School Stories

The Change in Melody

     The dark curtains drew down as Tomas left the stage, claps of approval filling the auditorium. I stood just out of sight backstage the large fan blowing my curled red hair in my face. Making it virtually impossible to see when the music director waved for me to enter. The large artistic windows cast a gloomy moonlight across the audience. Raindrops the size of gumballs thumping the glass. My parents sit expectantly in the audience awaiting my performance. The only problem is I hadn't told them that although they were expecting opera I had country and I was ready to impress Tomas.

As I sat to the side of the curtains my hands became clammy around the guitar and my heart told me this was right, while my brain told me this was a bad idea, but just this once I would follow my heart.

" I would now like to invite Melody Foley to play her song," the director addressed into the microphone.

My clammy fingers tightened around the neck of the guitar while I took my seat on the stool. My best friends were sitting in the audience texting and laughing which was often what happened considering it was what they did when they were bored and often showed little interest in my usual opera practices. Shaking slightly I began to play and with each note I grew calmer and calmer. My friends looked up at me in amazement dancing to the song and laughing quietly. My parents however didn't seem pleased. Opera had been in my family for generations and the fact I was now playing country seemed to anger them, but this was my time and I couldn't care less.

As I entered the school, pushing the door aside as my feet made rhythmic thumps on the stone floor. Just then, my two best friends, who had been at the performance, Amy, and Malisa, jump me.

"You were amazing." exclaimed Amy.

I smile slightly feeling unhappy deep down.

" Thanks," I say trying to sound happy, but it comes out choked instead.

" Your welcome," says Malisa a little too excited, and obviously not seeing i'm unhappy. Then, again it's always been like that.

I walk past them heading to my locker. As I put in my combination and creek it open. A note fell to the ground folded into neat squares. As i began to unfold it I saw small crinkled spots on the paper were tears had touched it. Seeing the handwriting I felt a surge of shock the smudged handwriting was Tomas's. I read it slowly in my head unsure what to think.

Dear Melody,

I saw your performance and frankly i'm hurt. I don't know what you though, I thought we were friends. I just don't know why you would do this. It was my place, my performance, and you took it, you took it all.

I stuffed the note quickly in my pocket and rushed to the bathroom. I sat curled on the toilet seat crying. My phone rang. I looked toward my pocket, wiping several tears from my cheeks. Flipping it open I hear a strange voice I don't recognize on the other side.

"Hello?" they say. "Is anyone there."

I sniffle before answering. " Yes, hello this is Melody Foley may I help you?"

"Oh, why you were just the person I was looking for. This is the music studio director I saw your performance and would like you to come in to record some new songs with us."

Great just great the thing that had made my life miserable had just gotten worse, but maybe just maybe it would take my mind off things.

" Okay thank you very much. I'll be sure to find a time to come in." I don't know why I said it, but before I could take it back they hung up.

The next morning, I woke up extra early and walked to the studio. Last night I had been thinking about this a lot and had come up with a plan to return things back to normal. When I arrived, at the studio I was greeted by many people who knew me, but I did not recognize. I scurried straight to the main office, opening the door slowly. The director who had called me, sat on the phone in his large office chair. As soon as I entered he hung up.

"Why hello Melody I wasn't expecting you so early. As you already know we would like you to record some original songs for us."

"Well I'm very happy to be here and would like to start right away, but would you mind if I had someone with me?" I asked.

"I'm afraid not dear we don't have the finances for another person," he explained.

My expression grew sad, but I had planned for this it would just take a lot more work. "Very well," I mumbled.

I stepped out of the room closing the door behind me. I flipped through my contacts till I found his number hitting call I waited. Bring, bring, bring. It rung several times before going quiet. A voice on the other side came through.

"Hello you have reached Tomas Wice please leave a message after the beep." It was voice mail I had reached which I should have expected, but voicemail or not I tried anyway. Covering my mouth with my shirt in an attempt to muffle my voice I then spoke into my phone.

"Hello this is the assistant director for the music studio, the director would like you to come in," I paused looking at the hours on the door which read open from 8 AM-9 PM. "At 10 tonight to record a new song, due to staff though just go to the audio room and play. We will set it up and have it ready for you," I then hung up and waited around the area until 10.

At 10 PM that night, I snuck to the record room. I began setting it up when just as planned Tomas entered the room with his red wood guitar. He sat down and began to play a song I knew well, and everything felt like it was back to normal. That night, I saved the recording and left a note asking Tomas to attend my performance, before going home.

The next morning, before my performance I snuck into the recording room and set Toma's song to play. I then took my seat in front of the microphone. My heart beat faster and faster. Would it work? Would it fix anything? I took a deep breath this was it. As Tomas's song started to play I played mine one step behind. It was a cannon round. For once since this started I felt free really free. Our words blended making a soft harmony as the notes played I closed my eyes. I hoped it worked I really did. As my eyes opened I realized my parents and friends looked bewildered. I stood up walking to the door to see them. What would they say? Would they be ashamed? Although I asked myself these questions I already knew the answers. My mom approached me and gave me a warm hug, something I hadn't had for so long.

"You were," she paused searching for the right words. " Amazing," she finished.

I smiled happy with myself, but before I let it sink in too much I realized I had other business to attend to. I walked to where Tomas sat and hovered for a moment.

" I'm really sorry," I started knowing that wasn't going to fix anything. He looked up at me his brown eyes meeting mine.

Epilogue 3 months later

I knocked on the hardwood door, the guitar I had bought a while back clutched in my hand. Tomas opened the door and a smile spread across his face. " Hey Melody come on in"

As I entered, he shut the door behind me and led the way upstairs where we usually practiced. As his door creaked open he grabbed his worn red wood guitar. We sat in our usual spots shoulder to shoulder.

" You ready for our performance," I joked.

He smiled with a laugh ", Am I ever?"

We both began to laugh as his hand fell on mine.

" I love you Mel," He said.

" I know," I answered.

Then, I strummed the first note of our song, one we wrote together and I knew this would last forever.