> Picture of Uni Oshiwa <
Claps and cheers are given out loudly by the audience leaving my heart to not have a heart attack.
Sighing in relief, I let go of Rika's hand as she's using Derrick's arm to cry on as he starts telling her to stop as it's ruining his skin with her mascara.
"Did you actually think that they won't like it?" Jason chuckles slightly beside me getting me to sulk as he just smiles.
"If they didn't like it, Lero might have went on a rampage to teach them a lesson of amazing music!" Maki pipes in as he's also quite troubled with Naya crying on him.
I laugh at the prediction before Owen stretches out his arms, "What's wrong?"
"Aren't you going to be like the rest of the girls and cry in a man's embrace?" he raises an eyebrow slyly.
I give him a look of disbelief before rolling my eyes and hugging him,"I'm not going to cry but I will be okay with hugging you."
He laughs halfheartedly before squeezing me in a tight hug. When we release, the audience is still clapping at our performance. Smiling at our accomplishment, Mr Edison gestures us to get off the stage which we do after the curtain closes.
"Octave, you did it!" The teacher gets me into a deathly hug which I almost die from.
Seeing me being crushed, everyone tries to save me as they help their teacher get off of me.
We girls turn to each other and hug one another letting out squeals of joy. The boys just watch with smiles before embracing me into small hugs too. Our first meeting may not have been the best, but as we spent more time with each other, we easily got along.
A smile still places on my lips as I watch them hug each other too. Our choir group is connecting as they have become closer. I still remember when they were just classmates with each other, but now they're true friends. And I'm blessed to have friends like them
After minutes of joy with each other, we had to get back to the meeting getting us to change our clothes. Happy to be back in my black tank-top matching my hot pink hoodie and denim shorts, I skip out of the changing room to meet with the others. When we're all together, we get lead back to our table as people compliment us during our way.
Sitting down in my seat between Lero and Arions, I give out another sigh of relief as everyone's attention turn towards the stage again as the producer of the meeting continues his speech.
Minutes pass until he finishes, everyone claps at the end of his speech. He then raises his head higher while putting a smirk.
"I also have another announcement, this may be sudden, but everyone knows about the international meetings, just like this one, happening all around the other countries." he states getting nods and mumbles of 'yes'.
"What does he mean?" I ask Lero beside me.
"You know how our school is ranked the tenth out of the best music schools in Japan? Well, you see, there's many meetings like this one but we're more of a lower-class one. The high class ones, the tops of each country have their meetings with only the numbers ones. Do you get it?" he tries to explain.
"I think so? So we're like the tenth rank meeting with other tenth rank schools around the country? Meaning there are higher class choirs from other countries?" I try to summarize getting him to nod.
Wow, I really need to study up on this choir program thing. It's already confusing me this much.
"Well, it seems like all the meetings, all ranks, will be put all together for the first time."the producer states getting gasps and shock looks," And, we'll be the ones to perform the main song. The international song. Meaning, I will like Avalon High to compose a song for this. If that'll be fine with your choir, Mr Edison."
"O - Of course!" Our teacher happily chirps getting the others to look at him with an insane looks.
Me, I was still staring at the stage letting this sink in. Avalon High sure is lucky to compose a song for the meeting.
Wait.
Why does this school name sound so familiar? Wait. Wait. What!? Avalon High is the school I'm right now going to, right?
Meaning...
"Oi! Octave! Don't start ditching us now!" Lero shouts as I can feel my soul leaving my body.
The others try to protest with a nervous laugh leaving Mr Edison as I lay myself on Lero's lap as he tries to fan me with his hand. Our table panics as others watch with amusement or disgust.
This can't be happening.
"Don't just instantly accept such a request!" Maki grabs Mr Edison's collar and shakes him viciously.
"Is there a problem, Mr Edison?" the producer asks with amusement twinkling in his eyes as he's looking at our table.
Mr Edison looks at us with pleading eyes, more like puppy dog eyes.
"No." Sung Gun refuses bluntly.
"We are so not performing in front of them on the stage." Arions states as we, his students take a step away from the teacher.
"You don't have to perform, we can get students who volunteer to do it. It's just that we need the melody." the producer corrects getting them to look at me who is now off Lero's lap.
Turning towards my flow friends, I can see their sparkling eyes getting me to flinch, "Hell no! Hell no! Hell no! I am not freaking doing it! Hell no!"
