Canon

Chapter Six

"... so he dumped her and she went out with his best friend," Chelsea explained to me about the recent drama of our high school peers, "Crazy, right?"

"Yep, totally crazy," I agreed, though I only heard the last part. But hey, the last part was already crazy enough right?"

After the library thing, Chelsea and I headed down to our favorite spot in town: Kaffe Alde. I know I've mentioned this coffee and cake shop a few times before, but it's this really cute coffee and cake shop that has become our favorite spot in town.

Or whatever.

There weren't exactly a lot of people coming in here, and that's what we loved most. Even the waitress, Aria, has become our buddy.

"So, what could I get you today Jazz and Chels?" she asked us.

"Iced latte with whipped cream, and oh, choco crinkles!" I order cheerfully. My comfort food is the best comfort food ever.

"A vanilla smoothie and six brownies for me," Chelsea added.

"Six?" Aria frowned, "I thought you were on a diet,"

"Yep, I am," Chelsea smiles, "But four of those are for my friend here, who is joining the music competition at our school?"

"Really? Tell me all about it later, okay girls?" Aria went back to the cashier and prepared our orders. 

So that afternoon was spent on chilly drinks, delicious sweets and girl talk. But I still don't have a piece to play. 

The next few days were filled with nothing but practice, practice, practice and MORE practice.

Since Adrian and I both joined the competition, we didn't practice together.

OK, let me rephrase the first sentence: The next few days were filled with nothing but them practicing, practicing, practicing and MORE practicing.

I haven't picked a piece yet. I mean, how on earth am I supposed to know about falling on love?

I wonder what the others picked for their piece. 

I browsed through songs and songs of whatever, but nothing really seemed like... falling in love. I wanted to ask help from Adrian, or even from Carter Sorensen, but it just seems soooo... awkward. 

I mean, I'm pretty sure they didn't ask help from anyone! And I'm also pretty sure I'm the only contestant who'll suck. Big time.

So I got bored, and tired, and fidgety from sitting in front of my laptop all day long (make that squatting), and I decided to take a walk.

As I was strolling through the neighborhood, brainstorming, I heard a faint tinkling of music.

It sounded so cute, so innocent, like something you'd hear from a fairytail.

And then I saw her. The freshman girl.

She was playing her harp. It sounded so fantastic as if an angel was playing it, despite what she was wearing (simple shirt and faded jeans and a pair of Chuck Taylor's).

I listened to the last notes when she finally stopped. She sighed and saw me, and blushed immediately.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I apologized, "I didn't mean to disturb you... Lizzie was it?"

"Yeah," she put down her notes and made space for me on the park bench, "Have you picked a piece yet?"

"No, not really," Of all the contestants, she was the one I'm not really close to because of her shy personality, "Have you? I'm not really good at things involving the words 'love',"

She gave a laugh which sounded like the beautiful tinkling of windchimes.

"Me, too," She suddenly had that sad, distant look in her eyes.

"What about that piece you were playing earlier?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah," she said, "I was thinking of using that,"

I nodded and looked up at the sky. I was wondering what Adrian would use.

"What's the piece called?" I asked.

"It's called 'Valse romatique' by Claude Debussy," She answered with the same distant look in her eyes a while ago.

I wonder what she's thinking about.

A few moments later, we both went our own ways. I still needed to find a piece to play. Love, love, love. I wonder what I should play. The competition is three weeks from now and I haven't even started.

I thought about the distant look in Lizzie's eyes, and wondered if she was in love, or falling in love. She was so young, so innocent, so full of that positive aura it made you happy just by being around her. 

I wish she wouldn't fall in love just yet. 

Then I thought about Lizzie's piece. Valse Romantique. Based on my French lessons, that should mean "Romantic Waltz". 

I suddenly see myself dancing with Adrian in a gold-lined ballroom and me in a pretty pink gown and him in suede black tuxedo.

And all of a sudden, I know what to play.

To Be Continued.