When I'm Not Around - RADIOHEAD

Computer Lab - #2

1986, Sunday, Tomorrow is the First Day of School

Yesterday was a drag, I read through a rule book that Dad gave me, ironed my custom uniform, which is a dress, skirt, two white shirts, a blue sweater, and a blazer bearing the school's crest along with a tailored gym uniform, ugly, yes but tolerable. I read the book so many times that it's practically memorised word for word, I colour-coordinated my binders and page tabs, put my books into my locker, and now I have nothing to do except stare at the ugly colour of my dormitory. After pacing the small length between my walls, I put on a skirt and oversized hoodie, lacing up my trusty converse and venturing out of the dorm building.

At first, I have no idea where I'm going really but I flip to the front of the rule book I brought with me to the school map. My eyes trace the page until I spot the place I want to go, the School Library, remembering what Jonny said after dinner on Friday. Following the map, I walk for a few minutes, getting lost in what seems like hundreds of corridors until I find myself in front of a large arch doorway, the plaque next to it reading my destination. I enter the Library, bookshelves surrounding me like some sort of maze. I weave in and out of rows, skimming the sturdy, early edition books and encyclopedias lining the shelves. After more and more and more books, I finally reach what seems to be the student's section, a few six-seater tables make a clearing from the shelves, each table home to a green study lamp.

Looking up, I see a whole other level, a spiral staircase leading to the second story of this confusing library. I climb up the staircase and when I reach the top, I realise that the upper level is a computer lab. Big, thick computers, only a few a row, not expecting to find anyone up here, I explore a bit and am thoroughly surprised to see a monitor on as I walk to the back row. I contemplate leaving and acting like I was never here until I see who is sitting at the computer, Jonny. His eyes are closed and he has headphones on so I have no idea if he's even awake, a fair assumption I'd say by my first impression of him. But turns out he is awake as his eyes shoot open as I slowly approach him.

At first, he looks like he pissed his pants but a moment later he's up and pulling me into the chair next to him. "You found me!", he says with a huge smile on his face, "Come on.", Jonny brings my chair closer to his.

"What are you doing up here?", I ask him before he takes the headphones off from around his neck and passes them to me.

"Listen.", he says gently. I reluctantly comply, having no idea what to expect. Jonny presses play on the computer's keyboard and it takes a moment before the sound of a quiet violin comes into focus. He looks directly into my eyes, trying to read me for some kind of reaction. I close my eyes instead, leaning back into the uncomfortable chair, and wait as a wall of sound slowly builds up. Suddenly, all the instruments become more intense, until it feels like you're drowning in the noise, then all the instruments are pulled out, then back in again, each time adding more and more layers which continues for around a minute until the composition comes to an end with a loud crescendo. When I open my eyes, Jonny sits, knees jumping impatiently. "So, what do you think?", he asks as I take off the headphones and rest them on the desk.

"Who was that? Brahms?"

"Chopin.", he responds and I wait to think a bit longer. "Please, Rose!", Jon jokingly shakes my arm.

"I think that was one of the most beautiful compositions I've ever heard.", I smile back at him as his face lights up. "What's this CD? Mind if I borrow it sometime?", I question.

"Of course you can, I brought heaps of classical CDs, maybe we can trade.", Jonny suggests.

I sigh, "I only have alternative CDs, no classical.".

"That's perfect! I'm in desperate need of different music, Mum only lets me listen to orchestral, she wants me to be on first strings!", he fake pouts. Jonny quickly shoots up and ejects the CD from the big computer, carefully putting it into its case, picking up his headphones, grabbing my hand, and running out of the computer lab. We rush out of the library and he easily finds our way back to the dormitory unlike me, who is still confused by the never-ending corridors. We run across the field in front of the dorms, some stare at us through their windows as I struggle to keep up with Jon, who is much faster than I would expect for a scrawny boy like himself. Once we enter the building I begin to catch my breath as he slows down.

"Has anyone ever told you that you should try out for the track team?", I giggle, just starting to breathe normally again.

"All the time."