Perfect For You

Rock Band

NJ knew she should tell the truth. But instead, she found herself nodding. "Uh, yes. Yes. I still play."

"This is wonderful!" Ms. Jenna had stood up, clapping her hands in excitement. "You know, Narcisa, I was actually thinking that our program was a bit short, because we only have six students in the class. And I was wondering who else I could invite to play. I was thinking of inviting guests or maybe reaching out to old students...and then suddenly, we ran into you today. It really is God making things work out."

"You..." NJ swallowed. "You want me to play at the recital?"

"If you are available," Ms. Jenna said. "It would be on the 25th of May, from 6 to 9 PM. Still about a month away."

"Um..." She brought out her phone, trying to buy time. On one hand, it was a big, fat lie that she was still playing the violin, and Ms. Jenna and her old teacher would know that she no longer played the minute she got on stage. On the other hand, how could she say no, with the way her old teacher and her daughter looked at her now, like she was some sort of gift given to them from above. She didn't feel like a gift. She felt like a fraud.

"Narcisa?"

Relief flooded into her, and she forgot for a moment how ironic that was that she was relieved to hear him interrupt something, for once. Van was standing behind Mrs. Cruz and Ms. Jenna, two craft beers in hand.

"Uh, hi," she said. "Mrs. Cruz, Ms. Jenna, this is my friend, Giovanni Esquivel. He's also a violinist."

She saw his eyebrows shoot up-he was either reacting to the words also a violinist or maybe even to the fact that she called him friend-but she gave him a pointed glare and thankfully, he schooled his expression into something more neutral. His gaze turned to Mrs. Cruz and Ms. Jenna, and tilted his head towards them. "It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Cruz, Ms. Jenna."

"The pleasure is really all ours, Giovanni," Mrs. Cruz said. "It is so lovely to meet so many young violinists today!" She tugged at Ms. Jenna's sleeve. Her daughter grinned as she turned to Van.

"We were just talking here about a violin recital we were going to hold here," Ms. Jenna said. "We were just inviting Narcisa to play for us. Could we also invite you, by any chance? It would be on the 25th of May, from 6 to 9 PM."

Van was silent for a few moments, then he nodded. "I have no appointments on that date and time."

"Wonderful!" Ms. Jenna said brightly. "What about you, Narcisa?"

"Um." NJ had finally opened her calendar. Her heart sank as she saw that the space for that day was completely empty.

"I'm free on that day, too," she stammered.

Ms. Jenna clapped her hands again. "Great! You could each play a set solo, and then a maybe duet?"

"A duet?" NJ's eyes widened. Agreeing to play was another thing, but playing a duet with Van? "Um, I don't think that would-"

"Sure," Van said. "We can do that."

Mrs. Cruz clasped NJ's hands again. "I'm so glad I'll see you play again. He really does makes things work out."

"Uh, yeah, Mrs. Cruz," NJ said. "He does."

She looked up, and her eyes met with Van's. He said nothing, but there was a thoughtful look in his eyes, and-though she couldn't think of any reason why-there it was again, that faint trace of a smile on his lips.

***

"So. You also play the violin?"

The minute Mrs. Cruz and Ms. Jenna had gone on their way, NJ took the bottle of craft beer from Van's hand and finished almost half of it in one gulp. She flinched as the bitter aftertaste of the beer hit her. She took a deep breath before answering.