Two
School trudged forward as school usually does - even a school as special as the Magnet school. The pain of losing Mrs. Drake began to fade although a touch of grief pricked Kyra every day when she entered what used to be Mrs. Drake's classroom.
A suitable sub filled in for the first week after Mrs. Drake's death - a middle-aged woman named Mrs. Harmon who gave piano and flute lessons out of her home. She didn't do much for Kyra as Kyra was far more advanced than Mrs. Harmon's usual students - Mrs. Drake had seen to that. Mrs. Harmon stuck to the lesson plans that Mrs. Drake had completed prior to her death and Kyra, out of nothing but loyalty to her favorite teacher, played along like a good little girl.
But Kyra yearned for a real teacher - one that would drive her the way Mrs. Drake had. Kyra didn't want someone who would beam at her as if she was a puppy and tell her how fantastic she was once she'd completed a particularly difficult selection. She needed someone who would nod once and then point out where she could improve.
She whined constantly about it to her friends in the cafeteria every day to the point where she was sure she was driving them all nuts.
"Stop worrying, Kyra," Evan Bacster said as he munched on an apple. "I heard from Leah who heard from Mrs. Ward that they've been interviewing teachers and have narrowed it down to two choices."
"Really?" Kyra asked as she straightened. "Do you know who they are? Are they any good?"
Evan held up his hands to stave off Kyra's assault. "Hey, chill woman! I don't know anything, just what I told you."
Heat rushed to Kyra's cheeks. "Sorry, Evan. I'm just…"
"Crazy?" he asked with a half smirk. "Yeah, we all know."
She smiled but it wasn't genuine. Truth of the matter was that she was getting a little crazy. It was almost as if she was holding her breath, waiting for something to happen. She didn't like that at all. She needed to keep moving forward, kind of like a shark - if she didn't keep swimming she'd suffocate.
"Relax Kyra," Kade said, his dark eyes filled with concern.
She stared at him for a second, her mind whirring. "You're right. I need to relax," she said, earning a smile. She sighed. "I just hate feeling idle."
He drained his soda and then stood, taking his tray in hand. "I understand, but making yourself crazy over it won't help at all." He winked at her, causing a tiny flutter in her chest, and then strode to the trash cans near the doors.
"Let's go," Ava ordered, tugging on Kyra's sleeve.
As they headed toward Ava's locker, Kyra dodged a group of nervous freshmen who still hadn't figured out how to find all of their classes. She smiled warmly at them, remembering her first year. She'd been nervous, sure, but the excitement that had built up inside of her since she'd auditioned had threatened to explode out of every pore. This was where she belonged - at least until it was time to take the next step in her life.
"So," Ava said pausing at her locker. "I think our boy Kade is finally going to bite the bullet and ask you out."
Kyra's eyes widened. "Do what?"
Ava rolled her eyes as she exchanged the books in her bag for the ones on the shelf in her locker. "He's had the hots for you since second semester last year. You can't tell me you didn't notice."
Kyra flushed. "I don't know about all that."
"Talking about Kyra and Kade?" Audra, Ava's fraternal twin asked as she opened the locker next to Ava.
Kyra turned her incredulous eyes on Audra before glaring at Ava. "There is no Kyra and Kade."
"Only because he's too shy to do anything," Audra declared as she snatched a sweater from her locker. Stuffing her arms into the sleeves, she smiled. "He's smitten with you."
"She's right," Ava agreed. "She has some canny sort of sixth sense about stuff like that. It's downright scary sometimes."
"Whatever," Kyra said, exasperated. "I think you're both wrong. Kade and I are just friends."
"Well, in your mind, maybe," Audra said as she slammed her locker door.
"I don't think so," Kyra said as Ava shut her locker and the three girls started to walk. "Kade is just a nice person. Besides, I'm too busy with my music to worry about stuff like that. Who has time for romance?"
"Plenty of people," Audra said, pointing at a couple holding hands as they walked the halls.
"Sure," Kyra said. "Maybe they have time for that stuff and maybe they're not as serious as I am about making a name for myself."
