Nina's Destiny

Best Friends

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Nina's POV

I went back to the park today, although instead of a book, I brought my flute. It's rusty and slightly dented, but I love it all the same. I bring it to Central Park when I don't feel like reading. Percy gave it to me one year for Christmas. It was the best Christmas present I ever received. I practice almost everyday too. One day, if I ever get enough money, I'm going to take private lessons. I already play in my school's band.

When I arrived at the park, my bench was empty. I looked around, hoping to find Morgan, but he was no where to be seen. I felt a little upset. He had promised me, but he was also older. Older kids normally don't like hanging around younger ones, so I guess I could understand. I flopped myself down on my bench and started unpacking my flute. I might as well practice since Mom's at work, and I really don't want to go home to Gabe.

I brought my flute up and started playing Ode to Joy, a song I learned for the school's holiday concert. It was very simple and short, but I wasn't that good at playing the flute yet. I went through all the songs we had played for the winter concert, and started going through the ones we would be playing for the spring concert coming up in May. The songs for the spring concert didn't sound very good, but I still have two months to learn them.

As soon as I finished Yankee Doodle, I someone next to me started clapping. I jumped and looked up to see Morgan standing next to the bench. He was dressed in baggy jeans and a Jethro Tull tee-shirt with an unzipped brown hoodie. And he had a guitar strapped to his back!

"Not to shabby there, Sparkles," he grinned, reaching down to ruffle my hair. I gently laid my flute across its case before pouting up at Morgan and trying to fix my hair.

"Hi Morgan, and thanks," I said. Then, what he'd called me hit. "Why'd you just call me Sparkles?" I was very pleased to see his face heat up with a light blush, but Morgan just shrugged it off and ran his fingers through his floppy hair.

"Thought it might suit you," he said with a wry grin. "You seem like you like Sparkles." His face suddenly turned worried. "Do you not like it? I can totally not call you that if you don't want me to. I just thought if we're going to be friends you might want a nickname." He was rambling, and he seemed to notice because he cut himself off just as quickly as he started. "Sorry," he grimaced. "I don't have a lot of people to talk to besides my sister."

"I don't mind, and what about school? Do people talk to you there?" I asked suspiciously. He couldn't be much older than fourteen or fifteen right?

"My peers and I don't exactly get along," Morgan sighed. He ran his hand through his hair. That must have been a habit of his. "But do we really need to talk about my social life?" He sat down on the bench beside me, gently placing the guitar case on the ground in front of us as if it were his baby. "You mind if I see your flute for a second? I'm a bit of a band dweeb." I bit my lip to hold back a giggle and passed my flute over. I wasn't entirely sure why, but I knew I could trust Morgan.

Neither of us spoke for the several minutes Morgan took to look over the flute. "Wow," he breathed finally. "This is a pretty good flute. Seen better days though. Where'd you get it?"

"My brother, Percy, got it for me." Morgan smiled at me.

"This is great. One of my favorite rockers, Jethro Tull, plays a flute solo in pretty much everyone of his songs. I love it!" Morgan picked up the flute and brought it up a few inches from his face. "Do you mind," he asked suddenly, as if suddenly remembering this wasn't his instrument. I shook my head, and Morgan began to play. I recognized the song as a classical piece. One from some symphony Mom probably had a recording of somewhere. The way Morgan played the piece was beautiful. He changed dynamics and tempos perfectly, and I could picture him standing on a stage in some famous concert house performing a beautiful solo.