Running for Tara

Chapter 3

Next was physics where the teacher spat when he talked and the boy sat next to Tar had an opinion about everything, then art where Tar learned how not to draw, Spanish where Tar's teacher had a Scottish accent and finally Music: tar found a seat right at the back of that class and the lesson began with everyone stating three facts about themselves. When it came to Tar's turn where she stood up and finally got to see who was in her music class. There was a sea of faces, jocks, nerds, hipsters, goths and some members who she couldn't categorise. Sat amongst the 'jocks' was the silver haired boy, not paying any attention and flirting intensively towards a brown haired girl. Tar began in a quiet and shy voice, a beautiful accent from London where she had grown up;

"Hello, my name is Tara, I was born in London when the snow fell. My favourite song is by Screaming Trees, it is called Look At You. My favourite person in the whole world is my big brother. He died two years ago.

Tar sat down leaving the whole room in sad shock including the silver haired boy. The next person stood up and began their story.

At the end of the music lesson, the teacher picked three children in the classroom to play the music that they had composed during the lesson. First was Milly and she sang a highly out of tune song whilst her friend played something on a equally out of tune guitar. Then was a jock who banged something on the drums that he had clearly just made up on the spot (the teacher had words with him after the lesson) and finally it came to choosing the last person.

Then the teacher scoured the room, looking for another target, finally landing his eyes on Tar and narrowing them.

"You, Tara!" He said and he might as well have stabbed her in the back.

Tar headed to the front of the classroom and chose the instrument that would seal her fate, a white grand piano seemed the most appealing and slowly walked towards it, finally sitting down and brushing her hair across her face to cover her burning cheeks, lifting her fingers and feeling the cold of the keys. Tar began to play and her mouth sang, a song that father taught her that told the story of Tristan and Isolde. A British prince and and Irish princess who fell in love but have to be separated when the Isolde's father forbids it and tries to kill Tristan, the prince, sending him back to England. There is then a warrior contest where Tristan competes and wins Isolde for his master and not him. This is because Tristan doesn't know that it is his princess that he is winning for another man.

When Tar finished she didn't lift her head as she fell from the piano. Then the bell rang.

Tar escaped the music class and headed into the school's atrium, Milly quickly caught up with her and Tar expected her to insult the singing.

"That was really nice" Milly uttered, "Come, eat with us". She spoke a lot softer than when she first met Tar and she led Tar to a round table where many multicoloured girls were waiting.

Tar ate her lunch as Milly told the girls how she could 'sing' and how she should eat with them, Tar just slowly ate the little food she had for lunch that mother had provided and found a note at the bottom of the lunch. It said that whatever Tar did she loved her and what Tar didn't realise was that a large smile had slowly crept across her face.

After lunch, Tar headed up the stairs to the most beautiful library and found an empty seat, plugging in her earphones and curling up around her book, Atonement.

Tar was so captivated by the book that she almost didn't notice the shock of silver hair weaving in and out of the shelves. Almost.