Hallways

1: Run to You

Kelli's POV

I leaned against the side of a piano, my hip bone aligning with the corner, resting my feet from the heels I had just kicked off. 

"Okay ladies, we have fifteen minutes til we get onto those risers and knock the gosh darn socks off of those people's feet. Now before we make them stink up the place with their smelly socks, let's talk for a minute. For some of you, your world is going to change. Everyday you take a step into your future, a step closer to becoming what you want to be in life. I know, I'm just some woman that came in from New York to do a little California All-State Women's Choir, but if I hadn't have listened to my All-State conductors during their speeches I wouldn't be living this dream. So go fourth and be amazing. And knock the stinking socks off their feet. Now group hug!"

Girls crowded me from all sides and I laughed as we all sped apart. They began lining up as I grabbed my binder, walking to the door and leading them to the concert hall. I look around at the different parents, teachers, and friends of these talented young ladies and smile as we walk onto stage. 

I walk up to the mic off to the side as the girls start getting onto their levels, "Hi! I am Kelli Zimman, and I am the crazy person you let keep your children for the past three days. I'm from New York, New York and have conducted both men, women, and mixed choirs around the world; I can promise you that I am well qualified to teach them, but to be honest it's not teaching, especially with these wonderfully talented women who have worked endlessly to reach their goal for this weekend: to make beautifully magical music with each other. I believe with my whole heart that they have but I'll let you decide for yourselves." 

I turn and place my binder down, opening to the first song and looking to the young ladies in front of me. They smile brightly and I do the same before taking a breath and looking towards the pianist, looking back, and then finally launching into the first piece of five different ones. By the time we got to the last song my arms were aching and I was ready to get them resting at my sides once more. 

Run to You. Of course as a choral director, who was always obsessed with harmonies, would listen to Pentatonix and when I heard their version of this I couldn't help but keep it for something special. The something was this concert, and I had greatly been anticipating the final product all day. I waved the girls to find their partners. How I had this was the sopranos, altos(and the tenor and bass group I brought in) all had a group of four, they would stand in the an order of Soprano to Bass and circle around the concert hall. I walked to the microphone one last time.

"This has been such a wonderful concert so far but we have one more song and I would like to thank the group of boys who I auditioned from the mixed choir for coming in and learning this song. This song is called "Run to You" by a group called Pentatonix, it is such a beautifully written and composed piece and I knew I had to wait for something special to use it; and if I must say so the basses rock this song in such a majestic way. The soloist are Lauren Duke and Ben Fanker, who are what I want to be when I grow up. This is something special for you. Thank you."

~~~~~~~

Avi's POV

"Come on man! It will be fun, you'll love it." 

I sighed as Ben egged on about me following him to this conference, "Why do I have to go exactly?" 

He rolled his eyes, acting as if I were a child asking him for an explanation as to how babies were born. He stared at me for a second before putting a hand to his forehead, "Dude. We are going to promote A Cappella Academy and I need you there. Also we need to replace Mindy because she's getting married this year, so we need to find someone who can be a counselor. Now come on, you have no choice, you're going." 

I laughed at his tone and got up from the chair I was sitting in, following him to the car and getting into the passenger seat. 

"So what do we do when we get there? Just walk around."

"Yes." I chuckled loudly as he nodded with a straight face, "Unless you want to go to some of the concerts. I think there's a men's choir singing in an hour or two." He handed me a schedule of the conference and I scanned through the list of events. My eyes darted to the clock and back to the page.

"There's a women's choir concert at two, we can make that one." He looked over at the paper and then back to the road. 

"Okay, that's fine." 

We pulled into the hotel parking lot, getting out of the black sports car and walking towards the spinning doors. For some odd reason my heart raced as I walked into the wide space, my eyes darted around the area taking in the sights of booths and teenagers. Ben nudged me and smirked, "Brings back some memories, doesn't it?" I hummed in response and nodded, "Come on, let's get to the concert, it's in this room."

We got in right as young ladies began to file onto the risers and a woman made her way to the microphone making a speech and turning back. I didn't pay much attention until I watched her arms rise into position before thrusting them forward, the girls taking their pitch and shooting into an a cappella rendition of Lift Thine Eyes. My body leaned closer as melodies flooded my sense, making goosebumps sprinkle my arms. 

Song after song, measure after measure in tranced me. When she finished the first to last piece I looked down at the playbill someone had given me and looked for the woman's name.

Kelli Zimman.

I looked over at Ben as he nudged me and pointed to the last song, I scrunched my eyebrows and saw a name that was all to familiar to me: Run To You by Pentatonix. My head shot up as she began talking and students started making their way around the concert hall. 

"This has been such a wonderful concert so far but we have one more song and I would like to thank the group of boys who I auditioned from the mixed choir for coming in and learning this song. This song is called "Run to You" by a group called Pentatonix, it is such a beautifully written and composed piece and I knew I had to wait for something special to use it; and if I must say so the basses rock this song in such a majestic way. The soloist are Lauren Duke and Ben Fanker, who are what I want to be when I grow up. This is something special for you. Thank you."  

The words left her mouth and I smiled softly as she made a shiver run down my back. I looked to Ben and cocked my head towards her, "We need her to replace Mindy." And before any other words could leave my mouth she was there, beside me, standing in such a confident way. She turned slowly and smiled at the circle of students that lined the edge of the room. She lifted her arms once more and with a simple downcast of her wrist the room filled with voices, moving me. 

I closed my eyes. I let the words touch me, I let the voices that blended so beautifully trap my mind for the short five minutes and twenty-four seconds. Once there was no more sound my eyes slowly opened and looked over to see her eyes closed, a light smile on her lips before they opened slowly. 

And like that the moment was over. The concert was ended and girls were huddling around her, wanting picture and a signature on there music. 

"Oh my God, that's Avi Kaplan." I looked up at my name that had been uttered and turned to the group of girls and the conductor. They stood still and the woman just looked at me, after looking at the young lady who had said my name. 

"Hello, Mr. Kaplan." Her voice was soft and she smiled at me before finishing the signature, "I hope you enjoyed the concert." And like that she was off, the girls following her after smiling at me. 

"Okay?" Ben said as he smirked beside me, "Well, you found our replacement, now how are you going to contact her?"

"She's still in this building, I'm just going to find her."