"Just because they are dating doesn't mean they're not serious about their music," Ava said. "Maybe they've found a way to balance both."
"Maybe," Kyra said with a thoughtful frown. "But it's a little harder for me."
"How so?" Audra asked. "I mean, I don't think there's a pianist in this whole city better than you."
Kyra blushed at the compliment but shook her head. "That's not what I mean." She took a deep breath and stopped near a staircase. "Look, you two are more focused on your voices - on contemporary music. You two sing like angels but me - not so much."
"So?" Ava said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I still don't see what you're getting at."
"It's going to be a lot harder for me to make a name for myself," Kyra said. "A lot harder."
"How do you get that?" Audra asked.
"Because contemporary music is much more mainstream than concert piano. There are tons of reality shows and voice competitions. There are agents salivating outside the doors of this school waiting for people like you to enter the real world. There are millions and millions of fans all over the world that listen to pop or rock or country or hip hop. And with the talent you two have, well, it won't take long until you're voices are coming through the speakers in my car."
The sisters shared a smile.
"But there aren't as many fans lining up to hear me play," Kyra said. "There are fans, mind you, but not as many. I don't think there are agents standing in line to sign a pianist like they would be for a superb vocalist."
"I don't know about all that," Audra argued.
"My grandmother, who listens to nothing but opera, knows who Lady Ga-Ga is," Kyra said. "Can you name a famous pianist?"
The twins considered her words, exchanging a glance or two.
"Okay, so you might have a point," Ava said. "But that doesn't mean you can't go out on a date with Kade if he asks."
"That's exactly what it means," Kyra said as the warning bell sounded. "I'll talk to you girls later. I have to go."
She turned on her heel to mount the stairs just as Audra shouted out to her.
"Liberace!" Audra said with glee. "Am I right? He was a pianist!"
Kyra tossed a smile over her shoulder as she hurried up the stairs.
When she entered her Classical Music IV class, she settled in her usual seat, tossing her bag over the back of her chair. Her eyes darted to the left of the room where the piano sat, along with an array of chairs that would accommodate several musicians, hoping that she'd be working on actual music that day. But she stopped, her heart freezing in her chest.
Spreading sheet music on top of the piano was a young man who looked to be a tad too old to be attending the school. Maybe she was wrong - maybe he was a new student or something, although the logical side of her brain reminded her that auditions for new students only took place four times a year.
Curious, she watched him for a moment. His light brown hair was shoulder length and his bangs constantly brushed his forehead. Although his head was bent, obscuring a perfect view of his face, she could tell his features were angled - sharp. And his fingers - long, piano playing fingers that gingerly flipped through the music.
He lifted his head just as a young woman entered the classroom and Kyra's heart pumped in quick succession.
He was simply beautiful.
"Good afternoon," the woman was saying, tearing Kyra's attention from the man. "I will be filling in for the rest of the year for Mrs. Drake. My name is Miss Dell."
The class muttered amongst themselves, most of them happy to have something a little more permanent.
"I am a graduate of Julliard," Miss Dell was saying, droning on and on about her qualifications. Kyra couldn't concentrate as she was far too distracted by the stranger near the piano.
"And helping me this year," Miss Dell said as she crossed the room to stand next to the stranger, "is a dear friend of mine, Julian DeFraire. He is a brilliant musician who breezed through Julliard and is interested in teaching. The Board of Directors has agreed to allow Julian to shadow me this semester."
Kyra's interest was perked - and it had nothing to do with the piano. She wondered how old he was since Miss Dell had mentioned that he'd 'breezed through Julliard' and since he wasn't a teacher.
Miss Dell was talking again, describing what they'd do for the rest of the year and Kyra shook her head, trying to listen. This was the type of distraction she definitely didn't need - the exact sort of thing she'd just told her friends she wanted to avoid. Besides, even if he wasn't far too old for her, he was still out of her reach. An accomplished musician and sophisticated man - what would he want with a girl barely eighteen and in her last year of high school?
