, it didn't bother him.

Shortly afterwards, the door in front of him had opened. Instantly, his eyes reverted towards the figure that hastily entered.

"Oh!" She said, slightly surprised at Gene's presence, "Mr. Strauss will be here shortly."

Gene's face grew pale as she entered. She had the same dark hair and the same slim figure as the girl from the night before, except that once she had stepped into the light, her face was instantly recognized.

She paused, "Hey… it's-it's you isn't it? From last night?"

Gene rose to his feet, "Cecelia?!"

The girl squinted her eyes and immediately, she saw the same face as the boy she knew from so long ago, "Gene!"

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A/N: Okay, well I hope you all enjoyed this. To give a little background on this, it's basically a simple love story with the central theme that in this world, it's filled with evil, greed, and loss but the one thing that you can't corrupt is music. Okay great, I sound like a freak now hahah, but this is pretty much my break away from my current story, Humdrum Fairytales. It's more informal, no specific update dates, and none of that annoying updation mailing list. Well, I hope you all enjoyed this if any of you bothered to read it. I hope you stick around until the next chapter.

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