A light on in Chicago

Chapter 3

Mary looked down at her laptop for the 5th time that day; another email from a student regarding the auditions. Quickly skimming through it, she typed out response and sighed; already so much stress even before the auditions. 

It was a Tuesday and Mary decided to cancel her classes at her other schools to spend her time at Westwood high to work with the auditioning students and all the details for the recording. 

On Monday, all of the students she had emailed congregated in the band room, even the double bass player she was trying to recruit, but not Kate Rune. Ever since Amelia's email on Thursday night, Mary had been worried about Kate.

It was finally during lunch on Tuesday that Kate did show up, a worn smile on her face and bloodshot eyes, but what intrigued Mary the most was the fact that she was wearing a long shirt and long pants on a warm day. 

"Hi Miss Plover, I heard from Amelia that there are auditions for something?" Kate asked, twiddling her thumbs.

"Ah yes, surely you got the email?" Said Mary, shuffling through some papers on the desk.

"Errr no I didn't..." Trailed off Kate, looking down at the ground. 

"How come?" Miss Plover quizzed.

"My laptop kinda died..."

"Can't you charge it?"

"No, it died," Kate pulled out a crushing laptop from her bag, the pieces of metal sticking out everywhere.

"What happened?!" Mary gasped, setting her papers down.

"It's a long story," Kate said, "anyway, the auditions?"

"Oh right, the auditions!" Mary clapped her hands in excitement. "The auditions are to see who gets into the mini string orchestra that will record with Fall Out Boy in their upcoming album. For your section, only one person will be chosen as I am the other violinist. Here is the audition piece," Mary handed Kate the music, "you also have to play me your own piece and sight-read."

"Um okay. When are the auditions exactly?" Gulped Kate, she hoped they weren't soon.

"They are on this Thursday." Answered Mary, feeling sorry that her best violin student was only hearing about this now. 

"Thursday?! I only have a day and a half to prepare for the biggest opportunity of a lifetime?!" Cried Kate, sinking to the floor.

"Hey, hey, hey," comforted Mary, coming to sit on the floor next to Kate, "you have already worked on a piece that you can audition with, you are an excellent sight reader and we can learn your piece in our one-on-one lessons today. Are you still okay with 12:30, right after Amelia?" 

"Okay. That sounds okay, even though I am really stressing about this piece. And yeah, 12:30 is okay," whispered Kate, standing up with her bag. "Thanks for the chat Miss P, but I really have to go now, math is starting soon. Bye," and with that, Kate ran off. 

---

Later that night

Kate set her bag down on her bed and pulled out her violin and set her music on her stand. Counting herself in, she began to play, a sweet melody wafting through the house. All too soon that melody was interrupted by an angry knock on her bedroom door. Kate placed her instrument down and opened the door, coming face to face with her drunk mother. 

"Hello mother, how was your day today?" Asked Kate cheerfully, trying to stay positive. 

"Why are you playing your instrument? I thought we agreed with no playing at home? Or do I have to do to your instrument what I did to your laptop?" Her mother growled angry, completely ignoring Kate's question.