to you, 2000 days ago

2

There was a collective groan from the students, echoing their mutual hatred for assigned seating charts.

Mrs. Moon ignored them and stood up, "we'll start with the cello section first! I'll be telling you them in order, from first chair to sixth."

The teacher began indicating to each chair while reciting the names out loud. Nathan and Quinn in the first row, with Josh and Vivian in the second row. She was nearly finished when she finally said Juliette's name, and then Callum's.

What a coincidence, Juliette thought, walking to her new seat.

"Is it really a coincidence, or the work of the devils?" Callum asked, plopping into the seat next to hers.

Juliette raised a brow, unaware that she spoke aloud. "Are you really that appalled to sit next to me?" she asked, while placing her music binder on the stand.

Callum blinked slowly in confusion, pausing while rosining his bow. "Wait--no--that's not what I meant at all."

Now it was her turn to raise a brow.

"I hate sitting last chair," he slowly explained. "It brings back bad memories from elementary school."

Ah, so it wasn't just her who had a toxic relationship with orchestra when she was younger.

"I can relate. Luckily it's only temporary until audition results are out," she reassured. Juliette figured out yesterday that Callum and Quinn had been section leaders for intermediate orchestra last year--that would explain their mutual conflicting relationship--and it was a good thing they weren't seated near each other now.

Callum raised an eyebrow, a look of surprise crossing his face. "No way."

"Yeah, didn't you hear? The seating chart will change after--"

"No, not that--you've been last chair before? I find that hard to believe."

"You don't believe me? Not everyone is born a cello prodigy like you," she returned.

He cracked a smile. "I'm flattered, Desmond. You should be careful before I steal the October solo from you."

"Like you stand a chance, Forger. Do you even know what a grace note is?"

"It's not a matter of fact of knowing, the more important fact is that I can actually play a grace note," he responded, studying the sheet music on the stand in front of them.

"I find that hard to believe, Forger. Care for a demonstration?"

Callum picked up his bow. "With pleasure--"

Right as he started to play, Mrs. Moon clapped her hands, signaling the start of rehearsal as everyone finished settling into their new seats. Callum frowned, setting his bow down. Seemed like awfully convenient timing on his part.

"I will be passing out the pieces we will be performing for our fall concert," she announced. "I've talked with the other music teachers and we specifically hand-selected these pieces to follow a similar theme to the school's band."

Eager to see the new music, the students took a copy of the music and passed it down their section.

"The first piece was featured in the audition packet, which is Eric Whitacre's October."

The two stand partners exchanged a glance, already having seen the cello solo. It would certainly be one of the more difficult pieces they would be playing. 

"The second piece was also featured in the audition packet, which is Carpe Diem! by Richard Meyer."

Juliette internally groaned, quickly realizing what felt like hundreds of accidentals and key signature changes. Not only would she have to practice her audition for chair placement next week, but she would need to practice consistently to maintain her seating placement as well.

Her stand partner, on the other hand, seemed perfectly nonchalant. Callum took the sheet music, glancing over the title before shoving the pages in his backpack.

"How about I bring the method book and you can bring the sheet music for rehearsals?" he asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"It's a deal," she said, organizing the sheet music in her binder.

"Our third piece is a classical piece, I'm sure some of you may have heard of Dmitri Shostakovich's Waltz no. 2."

Juliette's hands paused over the sheet protectors enveloping her music. Lifting her head, she caught Josh's eye, exchanging a similar glance. Mrs. Moon had introduced this piece to them last year, but because of time constraints they weren't able to perform this advanced piece. Even though they had more experienced musicians this year, their teacher still looked apprehensive to perform this piece a year later.

"I will distribute the last two pieces next week after auditions," the teacher concluded, sitting on the piano bench and hovering her fingers over the keys. "Let's tune!"

While the violinists tuned their E string, Quinn turned around in her seat, towards Vivian. "Who do you think is going to get the solo in waltz?"

She only shrugged, playing with the ends of her dark hair. "Maybe Josh or Nathan?"

Nathan, overhearing their conversation, also turned around. "It took me three years to learn how to hold my bow properly, who do you think the expert is?"

"Oh right--didn't the 8th graders already play this last year?" Vivian asked in realization. "Mrs. Moon would probably have Josh or Juliette do it then."

"Cellos! If you're talking, I'm assuming that you all are already in tune? Play your A string."

They sheepishly faced the front, playing their A string. The sound of their open A string echoed throughout the classroom, until a loud out-of-tune string screeched next to Juliette.

"I forgot which way was sharp and flat," Callum muttered, while toying with his fine tuners.

Well, crud. Remind me again how this kid got first chair last year?

His A string was so out of tune that not even the finer tuners could remedy the situation. Setting her own cello down, Juliette took his and turned it with the strings facing her. She began to pluck the A string with her left thumb, turning the pegs at the top of the instrument with the other hands. Her eyes slowly studied the workmanship of his instrument, noting the wooden finish and the style of the bridge. She knew an expensive instrument when she saw one.

"This is a really good cello," she said, now switching towards the fine tuners to tune more precisely.

"Thanks," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "And thanks for tuning it too."

"No problem," she said, her eyes still focused on tuning. He watched as she ran her thumb across the fingerboard, plucking each string to make sure they were all in tune. She handed his cello back to him. "You're all good now."

Taking his instrument, they began to rehearse in unison.  

***

happy friday everyone !! super excited for the three-day weekend coming upp

anyways, i hope you enjoyed this chapter- any kind of feedback is always appreciated 

(word count: 1598)