Hourglass (NateWantsToBattle & Cristina Vee)

Chapter 15: Winter Fireworks

CRISTINA

The first week of November. Winter is right around the corner. The Concert is a little more than a month away -- and my piano competition is only a week away.

I was in the music room, running my piece... I haven't stopped playing it since that night...

Nate was in the room with me. Asleep against the wall... He's been asleep for an hour, and I've been running my piece for about 2 hours. I have to perfect it... No matter how difficult it might be.

Things have been difficult lately. Hunter's been a little off, as well as Nate.

I wish I knew why -- those two have their secrets.

The wind blew into the open window, making me shiver quietly. Though, as soon as I hit the keys, I saw Nate twitch slightly, before moving his hair away from his eyes. "You're still playing?" He asked me quietly.

"Yeah," I answer, as he slowly got up. "I want the piece to be perfect."

"Mm, well. Perfect is a far stretch." He said to me.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask offended, as he sat down on the bench with me.

"A personal touch is all you need." He replied to my anger calmly.

"Huh?" I ask him, very confused.

"It's all about the notes, yes." He said, before, aimlessly playing something on the higher octave of the piano. "But it's really about how you want to play this piece." He said as he continued to play. Eventually, the notes he was playing formed into the Concert Piece. All the notes were there, and it sounded like the song we have practiced many times over, but for some reason, it sounded so different.

He's made it his own.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I mean, why do you play in the first place?" He asked, standing. "You have to have a reason."

"What's your reason?" I ask him.

He looked at me then sighed. "For me, I look at it with the thought of My music isn't just a sound! My music is an emotion! It's a feeling! My music is an inspiration! But most important. My music is just a simple word," he explained to me.

With a sigh, I look at him then look over as Hunter and Amanda.

"There you are!" Hunter exclaimed.

"Hey!" he said, looking over to the two as they walk in.

"How's the practice going?" Amanda asked, making me look over.

"Oh, you know." I sigh, "I'm dreading everything second of it."

"You shouldn't!" Hunter exclaimed. "You do have one of the best piano teachers there is!" He added, bragging about his best friend

"Well, that's not going to help her!" Nate started playfully, tackling his best friend.

"Hey!" Hunter yelled back as he hit the floor.

"Yeah," I sigh, looking at Amanda. "The competition is only a week away. Every day, I dread it more... I wish I had something to blow off some stress."

"Like what?" She asked me.

"I don't know, like -- a Bonfire.. and some Fireworks.." I sigh.

"Yes!" Nate suddenly stood up, pointing at me with a rolled-up score. "If it's that's what you're after, you shall have them!"

--

After school, we all went down to Nate's house... It's safer to light Sparklers and Fireworks by water anyways. Hunter and Nate searched all over town to find Fireworks, and came back with a boatload, despite it almost being winter.

"Is this your way of saying goodbye to Fall?" Amanda asked Nate as he set a pile of sticks down in his backyard, by the docks.

"No." He answered. "Cristina wanted Fireworks, and I thought... What better time t do this than now?" He asked. "Once the snow sets, you can't do it."

"Was it a good idea to come to your house?" Hunter asked. "We could've done it at my house. I have the waterfront as well you know."

"Mm, true. But your parents wouldn't allow this," He said lighting a sparkler, before sitting down beside Amanda. With a sigh, he tossed it into the fire pit, which lit up his backyard.

Everyone was silent for a moment as Hunter went down to the water to fill a bucket. "You know, this just makes me dread Winter even more," I say, as Hunter returned.

"Why's that?" He asked.

"Because in Winter is the Concert, and I'm not ready for it," I say.

"Well, by the time that time comes, we'll be ready," Nate said to me before looking at Amanda.

"What about class?" Amanda asked. "What are you two doing for that? It's our last year of Middle school, are you two taking the music route."

"Getting accepted into an art school is pretty tough," I explain, glancing at Nate who was silently rolling a dead leaf in his fingers, his expression blank. "Nate it's all about the competitions you enter, and how well you place in them," I explain, making Nate looked up, as he ripped a bag open.

"I had some time to think about it, and I think I want to shoot for my best options!" I say. "Which means, I need to train as much as possible, which won't be a challenge with the music whiz over here!" I add gesturing to the black-haired boy across the fire from me.

"What about you?" Amanda asked Nate as he refused to look at anyone. "What are you doing? Are you going to stick to music? Or.."

He looked down, as everyone stared at him. "Honestly," he answered, standing up. As he did, I noticed a small envelope fall out of his pocket. "I really haven't given my Future much thought." He sighed.

Everyone around us was silent as he slowly walked on to the dock. Hunter got up, following him as did Amanda. Looking down, I pick up the envelope, shoving it in my pocket. I decided to follow the other three. As I walked over to them, I noticed Nate standing at the edge, looking out to the water. "What's the matter?" Hunter asked him with a sigh.

"The moon is so bright," Nate answered trying to sound cheerful as usual, but deep down, I knew he was hurting. "Almost like you can reach out and touch it." He added.

What is this? Happy one second. Unsure the next. He's a force of nature, but at the same time as delicate as dust. It's hard to identify, but I see myself standing there... Two years ago... He said he hasn't given his future much thought... Does that mean -- he's giving up?