I spend most of the day attempting to avoid everyone. I don't need to project my stress onto them, they don't deserve that. My avoidance worked until fourth period, violin. Mr. Blackbourne picked up on my cloud of negativity as I walked in the door.
"Miss Sorenson, are you okay?" he asked, as if he didn't know already.
"Fine," I replied sharply, blatantly lying. He looks at me disapprovingly, scolding me for lying.
"How are you really?"
"I'm fine, just a bit stressed." Victor comes and sits next to me, being careful not to touch.
"Over what princess?"
"Concerts, set lists, the works." A look of sympathy crosses Victor's face. If anyone could understand, it was him.
"Without your father, shouldn't it be less stressful?"
"It is just different. What am I supposed to do with my set list? I don't know what people want to hear. I don't know what to do."Victor puts his arm around my shoulders but releases when I stiffen. He takes out the stack of sheet music from my violin case. He shuffles through it.
"Where are you playing?"
"The charity gala," I sigh. It isn't the worst place to play, but it isn't the same as doing a concert, the people are moving and bustling, more distractions. His face lights up.
"I'm playing there too, maybe we could do a duet?" Now my face lights up.
"That would be great, if your dad would allow it." He nods and continues to pilfer through my sheet music while Mr. Blackbourne retrieves a large binder with more of it. Both of them begin to pull pieces, showing them to each other. Mr. Blackbourne hands Victor a piece and says it is for the duet. Victor then hands my part to me. Somewhere in Time. I haven't played it before, but it isn't an exceptionally hard piece and is only just over four minutes. I smile and go through the rest of the stack they gave me. Air on G string, Moonlight Sonata, Jupiter from The Planets, among other titles. I nod in approval. I've known all of the pieces except for the duet for years.
"These will showcase your talent, Miss Sorenson, but are not like what was on your father's set lists." I smile at him, a huge weight off my shoulders. Victor smirks at me.
"These pieces are pretty and nice and not at all ridiculous. They aren't show tricks and they aren't forty-five minutes long, so no need to stress."
"Thank you for all of your help, both of you, I don't know what I would have done..." Mr. Blackbourne studies me for a moment, as if trying to weigh if he should ask me something.
"Would you mind if the other boys and I attended the gala?" I can't wipe the smile off my face at the thought.
"You are completely welcome to attend tonight." His lip raises a millimeter at my enthusiasm.
"It would be my pleasure."