100 reasons to love Maya

Chapter 8

    Today was my Julliard audition. I was so nervous that I wouldn't do well, but then I met her. Her name is Louisiana. She was was waiting backstage with me and few others.

"Hi." She aproached me first. She had brown hair and brown eyes and she had a smile that illuminated the backstage.

'Hey." I replied.

"I'm Louisiana." She introduced herself.

"I'm Josh." I said. She glanced down at my violin case.

"Violin, huh.'

"Yeah. What do you play?"

"I play the cello," I glanced behind her and saw a cello case across her back "How long have you played the violin?"

"Since I was 9, so about 8 years."

"Wait, so you're going to be a senior next year? How are you here? Not that I'm complaining." She asked. I wondered what she meant by 'not that I'm compalining'.

"My sister in-law sent in an audition video and they said if I do well here I finish highschool here." I told here.

"Wow, that's impressive. I mean people who have been playing since they were 3 haven't even made it past the pre-audition."

"How long have you been playing?" I asked.

"Since I was 6. Whose idea was it to play violin, yours or your parents?" She asked.

"It was actually my neighbor who's also my geography teacher."

"Really? How did he or she inspire you to play?" She asked.

"Well when I was 9 I really liked classical music and he heard my music blasting from my tree house. he asked me which instrument I liked best and it was violin. He suggested I play viloin and my young 9 year old self said 'Woah, you can play?' but I ended up playing and um... here we are," That was alI had to say about myself "Why did you start to play cello?" I asked.

"All 3 of my siblings played guitar, so I was pretty much being forced to play an instrument. But I didn't want to play guitar like the rest of them, I wanted somthing different. So I chose the cello."

"So you didn't want to play an insturment?"

"Not really."

"Are you glad you did?"

"I"m standing here, aren't I?" Before I could respond my name got called, I was up next.

"It's been great talking to you." I told her as she was getting something out of her pocket. A phone

"Could we continue this conversation soon?' She asked.

"Sure." I grabbed my phone and we exchanged phones to put eachothers numbers into.

"Goodluck." She said after handing our phones back to eachother. I thanked her and wished her goodluck also.

    I walked across the stage where 3 judges sat. These 3 judges could change my whole future. This audition could change my future. It was scary, but I didn't seem to notice. Louisiana seemed to make that disapear. I don't know if it was her charm, or her eyes, or just Louisiana herself, but she made me feel in a way no other person has made me feel before. And I liked this feeling. I wanted more.

When my audition was over I met Cory in the main lobby.

"How was it?" He asked.

"It was wonderful." I said. I don't I've ever played with that kind of feeling.

"Great, why don't we go get some lunch before you leave." He suggested.

"Sure." We ended up going to this burger place a few blocks away from Julliard. Since it was about 1:30 it wasn't too busy so we could still get a table.

    I got there special and Cory got a quarter pound burger with a side of fries. After we ordered Cory asked me about school and how things were going in my life. Then my phone buzzed.

I received a text from Louisiana.
Louisiana: u were amazing at ur audition!! I bet u will get in
Me: Thanks!! I bet u were wonderful too
Louisiana: I hope so
Louisiana: Anyways, what ya doing right now?
Me: at lunch w/ my brother
Louisiana: how long r u gonna be in town? Wanna meet up later today?
Me: sure where at?

    We ended up deciding to meet at a some restaurant for dinner. She greeted me with a huge smile as she arrived at the table I was sitting at. She was still wearing the pink and purple flower dress she had on earlier. Her eyes seemed to be alive in a way I've never seen anyone's eyes before. And without thinking I said something. I was just speaking my mind, that's all.

"You look nice." I didn't want to say something to make her feel like this was a date. I mean, we're just 2 people getting together to get to know each other.

"Thanks," She smiled and sat down at the chair across from me "I saw your audition. You're definitely getting in, no question."

I was about to respond but then she started to say something else.

"When I heard the judges talking they said you play guitar, piano, and bass. Plus the violin. That's impressive." She said and then waited for my response.

"Oh, yeah. I do." Was all I could really say back.

"Why didn't you tell me when we first met?" She said this like we hadn't known each other for more than 10 hours, which we didn't.

"Well when I first meet people I don't like them to remember me as the guy who plays multiple instruments. I want to be known as kind, fun, and can play a few notes. You know?"

     The look in her eyes seemed to tell me she understood. We've only been here for  minutes and I think I've spent the whole time staring into her eyes. I just couldn't resist. She was so beautiful. Not just on the outside, but the inside was something of greater beauty.

    We ended up learning a lot about eachother. So far I've learned Louisiana is not from Louisiana. She's from Boston. She planned to attend a local college since school wasn't really her strong point but then she heard about Julliard.

"Julliard was kind of like my savoir. I mean I was just planning on spending the rest of my life being board out of my mind and then I hear my cello teacher suggest I apply for Julliard. I mean if I get in I can escape my family and Boston forever." I've also learned she doesn't like Boston or her family.

"I'm like an alien to them. They chose rock, I chose classical. I chose New York they chose L.A." Her siblings are going to L.A. at the end of summer to "make it big." Louisiana doesn't think they'll succeed and from the story's I heard about them, I'm not so sure either.

We talked for so long I eventually lost track of time. Then Louisiana pulled out her phone.

"Woah, we've been talking for 3 hours." She laughed.

It was about 8 o'clock.

"This has been so much fun but I have to get back to Philadelphia." We walked out of the restaurant together.

"Well, bye." She said to me.

"Bye Louisiana Evans." I look into her eyes as I speak. She's also looking in my eyes too. We both smile at each other and then I turn to leave. As I turn I see her smile fade which makes me start to miss her and miss Maya.