Under The Mask

Chapter twenty one: Just Another School Day

1969 words. To make up for the angst.

"Cross?"

"Yeah, Chara?" Cross looked up from his bandaging.

"Do you know how to play the guitar?"

"Uh, yeah. How'd you find out?"

"Cause there's a guitar cover thingy in the attic."

"You went to the attic? Chara, you could've gotten hurt. Also, it's called a case."

"I'm fine. Can you play it?!"

"I'll go get it. You stay here." Cross stood up.

"But your leg..."

"I'll be fine."

Cross returned with the guitar case. He sat on the bed with it on his lap and Chara waiting eagerly beside him. Cross opened the case, revealing a polished wooden guitar with a thin layer of dust on it. He lifted it and brushed off some dust. He put the case aside and pulled out the instrument.

"Whoa..." Came Chara's amazed voice from beside him.

"Mhmm." Cross agreed. "Do you want me to teach you how to play it?"

"Yes!"

"Alright, quiet down." Cross handed his brother the guitar and began to teach him.

...

"Chara?"

"Huh?" Chara faced Betty, who's hand was on his shoulder. "Oh. Sorry. I guess I zoned out." He laughed sheepishly.

"You say sorry too much."

"Sor- uh." Betty laughed.

"Well, the entire class is heading to the music room." Chara looked up at everyone else getting out of their seats. Chara followed them. They soon arrived at a different room.

"Alright, class." The music teacher, Mr.C, as everyone calls him, spoke up. "I'm pretty sure you all have noticed the briefcases in the back of the classroom." He gestured towards said items. "Today you will all choose an instrument to learn to play. Come to me and I'll pick out your instrument. And I'll teach you how to play them."

Everyone went up until it was Chara's turn. "Uh, Mr.C? Can I have a guitar?"

"Of course." The teacher handed it to him.

"Thank you sir!" Chara skipped over to his seat.

He looked around, everyone was doing their own thing. Surely they wouldn't notice if he played a little, right? Boy, was he wrong. He started strumming a few notes. He soon moved on to playing complicated songs. He got so into it, He barely noticed that everyone else stopped. What snapped him out of it was clapping. It was Betty.

Chara flinched as everyone else, including the teacher, clapped as well. His face slightly heated up and he looked down, swiftly zipping it back up in the case. Betty looked at him with a frown. She gripped her recorder and made her way over.

"Why'd you stop?"

"I got embarrassed."

She shrugged. "But everyone praised you. It was good!" She smiled lightly.

"Thanks." He reached for the case. He took it out again and started strumming random notes. Betty decided to play some notes too. They were interrupted as the teacher came by.

"Chara, where did you learn how to play?"

"My brother taught me one day."

"The mute kid?" Another voice came. Chara took a breath.