The Piano Players and Their Love Story

Chapter 03

Gracie was in much better spirits when I woke up the next morning. I woke up to find her bed empty, as I expected, and she came into the room as I was brushing my teeth with a white box in her hands.

"Breakfast is served!" She announced, placing the box on my desk.

I quickly finished up brushing my teeth before walking over and opening the lid, "Oh jeeze. What the heck is that?" I asked mortified at what I saw in the box.

"Their breakfast sandwiches." She walked over to look at the food she brought back.

"Why are the bagels green?"

"They're made from avocado and spinach." She shrugged, "I have to make up for last night. I ran two extra miles this morning."

"Didn't you think running two extra miles this morning would help counter that?" I asked, closing the box of oddly colored breakfast sandwiches - they had a weird smell.

"If I wanted to burn off what I ate last night I would have had to run 5 miles extra than I normally do and I didn't feel like waking up at 4 in the morning." She opened the box back up and grabbed one of the sandwiches before taking a bite into it.

She grimaced as she chewed, "Oh man, nothing makes me want to eat junk food like eating healthy does."

After putting her oddly colored bagel sandwich back into the box, she turned to me, "Are you busy after classes today?"

I nodded, "I'm going to try and see my counselor after class. She wants to talk to me about my classes."

"Well, if you have any extra time you can come down to eat with me? My classmate invited me, apparently there is a really healthy spot to eat just a few blocks from here. It's call the green spot."

I grabbed my bag from the side of my bed and threw it over my shoulder, "Am I going to still be hungry afterwards?"

"Probably." She sighed.

I smiled and shook my head no, "I think I'll just get something from The Cafe. But i'll see you later?" I asked as I walked backwards to the door, "I want to get in some practice before classes today, I haven't actually played the piano since I got here."

"Blasphemy!" Gracie called out as I walked out the door.

One of the incredible things about living in the dorms is that they have smaller, soundproof rooms, in the common area. Some are empty so you can bring your own instruments in but there is one that has a beautiful piano already inside waiting for me.

It was the only one in this building that I could practice on without really having to go that far and my fingers were itching to play something, anything, that could make me feel as if every decision I've made was the right one.

Luckily, I was here a little earlier and the Piano room was open and ready for anyone to take.

I took a deep breath as soon as I walked through the door and saw it waiting patiently for me as I stared at the white ivory keys. Gliding my fingertips through smooth surface of the piano I smiled excitedly before taking a seat on the bench.

The longest I have ever gone without playing the piano was 4 days and it was the most tortuous 4 days of my life. I was 12 years old and my parents had thought that I wasn't making any friends because I wouldn't stop playing. They were right, of course, but when they saw how much more damaging it was to keep me away from playing they knew that they couldn't keep me away for very much longer.

Instantly my fingers started to play one of my favorite pieces. It was one of the simple ones but I always loved the way it sounded. I didn't have to think as my fingers played on with a mind of their own and created the soft music of one of my favorite songs.