For Elise.

Chapter 4

I headed to the cafeteria and sat at my usual table with Elliot and Ellis.
I dug through my bag and grabbed an apple and granola bar I had packed for lunch that day. As I bit into my apple Elliot joined me at the table.
"Yo, August how was class?" Elliot asked me.
"Fine." I say, "I went back to the infirmary."
"Again! Look at you, always skipping class." Elliot said punching me lightly on the shoulder.
"I may skip class sometimes, but I always get better grades then you!"
I say laughing.
"You may be right" he says digging through his bag. Elliot pulls out a crumpled piece of paper, as he spread the paper it revealed a
bright red D- plastered in the corner.
As we laugh with each other, Ellis joins the table.
"Also, I met a new friend today." I mention.
"No way, your too much of a dweeb." Elliot says. I kick him
under the table.
"I did! She's really nice, and really terrifying, and outgoing and awesome all at the same time." I say trying to find her amongst the cafeteria tables.
Elliot abruptly stands up. Knocking over his lunch tray.
"You did not, you made friends with a SHE?!" He says loudly. Some people turn their heads to look at us.
"Quiet down!" I whisper-yell. As I pulled his arm back down to his seat.
"Why are making such a big deal out of it!"
"No offence August, but girls aren't normally 'drawn' to you. It's not that your ugly or anything. You're actually a pretty good looking dude! It's just that your a bit of a loser." Elliot says, bracing himself in case I'll punch him again. I exhale.
"I don't know, she just wanted to be friends." I say.

"Okay, what's her name?" He asks.
"Elise Wood." I respond nonchalant. Just then Ellis makes her presence known by yelling "No way!" Elliot looks like I just shot him in the heart.
Ellis grabs my shoulders and pulls me towards her into
a huddle. Elliot joins.
"You haven't heard about her?" Ellis whispers to me.
"No I haven't, why?" I ask.
"She's all people have been talking about today! She's the talk of the school." Ellis almost screeched.
"Why?" I ask, scared I had just befriended some sort of psychopath.
"She dissed Amelia Hayward right to her face! When Amelia went up to her and asked if she got a nose job, Elise said that Amelia probably had more plastic in her face than the amount of plastic was as in the ocean, and then she just walked away! She says the most outrageous things, She even told Mr Nevis that his fly was down!" Ellis said, her voice dropping
two octaves. Elliot joined the conversation
"Yeah, I sat next to her during science class, and Max, who was sitting behind us kept clicking on his pencil, so she turned around and loudly said, "You have to stop clicking on that pencil. I can't even hear myself think." She's a riot! She's the girl I was telling you about this morning." Elliot mentioned.
"I hear that all the girls in the grade are super jealous of her. Especially Amelia, because Elise is prettier than them."

I listened intently. Honestly, I admired Elise even more after hearing this. Nobody in our grade, let alone our school has the guts to stand up to the 'hierarchy'. I wanted to learn more. So I stood up and ran off, leaving Ellis and Elliot looking shocked. I searched every table at the cafeteria but she wasn't at any of them. So I wandered the halls, looking in room to room trying to find where she was. I walked up the stairs into the second level of the school. That's when I heard music.

I turned another corner, when I reached the music room. I was hesitant to go inside. I've done everything I could to avoid coming into this room for the last 2 years. Even looking at all the instruments is painful, but I ignored the swarming thoughts in my head and walked in.
As soon as I entered the room, I was met by the beautiful sound of music. The keys of the piano going up and down, so gracefully. I peeked from behind the door to see Who was playing. It was Elise Wood, sitting at the piano, moving her fingers like magic. She didn't skip a beat.

Just then, I felt this feeling I've never felt before. It was the way I felt when I used to play piano in Time Square when I was young, but it was different. It was more intense, it was 10x better. It felt like my chest was closing up and my face was getting hot. Like I was floating on air. It's the first time in 4 years I've felt happy, hearing the sound of the piano again.
I stood there. My legs weak and paralyzed, I couldn't move, I couldn't speak. I could only listen. Listen to Elise Wood, playing the piano.