The Prodigy

Chapter 4

I was sitting at lunch the next day, when Tommy O'Neil walked by my table. Cassie was absent from school that day, so I sat alone, across from two strangers.

"Danielle." He said, standing right behind me. I looked up and faced him

"Hello Tommy." I said. "What brings you here today?"

"Can I sit with you for a minute?"

I nodded.

Tommy sat down in Cassie's normal seat and looked at me.

I was in the midst of biting into my sandwich when I noticed this. I stopped. "What?" I asked after swallowing my food.

"So, you're actually a child prodigy?"

"Oh." I said, looking down. "So that's why you want to talk to me."

"But I really want to know!" he cried, looking at me dead in the eyes.

I sighed. "Yes, I am."

"Awesome! That's so cool! So are you like, uh, going to Juilliard or something?"

Does this guy even know what he's talking about? Well, I guess I'll give him credit for knowing a prestigious music school.

I waved my arm and laughed. "Half ride." I said, nonchalantly.

Tommy's mouth dropped.

"It's not biggie." I said.

"Uh, yeah, it's like the NFL of performing arts!"

"I guess you could say that."

"Can I tell you something?" he asked, looking a bit stricken.

I nodded.

"I've always wanted to pursue a cello career. It's been a life long dream of mine, but I didn't actually get a cello and some lessons until I was 12. I really want to study music with a scholarship like you, however my best chance at a scholarship is with football, so I have to keep playing it."

"Wow." I said, dumbfounded. This jock had an interest in music?

"I know, it's totally lame of me to say, especially to someone with God-given talents."

"No! No!" I cried. "I think it's a perfectly wonderful dream to chase. If you're that passionate about it, I don't see why not?"

"Tell me," he began, leaning closer to me, "what's it like to be an actual prodigy?"

This was what I was afraid of; people seeing me as some sort of mutant or whatever. This was why I never played around anyone.

"Tommy, it's not like I'm not human." I said to him.

He laughed, with a small nervous look in his eyes. I think he was scared of me. "Well, I was just curious to know if there's anything special you do."

"I do concerto competitions around the world." I said. "But that's basically it."

"Wow, traveling the world just to play music? What a wonderful experience!"

"Yeah, it is, quite frankly. I usually do the traveling during breaks, but sometimes I get to miss school to, you know, jet off to Europe for a couple days."

Tommy's eyes widened. "Wow." He said. "That must be amazing."

I smiled. "My parents love to travel."

"Same here." answered Tommy. "Except I don't get to join."

"Why not?"

"Money."

Oh, this was starting to make sense now. Him needing a scholarship though football; not being able to travel much; not getting a cello until he was 12...Perhaps he lived on a low income.

"Well, maybe you should start learning some concertos, and you can travel with me." I said. "And besides, we can only travel from the prize money I win from previous competitions. I won $1,000 dollars in Paris that I spent flying to Tokyo over summer."

"So if you end up spending your prize money..." began Tommy "Then how come you continue playing in them?"

"You start with small concertos then work your way up to the big ones. The one I'm aiming for is in Italy next summer and the prize is $200,000."

Tommy dropped his jaw. "You could get like four cars with that!"

"I'm using it to pay off the other half of Juilliard." I said. "That school is anything but inexpensive."

"I would imagine." He said. Suddenly, the end of lunch was marked by the piercing ring of the bell.

"Do you have perfect pitch?" Asked Tommy as we got up.

I nodded. I pointed up, then said, "That bell, it's pitch is B flat."

Tommy's eyes widened even more as he followed me to the garbage cans, where I tossed half my lunch.

"Can You come with me to orchestra?" he asked, with a slight plead in his voice.

"You mean, Philharmonic Orchestra?" I asked. "With Breanne?"

"What's wrong with her?" he asked, looking genuinely confused. "She's my girlfriend."

That was the most shocking news I'd ever heard. Tommy O'Neil was taken? But I actually was starting to like him! Aww.

"I...I don't think that's a good idea." I said, walking out the cafeteria doors. Only God knew what Breanne would do when she saw me.

"Please?" he cried. "Just to watch?"

I sighed. "Alright, fine, I'll skip Pre-Calc, just this once."

Turns out, I had an enjoyable time. Breanne didn't once bother me, partly because she was busy making funny faces at Tommy. Mrs. Stevens was super glad I could visit, then asked me to join again tomorrow, just one more time. I agreed.

The next morning, at 6:30, I quietly grabbed my violin case, with all its protective padding, and walked out to my car. I put my violin case in the back seat, and got in the driver's seat. I turned on the car and backed out of the driveway.

Down the road, I began to feel nervous. I'd never brought my Strad to school, but I couldn't bear to play on a school instrument again. If mom or dad found out that I took my million dollar violin to school they would flip. I had enough casing and padding to keep my violin safe though airports and on airplanes, but there was no way I could ever make anything high-school proof.