She chanced another quick glance and caught him looking at her. A tiny smile graced his lips before she ducked her head, her face blazing. A thrill raced through her veins as she stared at the bland surface of her desk.
This was not good - not good at all.
But, what if it could be good?
xXx
Kade pushed through doors of Tripp's Pizza just as fat raindrops began to fall from the sky. He stood near the counter, allowing his eyes to sweep the dining area until he spotted his party.
Waving to Ella the waitress, he hurried to a bunch of tables shoved together to accommodate his group of friends.
"What took so long, man?" Evan Bacster asked.
"Had a meeting with my counselor," Kade said as his eyes lingered momentarily on Kyra huddled toward the end of the tables with Leah Smyth and the Grant twins. "Just trying to figure out what to do with my life once high school ends."
"You go on the road and manage us," Evan said, jabbing a drumstick at Isaiah Hunter and Gavin Varner."
Kade rolled his eyes as a sly smile slipped over his lips. "Sure I will - if I want to starve."
"You're a funny guy," Gavin said. "Ever think about taking up comedy?"
"Thought about it," Kade teased as he glanced at Kyra again. She was talking quickly, her face flushed, her eyes excited. Audra and Leah seemed to hang on every word while Ava sat stoically, concern lingering in her eyes.
What's that all about, he wondered. He wished he could hear what she was saying but she was talking in a low tone while the guys around him were loud and boisterous.
"Did any of you check out the new music teacher?" Jared asked as he pulled up a chair and joined the party. "She's not too bad on the eyes. Sure the hell beats the old fogies that usually teach."
"I didn't see her," Kade said as his shoulders relaxed. That sort of explained the excitement lighting up Kyra's face. She'd stressed for over a week about not having a proper teacher. Maybe this new one was good - good enough to light a spark in Kyra.
They ordered pizzas and pitchers of soda while talking - mostly complaining or highlighting the events of the day. Evan was on a roll, exhilarated to the point of restlessness over the prospect of forming a real band with some of his friends. Kade participated in the conversation, lending his support to the others. But inside, the doubts crept. It was a widely known fact around the school that bands formed among friends didn't last long on the outside. Too many times the stress and anxiety tore the friends apart, leaving the bands in tatters. Sure, sometimes the members hooked up with other people and went on to find success. And sometimes the bands that were formed during school actually did stick together and garner a bit of fame. But not always. More likely than not, they failed.
Maybe they'll be different, he thought. He hoped. Evan, Isaiah, Gavin, and Jared were among the best friends he'd ever had. They'd met their first year at the Magnet school and had been close since. It had been easy to bond, of course, as they all shared that same, common goal: To make it in the music world.
Don't forget the girls, he thought. There wasn't much he wouldn't do for the girls, either. Too many times students dropped out or transferred to another school, not able to take the stress and strain of the craft. But this little band of people - the nine of them sitting at the table - they'd hung in there, often leaning on one another. They'd made it this far and he had no doubts that they'd make it to the end.
"Why are you so quiet over there, Kade?" Ava asked, lifting a thin brow, a smirk on her lips. "Something on your mind?"
Kyra nudged her sharply with an elbow which sparked something inside of Kade. Maybe Kyra had a thing for him, too, and Ava was hinting around the way girls do. Maybe…
"Nothing," he muttered as the waitress arrived with the pitchers of soda. He started pouring soft drinks to hide his embarrassment. "How's the new music teacher?"
His questions brought peals of laughter from Audra and Leah, stoking Kade's curiosity.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"Nothing is funny," Kyra said, glaring briefly at the laughing girls. "The new music teacher is okay so far. She's young but she seems to know what she's talking about. We'll just have to see how it goes."
"That's good," he said with a nod, still wondering just what the other girls had found so funny. "I hope it works out for you."
"Thanks," she said with a soft smile.
"Here comes the pizza," Jared said looking like a dog waiting under the table for food to fall. "Excellent!"
Happy confusion erupted around the table as slices were dished and passed around. This was one of the best parts of school for him - the camaraderie and the ease in which they could all be together. He wondered, as he had quite often in the past few months, if he should pursue any sort of romantic relationship with Kyra. They'd all been friends for so long and maybe a romance would ruin it - take away the magic.
