Symphonies in E Minor

Chapter Four: The First Lesson

Pieces played in this chapter: Ballad No. 4 (Chopin) , Ständchen S. 560 (Franz Schubert & Franz Liszt), and Mazurka Number 5 (Chopin)

It is with utter excitement that Aaliyah dresses herself the next day, eager to head to her new instructor's house for her first ever piano lesson from him. As she journeys there, she can't help but think of how he must teach, and how he may differ from the other teachers she had when she was younger. They'd always treated her so nicely, telling her that the art of the femininity came from hobbies such as music, poetry, and sewing. Aaliyah often laughed at them behind their backs for that, and so she never was too fond of the piano until she heard Harry's compositions many years later.

Aaliyah has always been a fast learner, so it didn't take her long to become well acquainted with the piano at such a young age. She never found her talent elsewhere, not with reading, paying attention in school, or being able to stay quiet long enough to hear another person out. She's always had so much to say, but such little talent to perform anything, so when she heard Harry's melancholic music back in Scotland, she decided she was going to be just like him. She'll never be as talented as him, she thinks now, but she hopes she can find her purpose and name behind the piano as he has.

When she arrives at the house, the doorman is waiting there for her and Mr. Lewis. The man is kind, and he offers his hand to her as she climbs the stairs, and then she is led to the foyer where she remembers her gloves were taken from her.

Roger, the butler, is there, but he doesn't look all that comfortable. He makes eye contact with the doorman, and Aaliyah immediately knows something is wrong.

"What is it?" she asks, tucking her cold hands into her pockets.

"Well, miss, Ha-- er, Mr. Styles expected you a little earlier it seems."

"It's only nine in the morning. How early does your employer wake up?"

Roger begins to lead her to the drawing room, though a different one than last time. "He's known for rising earlier than most people."

Anticipation creeps up on her and settles low in her stomach. "Is he upset with me? He never told me a time so I assumed this was an appropriate one."

Roger shakes his head. "He's not upset. He, er, values his time greatly."

They enter the threshold of the room Roger has led them to, and there, she sees Mr. Styles sitting on the futon, one leg crossed over the other, glancing down at his pocket watch.

At her arrival, he snaps the cover shut and says, "You are late."

Roger says, "I'll bring some food while you are getting settled in, Miss."

Aaliyah walks to the other couch and sits, beginning to remove her coat. She's very aware of his eyes on her, watching her fingers undo the buttons and then reach for her hat. "You never gave me a time, sir," she tells him. "You said mornings, but never the precise hour. I will come early next time, but you must tell me when."

Mr. Styles, she observes, looks very handsome this morning with his freshly shaved face and dark suit, his strong brows pushed into a frown as usual. He's idly playing with his watch, snapping the cover shut, reopening it, and repeating. His suit is as nearly pressed as always, his silk tie around his neck white, creating a meaningful distraction. His throat moves as he begins speaking, causing her to abruptly tear her eyes off the intimate area.

"Seven," he says, finally tucking the device into his pocket. "I want you here by seven."

Aaliyah says, "That's early. What time do you normally wake up, sir? I must say that I am not a morning person." She holds herself back from saying that he doesn't look like a morning person either. Or a night person. Or a people person. She's unsure what type of company this man prefers.