Reverse Encounters

Ghost Girl Part 1

Striding towards the front of the auditorium, I scanned the seats scattered with people. My eyes locked on my two closest friends who waved emphatically back at me and - wait who's that next to Irine? I don't... Nope, it doesn't matter. I need to keep my mind focused. I've trained a year for this and I won't let anything distract me.

Walking was the only thing keeping me sane at the moment; the rhythm soothed my shaking hands. The sound of my shoes walking across the stage echoed painfully through the enormous hall. But I'd done this before. This moment - on stage, fingers brushing the black and white keys - this is where I come alive. My fear, nervousness, excitement - it was all exhilarating.

When my fingers at last lifted from the inside of keys, the final chord resounded through the hall, I breathed a sigh of relief. All was silent, but I looked out to a sea of waving hands, my grinning friends among them. It took more effort that it should have to walk at a steady pace off the stage rather than sprinting down the aisle skipping will glee. Once I was out of view of the judges, I quickly rounded the corner of the last row and slid in next to my friends. Irine and Samuel mimed a beaming congratulations to me and I grinned back at them. After a minute or so, the girl next to Irine caught my attention and smiling, mimed her congratulations as well. I mouthed a "thank you" back and then sat back in my seat. Who was that? The next performer began their piece and I was suddenly unable to ask Samuel, who sat closest to me, who the new addition was. The second the performance was finished, I leaned over to him.

"Who's next to Irine?" I whispered as loud I as I dared.

"Hmm?" Samuel responded.

He leaned forward with absolutely no subtlety to see the girl who had been sitting two seats from him for the last hour. His face scrunched up in confusion and he sat back in his seat again. When he didn't say anything I asked him again who it was.

"No idea. But I've seen her before," was all he said.

As much as I liked Sam, he was as unskilled at remembering faces and people as he was skilled at piano. No matter though. I'll introduce myself after the recital - yes that would be fine. I leaned back after a few minutes to try to get a good look at her. I leaned back too far and she turned her head towards me ever so slightly. I panicked and pretended to be stretching. Five, then ten minutes went by and I felt it was safe to try and look over again, this time leaning back much less. All I could see was her hair, a dark chestnut brown running over her shoulders. Her head didn't move an inch during the following performances, her attention intently focused on the music. It was impressive and odd, considering her disassociation with the conservatory. There was no other explanation on that account - after all I've never met her before so how could she be in the conservatory?

The concert ended and we all stood up to applaud the other performers as loudly as we pleased. I scanned the room and immediately went over to congratulate some of my fellow performers. A couple minutes later I glanced back to where we had been sitting and realized the girl was gone. I scanned the auditorium, looking over the heads of the various mingling people but she was nowhere to be found. Disappointed, I returned my attention to my friends.