Replaced

Ch.3-One Song

Zander had been waiting all day for school to get out since practice, and as soon as the bell rang he was up and ready to Leave.

Luke met him by the entrance to the art building every day, and today was no different.

"Hey Zan" Luke said, grabbing Zander's hand.

"Hey Luke. C'mon let's get going" Zander said, swiftly pulling Luke towards the sidewalk to their houses.

Luke chuckled. "What's with the rush?"

"I need to get home to tell on Hailey before she gets home"

Luke burst out laughing, following Zander's tugs. "Okay then"

——

It took Zander and Luke an entire 3 minutes to part their ways, and an extra 4 for Zander to get himself home. And to Zanders prevail, Hailey wasn't home yet.

"Mom!" Zander exclaimed "Hailey's kicking me out of the music club!"

Zander's mom walked into the living room. "What?"

"She's replacing me! So now I won't get to play in the competition"

"Did she give you a chance to show her you can still play?"

"Nope. I just walked in and she decided I wasn't playing. She had a folder of candidates and the top one was Stacy Davis"

Shannon furrowed her eyebrows. "Stacy Davis? Who's Stacy Davis?"

"Some girl who kissed Luke"

Shannons face went from confused to surprised. "Seriously?"

He nodded yes.

"Honestly my love, I can see her wanting to have a replacement just for the band competition. But it's very rude that she'd choose a girl who liked your boyfriend." Shannon said, sitting down on the couch.

Zander sat next to her. "I mean obviously I'm not happy about being replaced either. She didn't even let me try to play."

Shannon nodded. "Once she's home, I'll have her let you play for her. Think you can do one hand?"

"Yeah. A lot of songs are one handed." He said, spacing off. "Well, at least can be played one handed. And our song is pretty easy."

"Yeah. Well I'll-"

Before Shannon could finish her sentence, Hailey walked into the house.

"Hailey dear, you need to at least let your brother try to play for you"

Hailey sighed. "He can't play. He has one hand."

"Oh my god Hailey. Do you not understand how pianos work? I can play with one hand."

"Yeah, but probably not good with one hand."

"Hailey, you'll let your brother play for you. Go downstairs."

Hailey rolled her eyes and walked to the basement door, Zander following after her.

"One song Zander. A song that's at least a little difficult."

"K." He replied, walking slowly down the stairs and to his piano.

He sat down in the piano seat and thought for a second about what he could play. "Give me a song"

"Clair De La Lune"

Zander played around with the keys for a second. "I haven't played that one in a while"

"Think you can't do it?"

"No. I can do it."

He took a moment to breath. His fingers brushed against the keys, and he took one last breath before playing the first set of keys. He went on for about half the song with his mind blank.

"Okay. Here comes the hard part" he thought, closing his eyes and taking a breath.

They both flinched when Zander's finger slipped onto the wrong key. "Fuck." He mumbled.

"Looks like I was right." She said, crossing her arms.

"Let me try our song." He replied. She rolled her eyes, but complied to his request.

He could feel his confidence slipping away. After 13 years of playing, Zander hadn't felt the way he feels now since the beginning.

His spine was tingling, and his breath was hitched in his throat. He could feel his eyes glassing over.

"Are you crying?"

"No." He replied. But what he really meant was 'Not yet.'

He wracked his brain for a few minutes, but he couldn't remember their song. There was no way he could admit to himself or to Hailey that he actually couldn't remember it.

He felt a single tear rolled down his cheek, he wiped it quickly as soon as it fell. "I can't remember"

"It's okay Zander don't cry. She's just gonna play for a while. You're still our pianist. She's just your temporary replacement."

Zander stood up out of the seat, wiped his cheek and walked out of the basement. He didn't want to face Hailey ever again.

He couldn't remember the last time he felt this much disappointment in himself. He was generally a pretty unenthusiastic person, but every once in a while he still felt good about the things he did.

He sat down next to his mother.

"Are you alright Alex? You look like your about to lose it"

He shrugged.

"How did the piano playing go?"

He shrugged a second time.

"I'm guessing not very well then."

He shrugged a third time, this time another tear welling in his eye. His eyebrows were slightly furrowed together, and his mouth a pouty frown.

She wrapped her arms around him. "Don't be upset darling. It's not your fault. Everything will be okay."

The comfort of his mother Definitely helped, but he still felt that sinking guilt in his stomach.

Nothing is fine.

He doesn't think it ever will be again.

——

Three chapters woohoo!

Short but hopefully decent!