<<brOKen>> a.i.

Chapter 24.

"Ashton's going to help me."

"Yeah of course," he smiles.

"You don't think that I'm being tutored by Ashton for school, right?."

"Of course I do."

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I find myself rushing to the piano lesson again the next morning. Mr Ross is already sitting at the piano when I open the door and slam it shut behind me.

"You are late, Ms. Hood."

"I know. I'm sorry..." He raises an eyebrow at me and I look at the ground. "Sir."

"Do you have an excuse?"

"You were late too yesterday." His eyes grow big and I mentally slap myself.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry, I don't have an excuse."

"There will be consequences about this Gemma. Here," he grabs his purse - lol - and searches through the paper pile he has in there.

"Here. You'll learn this song and you will play it perfectly by... let's say tomorrow."

I show no reaction. Fine. I can look at that page for maybe two minutes and then I'll play it for another thirty and I'll be ready.

"Where can I practice?"

He explains me where and how but I don't listen. I'll ask Jamie later.

"I guess we should start now. You're late already."

And the lesson starts.

I feel like Mr/ Ross is a bit annoyed by the fact that I'm good at playing the piano, which is fun.

The lesson goes by fast, as well as the other classes today and soon I find myself next to Jamie in the chemistry classroom.

"Were you late too?"

"Yes and I'm blaming you."

"Why are you blaming me?"

"You're my roomie, don't you think you should take care of me while I'm here?"

"No one said that I was on time."

He's right with that.

During the lesson, Jamie and I keep ourselves busy by throwing paper balls at Aron again.

It doesn't seem to be his day though; After half an hour he turns around and yells at us.

I could kill him after that. Of course the teacher tells me to stay afterwards.

The lesson goes by slowly after that and I actually take part due to my huge boredom.

When the bell rings, Jamie tells me that he'll meet me in the cafeteria.

After packing up my backpack and waiting for everyone to exit the classroom, I go to my teacher Mr. Smith's desk. He's packing up his stuff as well.

"You wanted to talk to me Mr. Smith?"

"Yes," he rubs his hand palms against each other and looks up. "Why are you here Gemma?"

Oh if only I knew that Mr. Smith. "I don't understand. What do you mean?"

"You're not here to stay, are you?"

I shrug. "I don't think... My mother wanted me to, I guess." And that's when I realize that I really don't want to be here.

"Okay," he sighs and takes his glasses off while walking around the table and leaning back against it. "Although you don't want to be here, you should be paying attention."

I can't even work without Ashton. My stay here is so not useful that it doesn't matter if I pay attention or not.

"I'm sorry Mr. Smith. Won't happen again."

"Are you sure?"

I nod. "I'll try."

"Good. Then I'll let you go now."

I thank him and leave the room.

Before I can escape it really, he calls after me, "do your homework."

He's probably going to make a surprise test so I set a mental note to my brain and remember to do it.

I meet Jamie for lunch. During the afternoon classes, I can't do anything else but paying attention; I don't have any friends here. Children like Jamie and me aren't welcome in this school.

After the last lesson I get back to Jamie's and my room immediately and start off with my homework.

Jamie returns after a few minutes and I ask him to show me the practice room.

"Why?"

"Because that's my punishment for being late."

"Aw," Jamie laughs but puts his bag down and gets out of the room. "Follow me." I take the song with me.

He leads me down to the ground level and along a corridor to a big wooden door.

Then he checks the list that's hanging on it and says, "You're lucky. The next person comes in two hours.

Should I stay?" he asks and opens the door for me.

"You may if you want to," I say and enter the room.

Jamie comes with me and closes the door behind him.

The room is quite big. There's one piano in the middle of stand a few chairs circled around it.

"Why are you even here the first evening after you got that punishment?"

"Because it's for tomorrow."

"Wow. That sucks. Who's your teacher?"

I sit down at the piano and spread my sheets on it. "Mr. Ross."

"That guy is such an asshole," Jamie laughs and leans his back against the piano.

I start playing. I suck at the first few chord but then it gets better and as soon as I'm finished I start all over again.

It takes me three times to know the song by heart.

"Can you take these?" I hand Jamie the sheets and start playing again.

I play it two more times until I'm finally okay with it.

"You're amazing.

"Thank you," I say and get up.

"Gemma. Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, what is it Jamie?" I close the piano and get up. My muscles are tense from sitting straight up for so long and I stretch myself.

"Okay well, on the last night that you're here, I'll have a concert. It's about showing younger children what we learn here and shit like that. Actually I think they chose me because of my look."

"Why would you think that?"

"Well, I certainly don't look like a normal Colburn student. Children might like that. Anyways are you going to play with me or not?"

"Of course, what are we gonna play?"

Jaime takes out his mobile and played me something. I hear it 2 times and in the middle of the second time, I can play along.

It's a simple song, yet very beautiful. "What's it Jamie?"

"It's nothing, I composed it myself."

"Jamie that's amazing. It's not nothing."

"However. I'd say we practice together tomorrow and then we'll see how it goes, alright?"

I nod and put all my papers together in a pile.

After Jamie and I have arrived back in our room, we do nothing all evening, mostly.