He watched her for a second as she whispered something to Ava and his doubts disappeared. He'd just have to stop being such a wuss about it and just ask. The worst she could do was say no. Maybe things would be awkward between them for a bit but he was confident that it would pass.
He smiled as Jared cracked a joke about one of their teachers as he vowed that he'd ask Kyra out soon. Very soon.
Having made his decision, he relaxed, enjoying the good food and the good friends.
xXx
"You're an idiot if you think that you should go out with this guy," Ava said as she walked alongside Kyra. The rain had tapered off to a fine mist but neither girl seemed to notice. "A real idiot. You could get kicked out of school."
"I never said I was going to go out with him," Kyra said, sick already of defending herself to her best friend. "I just said that he was very good looking, that's all."
Ava rolled her eyes as they reached the small shelter that housed the bus stop. "Whatever, Kyra, but I know you. I know how determined you get. If you want this guy, you'll go for it."
"I don't want this guy," Kyra said, removing the scarf from her head. She sat on the bench, placing her bag between her feet. "But there's nothing wrong with admiring him."
"What if this guy catches you drooling all over him," Ava said as she stood in front of her friend. "What if he decides that you're hot and he'd like to have a shot at you? What then?"
Warmth flooded Kyra's cheeks as she shrugged. "I doubt that will happen. I'm only eighteen and he's got to be in his early twenties, at least."
"He's twenty-one," Ava said. "After you mooned all over him this afternoon, I looked him up on Julliard's website. He's some sort of prodigy or something - started Julliard young."
"Figures," Kyra said with a rush of affection. "I should have known you'd investigate him."
"Look," Ava said in a gentle voice as she sat on the bench, next to Kyra. "I'm not trying to be the bad guy, here. I'm just trying to keep you from getting in trouble. If you get involved with a teacher, not only will he get put in jail but you'll get kicked out of school."
Kyra sighed. "First of all, he's not a teacher. He's not really even a student teacher. Second of all, I'm of legal age so I doubt if he'd go to jail. And third, who said I was going to do anything with this guy? I just think he's very handsome. It's just a little crush, that's all."
"That's all?" Ava said. "You've hardly noticed any guys the entire time you've been at school and now all of a sudden, you have a crush? That's like Isaiah saying 'forget about music - I'm going to elope with the first girl that walks in the room' - it just doesn't happen."
"Isaiah is ten times worse than me," Kyra said. "He lives and breathes music. At least I hang out with you and the others. At least I've dated."
Ava snorted. "Yeah, sure. You know, I always thought in the back of my head that you and Isaiah would hook up, obsessed as you both are."
"Now you're really dreaming," Kyra said, getting to her feet. The squealing brakes of the bus filled the air as it stopped in front of the shelter. Kyra and Ava mounted the steps and swiped their cards before finding a seat.
"I haven't even spoken to the guy," Kyra pointed out, talking low while other passengers brushed by them. "For all I know, the guy could be an idiot or a jerk or something."
"All I'm saying is to be careful," Ava said as the bus lurched forward. "That's all."
"Okay," Kyra relented. "But you don't have to worry. Nothing is going to happen. Everything will be fine."
"If you say so," Ava said.
That night, when Kyra retired to her room, she cuddled up on her bed with her laptop and found the Julliard site. And there he was, in all his beautiful glory. She stared at his picture, memorizing every line and angle of his face, knowing deep inside that if he were to ever ask her out, she'd not be able to deny him.
And perhaps that would lead to trouble.
A/N: Yay for finally finishing this chapter. It was harder than I thought it would be.
After this weekend, I will have quite a bit of time on my hands so I should be able to update frequently. I don't think this story will be too long. I have a couple stories planned for this series and I don't think they'll be too long, either.
As you can probably see, I have not reposted any of the old stories yet. I've been busy but, like I said, I should have time to do that next week or so.
Thank you for the warm welcome back and for the nice reviews.