"Mr Washin, in truth, our whole choir didn't create the song, it was this girl who did. Miss Octave Reiner." Mr Edison gleams getting me to swing my head towards him as if he's insane.
Everyone's eyes widen as they turn to look at me.
I am so screwed. I wanna go back home.
"Is that so? Then, Miss Reiner, if it is fine with you, will you create a song for us to perform?" he asks with interest as I begin to fear the future.
Is it just me, but why do I have a bad feeling about this?
~~~~~
My head smashes onto the table as I groan.
How did I get stuck in this situation?
Surrounding the same long table are chairs occupied by the volunteers willing to perform. They look at me with either disappointment or interest. Each of them were from different countries but still, it seems like they knew each other already.
It seems like other schools also have the same rule about no first years on the choir team, only from what I saw at the meeting.
"So, what do you have?" the Portuguese representative, Wolf asks sliding his medium long back showing his bright blue eyes.
"I'm not a super brain computer who can instantly think of a melody." I reply trying to not sound too snappy or sassy.
"Why don't we just sing the song that you guys performed?" the French representative, George asks.
He has amazing sparkly blonde hair matching his blue eyes that lean more to purple as he wears a simple hoodie and jeans.
"Normally, we would. But Mr Washin said that it has to be new. Something about wanting to beat those higher-ups." I reply as I let out another groan with my head on the table.
They stare at me as I look back at them with boredom.
Okay, Octave, you can't fail this. You've got to come up with something!
"Think you stupid brain! Why can't we just connect!" I slam my head on the table again before standing up instantly with a face of realization, "That's it!"
"What?" they all ask as I snatch the paper from the middle of the table and start sketching the melody in my head.
"What languages are there with us all together?" I suddenly ask getting the Russian representative, Ian to immediately answer.
"There's 16. Russian, Polish, Hebrew, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi, Portuguese, Italian, French, Korean, Spanish, Arabic, Swedish, German, Tagalog and English. But none of the English choirs wanted to volunteer."
"Okie dokie." I reply back as I write the languages on another sheet of paper,"Wait, how are we going to fit so many choirs in one meeting room?"
"They're going to separate us in half. Russian, Polish, Hebrew, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi, Portuguese and Italian in one room while the rest are in another room." the Polish representative, Hubert answers.
Not even looking at myself, I know my eyes are twinkling getting them to flinch as I pull out a smirk.
~~~~~
"Arions! Let go of me!" I try to escape from his grasp but it only gets him to hold on to me tighter.
"No! Give them to me, Octave!" he tries to reach the bag in my hand which I'm trying to not let him snatch.
People around us turn our way as I try to run down the hall but he keeps me in the pace of a turtle as I pant from struggling.
"Octave, if you don't give it to me, you will regret it!" he tries to reason as I continue to struggle from his grip around my waist.
"What are you going to do, huh?" I ask trying to put on a courageous front as he continues to hug me.
"Just give it to me!" he continues to reach for the bag which I'm using all my strength to keep it away from him.
"What are you doing?" the French representative, George asks as he stops in front of us with a face of curiousity and confusion.
"Take that bag away from her or else she's going to spend an all-nighter again!" Arions orders him to which George does as he snatches it away from me.
"No!" I shout but can't reach for it as Arions hold me back.
George looks inside to only widen his eyes, "Did you make these?"
Taking out a shirt with the French flag all the way down from the shoulder, George displays it out to himself to look at it more.
"You're quite good at designing. Did you also make those outfits back at your performance?" he asks looking at the outfit at different angles.
"That's right. And we only received it right before the performance, to only know that she spent all-nighters o, them! And that's bad for your health!" Arions pulls me tighter to him as I try to reach to my bag.
"He's right about that." George agrees before smiling to me, "How about I help you in this? I'm quite into designing."
Just when he said that, a book drops out of the bag opening it to a random page. There, on that page was the Chinese flag at the corner with a model dressed in an outfit at the middle. It was nicely colored as it was quite eye-catching.
"Amazing!" George gasps at it as he picks it up flipping through the sketches as I blush furiously.
I never exactly like people look at my designs, ever since that incident. It was an embarrassment.
Finally escaping from Arion's grasp, using my stealth skills which I learned from Kafe as he always takes away my snacks, I quickly snatch back my sketchbook and bag. Having my things back again, I dash down the hall as Arions quickly follows.
"Octave!!"