Stormy

Chapter 1

„Juliiieee!", my best friend Emma screams, as soon as her head plops around the corner of the corridor. I hug her tightly and ask about her summer. It is the first day after summer break, which means back to school for us. It's our second year at the academy and after a year full of memories and fun, we're up for all the new adventures we can get! Emma and I are aspiring vocalists at the Herman Brood Academie in Utrecht, to be precise. She is the best friend one could ever imagine. I got to know her during my first year, when we were assigned flat mates in the student dormitory. Ever since that, we were inseparable. We grab our guitar cases and head to our first class of the day, chatting all excitedly about what's in store for us in the second year. Our new classes included Composing, Vocal Theory, Pop Music II, History of Contemporary Music, our individual vocal classes and the big project for the end of the year showcase. We spent the first four introductory periods until we finally get to go to the kick-off meeting for the showcase project. We meet the other second year vocalists in a classroom, which is actually way too big for the size of our group. Almost everyone in our class plays the guitar and the few ones that are left play the piano. We all put down our guitar cases and sit down. Our homeroom teacher, Mrs. Verholen, joins us, together with a male teacher, who I have never seen before. She says: "Welcome everyone, it is good to see all of you guys again. I wish you all the best for your second year at the academy, lots of success with your projects and especially with this class! It is my pleasure to introduce to you Mr. de Vries, who will be joining me in teaching this class." The teacher says: "Hello everyone! It's good to meet you. As Mrs Verholen already said, my name is Mr. de Vries. I usually don't get to work too much with the vocalist department, as I am teaching music production. I'm really glad Mrs Verholen has asked me to join her for this project this year." "What do you think the project will be this year?" I whisper to Emma and she shrugs her shoulders. "I have no idea.", she replies and adds: "As long as it's not with the dickheads from his department, I don't mind. I'm sure it's going to be fun!" "I knooow, right?", I say and laugh, " I couldn't stand working with these show offs with all their macbooks and fancy stuff. They don't even feel the music. But they wouldn't make us do that, right? I mean everyone knows that the departments don't really get along." Emma chuckles and then we turn our attention back to the teachers. Mrs Verholen continues her chit chat for a while until she finally decides to break the suspense: "Sooo ladies and gentlemen. Now let us finally explain what this year's project for the end of the year showcase is going to be. As you know, the third year vocalists are busy with several other projects, so it's on you to proudly represent our department. We have thought of something amazing that enhances your team work skills and teaches you to adapt to other opinions in the world of music." "Exciiiiting..", Emma grins. Now Mr. de Vries turns to speak to us: "So basically for this year's project, we are all going to release an album together. You are each going to write an own song, which will be produced in the school's studio. So that means, by the end of it, you will be able to find your own song on Spotify. Isn't that exciting? And you're going to perform it during the showcase!" Mrs. Verholen joins him with a way too happy tone to her voice and explains: "Buuuut. There's a twist to it. We want you to work with someone outside your very own musical universe. And that is why Mr. de Vries has kindly joined the project. As all of you know, Mr. de Vries is the homeroom teacher of our school's third year producers." No. No they wouldn't, never! They can't pair us up with those DJ showoffs! Not in this life, I swear to myself, especially with the guys from the third year! They are the worst of all. I look over to Emma in horror as Mrs. Verholen continues to explain: "Soooo... This means starting from tomorrow, you will be joined by these wonderful young men, aspiring DJs and producers. You will learn to give your voice to a tune that you are going to create in equal partnership." The class groans, nobody is really happy about it. Mr. de Vries adds: "So my boys will join you from tomorrow on. For the first week, it will be the whole class that works together. Please be welcoming to them, I know they're a little stubborn from time to time. Mrs. Verholen and I will then pair you up with a suitable partner, with whom you will have to complete different assignments over the course of the year that lead up to creating your very own track. We hope you're all exited!"

When they decide to let us go for the day, Emma and I pack up our stuff as quickly as we can and then head to the cafeteria for lunch. We find our friends at our table and sit down. "I don't wanna work with one of those DJs...", Emma complains. "Me neither!", I say and point to one of their tables on the other side of the cafeteria, "I mean just look at them all sitting there with their headphones and macbooks. None of them is even capable of communicating with each other." The others roll their eyes and agree. We finish our food and as there is still time left for most of us until our individual vocal lessons, we grab a few guitars and head outside to the schoolyard to have a little jam session. It's what we loved to do, no rules, just play whatever comes to your mind. Plus, as a bonus, we were usually attracting quite a handful of handsome guys who watched us play. We sit down and I am the first to start a song. I play my favorite song, "Elastic Heart" by Sia. During the first chords already, a few people gather around us, some vocalists joining me, others just watching or recording. My friends cheer, Emma and another girl from our class join me in playing the guitar. During the final chords, out of all people, a group of DJs attempts to pass by. I have seen them before, from time to time in the library or also in one of the many little studio cubicles in the general music area. I just can't seem to put my finger on in which year they are. There are five of them, their group is led by two guys joking around. One of them, rather tall and dressed all black with a leather jacket, is joking around. He eyes us from far already, and when he is within earshot, he screams: "Yooo guys, look at them bitches, doing it all for the fame there." His buddies giggle, and just one of them doesn't react. He's the shortest in the group, dressed in a dark grey hoodie and some ripped jeans. He has chestnut hair and his stormy eyes somehow feel distant. While the other girls start a new song, I feel his gaze on me. What is he staring at? He seems to be in another world, but on the other hand, I am quite sure that he is staring at me. When our eyes meet, he quickly turns away and I join the new song. The tall blonde guy next to him gives him at pat on the back and says: "Yoo, Martijn, whatcha staring at? C'mon you can't actually like what they are doing over there." The dreamy guy, Martijn, turns around and says: "Me? What? Never man. That just sucks." I am nearly 100% sure he just wanted to be cool, but secretly enjoyed our music. But hey, Julie, why are you even thinking about that? He's a DJ, so no chance! He was an asshole for sure. Was he?