Throw Back Thursday

Six

"I want chocolate milk!!" Dannie (Elizabeth's little brother) suddenly piped up from being his usual quiet self. (He wasn't actually talking to anyone.) He stood on a stool to reach up into the cupboards. No, that won't work. He sat on the granite counter top, swivelled his legs around and knelt. Now he was getting somewhere. Cookies and milk, here we -

"You smart little rascal!" She caught him rummaging in the cupboard. Cute though he was, his arms weren't long enough.

"Mummy! Hug meee!" Dannie spread his arms out, accidentally hitting his daddy. Family hugs!

"Should we call Liz?" The concerned mother raised an eyebrow.

"Nah, she won't want to be around her brother." They all hugged.

Ah, gooey sentimental crap. Lush. Simply lush.

* * *

I was walking through the empty halls of school... I was going to see my vocal teacher when I heard a bang. I rapidly turned (hurting my neck, ow!!) to see a boy a year older than me that had dropped his guitar."Do you want some help?" I asked. He looked into my eyes and smiled. Wow, he is one hot firecracker!

He sheepishly, but in a very adorable way, looked up at me, "Actually, yes please." Oh my God, he is too good to resist! Wait, what?

Our hands touched as, together, we lifted the case from the ground. I've never felt like that, it was like butterflies were flying around in my stomach. Probably just warm inside, that's all. Ooh, my hands are clammy. Embarrassed, I ran up the hill to see my teacher.

The door creaked as I came in a little late.

"Miss Carter, you are 30 seconds late. Are you feeling alright?" I leant against the door frame, reddening all over. My cheeks flushed vigourously. My hands flew to my cheeks.

"Yes!!" Let's start singing, then. I don't have time for a question and answer session.

She raised her eyebrow and asked me again. Of course! Dismissing the small conversation, she clapped her hands and directed me to the stand. I could hear a brush as sheet music was placed in front of me. I knew that these pieces were for my audition. I inhaled, and then exhaled. Inhale, exhale. The soothing bars of piano music sent me off into a dream and made me miss my cue. Sorry... Second try, the same thing. Third, no change. The fourth...

"How about we forget your lesson for today?" Swinging her legs around the piano stool, she briefly stood up and started to walk towards me. What? Forget my lesson? God, it was only a few mistakes! In the same song. I couldn't even get past the tenth bar... "Elizabeth?" I could hear a distant click and tried to bring my thoughts (and my eyes into the real world from dream land). Normally, I would start apologising profusely and stare at the sheet music, refusing to move my gaze. But today, I really didn't care. All I wanted to think about was... Him. God, I didn't even know his name! But my my, he was hot! "Miss Lizzy, er, ELIZABETH CARTER!!! I'M TALKING TO YOU AND YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BOTHERED TO LISTEN TO ME!!!" Her tone and expression softened. "What's going on?"

Only then I realised that I was actually being (sort of) reprimanded. I looked up bashfully. "Hm. Nothing. Just, uh, tired?" I rolled my eyes and looked at the floor. Trying to convince her, I put on a fake cough. "Hm, need..... water..." I looked up at her again to see that she wasn't buying it. Damn.

"Tell me the truth." Her eyes seemed to burn into me to the extent that I felt I had to tell her everything, as if she were close friend. Right, how am I gonna word this?

"Well..." I bit my lip before explaining the whole enchilada. I waited for her reaction.

Her mind was blank. Her eyes were stone cold. Her expression was vacant. As if they were gridlocked, her arms were rigidly crossed.

"You mean to tell me, Elizabeth, that you are off focus today because of some guy that you came across, he's your distraction, and that your family are also the cause. Well, I can understand about family, but as a teacher I can't go into detail about the boy... Just, make sure not to fall in love or have any feelings, okay?" "But still" She said after a short pause, "It's not really my business." She impatiently tapped her nails on her manuscript as time passed and I didn't respond. She'd most probably be waving her hand in front of my face. (If she hadn't done that already.)

For some unknown reason, my cheeks (without my mental or conciencious permisson) decided to break into a rosy blush. Great. Now I'll have to explain this! I smiled and gestured to my sheet music. A coy, let's-move-on-from-this-useless - conversation, laugh passed from my lips.

* * *

My books preceded to fall aimlessly out of my bag. "Oh, bugger!" I muttered time and time again under my breath. After a long, tiresome, weird (not to mention eventful) day, I just wanted to flop onto the sofa. But, as usual, I couldn't. I hadn't been bothered to show my face at choir or French club so I was giving my missed minutes back; detention. For two bloody hours. Just because I hadn't been to these things, both of them (the teachers) decided to give me an hour's detention each. Each! If school doesn't kill me, nothing will.

Three quarters of an hour had passed and I was staring at the clock in the hope that it would burn a hole in the wall. I rattled my papers, (mentally and concienciously aware this time) dropped all of my books and loudly clicked my tongue. If I said I was gonna go, now's the best time. Without one more second's hesitation, I raised my hand. "Can I go to the bathroom?" My French teacher looked up appalled.

"Fine, but be quick." It was then I started planning....