The Hidden Pocket {ruel van dijk}

chapter five.

"Arggh!" I grunt as I trip over one of the stone steps in front of the school. I catch myself, though, and straighten out my shirt. I huff and keep walking.

I hear a few chuckles from behind me. I whip around, not at all mad but rather curious. I find myself looking directly at the models. Well not directly, more upwards. Which is odd because they are two stair steps below me.

"Thanks." I mumble before realizing that Ruel is, in fact part of The Models. He stands at the front of the group, almost like their leader. I don't know what else I expected, but I am still surprised. They stop laughing when I look at them, a smug expression on my face.

"You okay?" He asks.

I just nod my head an continue walking inside. The bell should be ringing any second now, so I head straight for class. I pass Jude on the way to music theory. She sits at a small table with a script in front of her. She smiles and waves. I just smile back shortly and keep walking, picking up my pace. I accidentally bump into a handful of other students in the bustling halls, receiving many pairs of glaring glances. I quickly turn around and see Jude looking at me questioningly, she sits in the same spot. I would stop and explain to her why I'm in such a rush, but I don't have time to chat with her right now. I also am not sure myself why I'm in such a rush.

I burst into the lecture hall, thankful that it is noisy in here, I didn't draw too much attention to myself. I rush to the back row and take the seat that I took yesterday. I look to the seat on my left; it's empty, Ruel is not in class yet. So, I pick my cello up off of the floor and place it in his seat, standing it upright.

I take my notebook and pen out of my school bag and place them orderly on my desk. I fiddle my thumbs nervously on the desk, or maybe anxiously. Either way, I smile deviously when I see Ruel walk in. I did not notice it yesterday but what seems to be the majority of The Models has this class as well. Ruel does not notice my cello until he is halfway up the stairs. He tilts his head and smiles oddly at me.

He walks horizontally through the row. "What's this?"

"My cello. Haven't you seen one before? Are we not in music theory right now? Do you not attend a music academy?" I ask sarcastically. I don't mean to be so rude, but the words just spilled right out of my mouth. So did the attitude in which they were delivered.

He doesn't say much. He grunts a bit before taking my cello out of the seat and placing it on the floor.

"If you broke it you're buying me a new one." I remark.

"What are you talking about? You just watched me set it down, I was so gentle with that thing. Also, what was it even doing there? In my seat?" He asks, not returning even an ounce of the rudeness I addressed him with.

"I just thought he deserved his own seat, and he looked good right there, don't you think?"

"Not really, no." He says, once again being anything other than rude.

He finally sits down.

"Sorry about my friends laughing at you again. They're pretty much idiots." He says.

"I'm right here dude." A boy seated in the row in front of us turns around to look at Ruel. He has glistening blue eyes and blonde hair.

"I'm not wrong." Ruel comments.

"You're not. So, I am sorry..." He trails off.

"Genevieve. My name is Genevieve." I say sharply.

"Right." The boy with the blonde hair turns around, seemingly offended by my tone.

"That's Connor. Don't worry about him, he's harmless."

I just nod my head and face the front of the classroom. Our teacher starts to lecture.

:

An hour later, I'm walking to the lower level for my personal lesson. I walk through the dark, cold corridor and only pass two people on my way down. My second lesson is my favorite lesson. The population of cello players at this school is so insanely tiny that we all get our own lessons with private instructors every day. Last night in my boredom I read on the school website that 30% of the students are here mainly for vocals, 21% for music production, 16% for theater, 9% for art, 8% for keyed instruments, 6% for conducting, 4% for stringed instruments, 3% for woodwinds, and 3% for dance.

I open the double doors into a beautiful spacious room, decorated with elaborate paintings from the art department. Stringed instruments line the walls as well. My instructor is seated in a chair in the middle of the room, she as well has a cello with her. Her name is Celia Moniba. She asked me yesterday to refer to her as Celia. She claims the "Mrs." makes her feel old and separated. She has long dreadlocks the stream along the length of her back, and her dark skin glows in the sunlight pouring in from the ceiling window.

"My dear, please take out your instrument and sit." She motions gingerly to a chair across from her with her frail fingers.

I do as she says, placing my bag by the door and leaving my case their as well. We sit together in silence for five or so minutes, tuning our instruments.

Then we begin my lessons. For two hours, we go through what seems like thousands of exercises and pieces of music. Then finally, in the middle of a sonata, Celia places a hand on my bow and tells me that time is up.

We say our goodbyes and I make my way back upwards towards the courtyard. Although my lesson with Celia helped me to calm down, I start to feel nervous once more when I think of having to talk to Jude and Ruel at lunch. Nothing happened, but after seeing Jude's picture of them last night, I've started to feel squeemish at the thought of them. Not necessarily at the thought of them, but more at the thought of having to be friends with the both of them. I don't know how I feel about Ruel yet, it has only been a day, but what I do know is that I'm new and they are my only friends. I can't mess this up.

So when I do find them, sitting at a table in the courtyard, I smile apologetically at them.

I take a seat besides Jude and hug her. I can't see her face, but I can tell she is taken aback. Though eventually, she wraps her arms around me as well.

"What's this about?" She asks in her cute Australian accent.

"I don't know. I just needed one." I say and sigh contently.

When I separate she says, "anytime."

"So what has been upsetting you?" Ruel asks from across the table. He takes a large bite out of a green apple and folds his leg onto the bench, resting his elbow on his knee. "You were weird in music theory."

"I've just had a weird morning. I woke up feeling odd, my new driver dropped me off at the wrong school and I though that I was going to be late, I've had a migraine all day, I tripped on the way into school, those dumb tall people laughed at me, and I'm really missing home." I spill.

I can tell by their faces that they are quite surprised.

"That's a lot." Ruel says.

"I have Panadol." Jude says. She pulls a small white bottle out of her bag.

"I'll take it." I say, unscrewing the lid and popping two pills into my mouth.

"You're already homesick? I know you're halfway across the globe but you've only been gone for two days. I'm sure you'll settle in soon." She assures me. I'm grateful for the empathetic look she gives me.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry guys I'm being melodramatic."

"No worries. I'm used to the drama. This one has been doing Broadway shows as long as I've known her." He points his apple at Jude. She chuckles.

"I didn't know you did Broadway!" I exclaim. "If you're already performing in front of massive crosses like that then why are you in school for it?"

"You can never be too good at something." She says as though she has said it many times before.

Ruel smiles at her, like she's perfect.