They're Playing Our Song

Streetside Falafel

After getting ready, they made their way to the school as they had for the whole week, where Nora would dive deep into work and concert prep while Leo headed straight to the orchestra room for rehearsals.

Nora had finished work early today, and realized she had time to see how rehearsals were going before she was due at the gym. Much to her surprise, she wasn't the only person who had the same idea.

A small crowd had gathered by the door of the orchestra's rehearsal room. Vince was standing at the very edge of the crowd, looking a little too interested in what was going on inside. From where Nora was standing, she could hear Leo talking the kids through a particularly difficult passage in George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. It was one of her favorites from the orchestra's repertoire, and Nora had chosen this piano concerto because she wanted to feature as many students as possible, and why not include their brilliant pianist Ben Pasion while she was at it?

Especially when the beginning also had one of the most iconic solos for the clarinet.

"Daisy, I notice you're having a little trouble with the breathing on that first glissando. It's the start of the whole concert, so it needs to make an impact. Relax the jaw a bit, it should help with your breath modulation..."

From where she was standing, she Nora could see Vince Fotillo's shoulders tensing up, like it was taking him every ounce of his strength not to burst into the rehearsal room himself.

"Everything okay, Vince?" Nora asked, hiking her gym bag higher up her shoulders, as Vince turned, and blinked at her. He didn't seem to register that it was Nora until he gave her a second glance. She didn't miss the way he gave her a full once over, staring at her legs in her workout leggings, her arms in the sleeveless top. Nora raised an eyebrow at him as if daring him to comment.

He didn't.

"You got Leo Solano to replace me?" He practically hissed at her instead, leading her away from the crowd with a hand on her elbow. "How the hell did you convince Leo Solano to conduct the orchestra? How do you even know him?"

"Leo is a very good friend of mine," Nora shrugged like it was no big deal, wriggling her arm away from his grasp. No need to tell him they had only been very good friends for two weeks. "The kids sound really good, don't they? Rhapsody in Blue is a bit of a challenge, but I think they'll do well."

If Vince gave any amount of shit about the orchestra, it wouldn't matter who conducted them, as long as they sounded good. But instead, the man went a little red in the face. Then purple.

"Daisy isn't ready for that solo. She's too inexperienced, and distracted."

"They're all inexperienced, Vince. It's a youth orchestra. And Leo seems to think otherwise."

"Nora," he said gently, obviously changing tactics again. "I might have been too hasty in my decision, quitting the orchestra and leaving you in the lurch like that, but you know it's so hard, being a musician and a teacher at the same time, you couldn't understand."

"Couldn't understand what?" another voice chimed in, and Nora turned just in time to see Celie smiling sweetly at Vince like nothing was amiss. Nora actually had no idea that Celie was going to show up at rehearsal today, but she seemed bright and eager and ready. She smiled at Nora. "I love the workout pants, Nora. Vincenzo! So lovely to see you again. What a shame you decided to drop the orchestra."

"I know," he said, nodding like he knew what a tragedy it was for the rest of them. "You're here to visit us, Celie?"

"Oh no, I'm here for rehearsal," she said, rubbing her hands together. "I'm excited for Leo to conduct me."