Been There and Back Again

Chapter 16: Alas, a Rivalry is Born

Later that day...

I walked down the campus park full of poppies, lilies, and daisies. There were couples sitting there, enjoying the sun and bright blue sky.

An art class was outside, drawing the wooden bridge connecting the upper portion of campus with the lower section. Banyan trees grabbed the earth like a hand and towered everything. Ahh, what a peaceful place to read, I thought.

I entered the building connected with the theater and headed to Room 6. The room was full of instruments. Guitars, horns, pianos, drums, banjos, cello, bass, accordion, keyboard, and a whole bunch of other instruments I don't remember the names of.

The walls were painted with wavy graphs and whole notes, half notes, treble clef, bass clef, tenor clef, alto clefs floating on the graph. The walls were an intensive yellow tone. Pillows, cushions, chairs, were all placed on the floor as a creative little area.

Up the wall was a glass window that covered another room. That room was for students and other teachers to watch the rehearsals without interfering.

The room, in general, has a very innovative, motivative, positive, hopeful atmosphere.

There was a little group of boys singing in harmony the song Bohemian Rhapsody. God, they were so damn good.

Somehow, I felt like an outsider. Like if I don't belong here. And surely, I don't. These people are incredibly talented. Me? Nah., I mean, next to them I feel like total shit.

What a great way to start class, I thought sarcastically. I stood up to the side, clearly not sure where to sit. I'm not like anyone else here. Everyone is so cheery and chatty, and I am the exact opposite of that.

I leaned against the wall next to the door, crossed my arms and legs, and looked up wondering if it was possible for me to leave unnoticed. I was too distracted in my thoughts, yet I felt all my neck hairs rise and my skin flush.

Someone was blowing their minty breath to my neck. I turn to my side and find Max and his lips a few inches from my face.

Wow, way too close. Fucking creepy-ass creeper. I quickly take my eyes off him and turn forward. " I didn't think you would actually show up to class. You don't seem like the type of girl who likes to perform in a room full of people."

He said it. How could he know? I am not exactly shy, it's just that I'd never sung in front of anyone who wasn't Oli, my mom, or James.

So, I was a bit inexperienced in the showmanship part, but I'm not nervous. Right?

Fine. Maybe I am a tiny bit, but I won't let him get the best of me.

"What is your problem? Whatever it is, I bet it's hard to pronounce. You make me really happy... when you leave." I said I was too mad to care.

"Am I annoying you?" He asked with a wicked smirk.

"No, you only annoy me when you're breathing. Keep talking. I only fawn when I am intrigued."

"You don't like me very much, do you?" He asked.

"Is it that obvious? You seemed nice, but I was clearly wrong. You're arrogant and dominating and I detest that. You can be kind though sometimes. I just don't like you."

"Why are you so sure about that? That I'm arrogant and dominating?" He moved to face me.

"Well, your arrogance comes from the pride you feel when people swoon over you because they believe you're the best and the dominating part, I just feel like you like to control things, to influence them."