Chapter Five-
What happened in the music room.
I walk into the dining room at six thirty (French time). Surprise, surprise. I'm late. But as usual I was practising my music and getting myself familiar with the pianos here. They really are amazing. The keys are so clean that they shine and my fingertips are able to glide so carelessly as I play each note. Each note I play is clear and loud and perfectly in tune.
I overheard Arrabella and Chantelle and Lily talking about some music contest at the end of camp. I can't wait. I don't like to boast but I'm sure to win. For every one here seems so don't careish and they sound like they're just here for fun, not the experience.
I try my hardest to bear the embarrassment of walking in late and manage to slip in, pretty much unnoticed between two boys.
I notice how different the two of them eat. The plump round faced boy on my left stuffs his face with everything he can get his podgy hands on.
However, the boy on my right eats daintily with a knife and fork and cuts his food into tiny pieces.
"Hey, could you please pass the peas?" I ask him politely.
"Sure," he replies in a deep and yet soft voice. He turns to face my as he passes me the bowl.
I feel my eyes sparkle with both fear and excitement. It's him.
"Thanks," I blush, loading peas onto my plate.
He laughs softly when he sees how red I am.
"I'm Steve." He says, holding out his hand, "Steve Crescent."
"Hi" I grin, shaking his hand, "I'm Hannah, Hannah Harewood."
He laughs again, "Nice to meet you Hannah."
"You too" I say before turning away. For I don't want him to see that I have now turned even redder than what's usually impossible.
We eat in silence. Everyone else packs themselves full to the brim with food and chat at the top of their voices.
After twenty minutes of awkward silence, Steve gets from his seat, clears his plate and leaves the dining room, probably to head back to his dormitory.
Damn it Hannah, I think, furious with myself for not making conversation with Steve. But hopefully there'll be other chances, I argue with myself.
But I have also finished my meal now too so I also clear my plate and walk back to that beautiful music room.
There's music coming from it as I approach. The most beautiful music. The musician is a genius. I peer inside. For I have to see who it is. I peer inside. It's Steve.
I don't want to disturb him but I want to get a closer look at the way he plays. This is such a great opportunity. I have to pick up some tips from a true musical genius.
So I step inside and shut the door quietly behind me. Steve doesn't seem to notice. For he carries on playing and doesn't look up, his slim fingers gliding across each key.
I walk over to him and sit down at the next piano. He senses me beside him. I can tell. He feels my breathing upon his cheek. But Steve seems determined to keep playing until the end of his piece so he lets me watch him.
I don't play whilst I'm waiting. I don't want to. For I don't want to interrupt a genius at work. And anyway, I can't take my eyes off of his fingers.
Steve finally stops playing and slowly, gradually, takes his fingers off the piano keys and turns to face me.
I'm smiling.
"Wow." I whisper, "That was...amazing."
"Thanks," Steve laughs.
'How do you play like that?' I wonder out loud.
'I don't know,' Steve replies clearly surprised. 'I guess it just comes naturally.'
'Wow,' I say, 'well it's amazing. I-'
"You play?" Steve interrupts.
"Yeah, a little. But I'm no where neat as good as you."
"Play me a song."
"No, I'm not -"
Steve silences me by taking my hands and placing them on the piano's keys.
"Play." He whispers.
So I do. My fingers swimming across each note. Steve listens, dumbstruck. Am I really that bad? I blush bright red at the thought. This distracts me and I play a few wrong notes but Steve seems so embraced by the music that he seems to shake it off. Or maybe he doesn't notice at all.
I finally come to the end of my piece and turn my blood red face towards Steve.
"You're insane!" He says, "You honestly think that I'm better than you? You're a genius!"
I laugh out loud. +"That's exactly what I was saying about you when you were playing!"
Steve gives another laugh before saying, "But you really are amazing! How long have you been playing?"
I think for a moment.
"Since I can remember." I say finally. "Can't ever imagine my life without music. It's like it's in my blood. Although I'm the only one that's music passionate in my family. How about you?"
"Me?" he replies, "I'm completely different to you. I've only been playing for about four years. It was my uncle. He got me into it. He plays cello, violin, clarinet, flute, guitar, piano and oh, yeah, the recorder."
"Amazing." I say, impressed, "So do you only play piano."
"Yeah, but I wish I could play more."
"Don't we all," I reply, "I wonder if any kids here really do play all those instruments and well.
"Nah, I don't think so." Says Steve, "I think they're all just here for the fun."
"Yeah, that's what I was thinking, "I say, "Five hundred pounds says that at least five of them can't name twenty musical instruments."
Steve laughs, "LOL"
"And...I bet they don't know the difference between a soprano and an alto!"
Steve laughs. He flicks his head. Back so that I can see his melted eyes of chocolate. I grin, looking into them. There's one of those awkward silences where we sit and laugh. Although there's not really anything to laugh about.
"Anyway," Steve says after what seems like a few hours, "I should go. I told my friend I would meet him after tea."
"Oh," I reply, "Bye then."
"Yeah, I'll see you around," Steve says as he opens the door, "And oh yeah, keep playing."
Steve gives me one of those cheesy winks. But I fall for it. He really likes me!
