With every gift, comes a curse. The rarer the gift is, the stronger the curse. Such is the case with Luna Linvio, a girl whose one talent was to play the violin. What many would consider a great skill has become her biggest burden. While she can pla...
The girl clutched her violin case, as she searched for a suitable place to spend the rest of her lunch period. Next to the west wing of the school maybe?Not too many people there. She moved swiftly across the courtyard of St. Carlin's High to reach her goal.
She sets her case down on the nearby bench, and opens it to reveal a beautiful, glistening white violin. The early spring skies were an astonishing pale blue, with barely a cloud in them. A perfect day to play it.
She lifts the instrument under her ice-white hair, and without a single glance at any piece of music, she begins to play a fast, upbeat song. She plays it with almost no effort, and it was as beautiful as the sky around her. She had no awareness of her surroundings. It was just her, her violin, and the sky.
"Hey! You're Laura, right?" The voice had hit her like a speed bump. The flow and exhilaration of the music that came through her had suddenly stopped.
The violinist scowled, seeing that all the enjoyment of the moment before was taken away, and all because someone couldn't get their names right.
"No, I'm Luna. Luna Linvio. Now if you excuse me, Jen"-
"Wait! I'm sorry, I just misread your name," Jen exclaims, as an apologetic look pours into her face, "Look, uh... Luna! Right... um... I- I... I would like to invite you to the school orchestra!" She finally spits out. The sight of Jen, being a dumb class president, would usually annoy her. It at first did, but at the sound of Jen inviting her to the school orchestra, her anger had momentarily drifted away. Her feelings of hope had come back, until reality came crashing around her.
"Oh, I... I wish I could, but you know I can't"-
"Well, if you want to then, just play this piece right here!" Jen interrupted, thrusting out a sheet of paper.
Luna hesitated, then glances at the piece of music in the president's hand. It was that old song by Elvis, "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You." She stares, still uncertain. The notes were easy enough to read, and should be easy to play. A wave of nervousness washed over her. But she decided to try it, just for once, to accomplish her dream.
"Alright, I guess I could try..." Luna says, her hands shaking as she places the white violin back under her chin.
"It's okay if you mess up a bit, especially since this is your first time playing this song," says Jen with a reassuring smile. Another flash of emotion crossed through Luna, only this time it was determination. She lifts the bow, already having her finger placements thought out for the first two lines. Then her bow touches the string- and the notes had faded from her mind. A different song had come through the violin. It was rapid like quick breathing, but had strong determination embedded in the song.
Luna couldn't feel anything but her emotions. The song she played was everything the song Elvis had written was not. Suddenly she remembered that someone was watching, and she hit the wrong notes.
She quickly removed the violin from her shoulder and lowered her bow. She turns around to see an astonished Jen gawking at her.
"I'm sorry I didn't play the song, Jen"-
"Well, the least you could've done was tell me that you didn't like this song, and asked for another, instead of just ignoring everything I said and showing off with something else!" She said with a dark temper. Her attitude seemed so nice when she isn't mad, but her anger has always revealed the real Jen. At least in Luna's opinion.
"Well, sorry if I play better than the entire orchestra! Guess I really shouldn't bother playing whatever you brats tell me to!" She yells, despite the fact she knew none of it was true.
The president seethed with anger but kept it all in. She turned on her heel and left with a chin lifted high.
"I hate people with such big egos," Luna muttered under her breath, her words dripping in sarcasm. But she can feel her face drop. She knew that there was no chance that she'd be able to be in an orchestra anyway. She did everything she can not to cry. No, there's been too much of that already. This is not the time to be weak.
She quickly places her violin into her case, and searched for another place to play. One where she can, just for once, be alone.
~#~
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The sixteen-year-old boy glanced around the school, looking for something to do. He hadn't had much to eat anyway, but ramen noodles still take a while to prepare. Suddenly, he hears beautiful violin music. He could almost feel the emotion the musician was playing with. Determination, but still nervous. Odd, he thought. He was about to head towards the song when it stops abruptly.
Why'd they stop playing? He looked around again, but it didn't come back. A flash of disappointment showed up. He always enjoyed classical music, but rarely ever gets the chance to listen to it.
He starts making his way towards the cherry blossom tree on the other side of the school. One of the few places he's ever accepted.
Then he hears it again, but it was different. The violin's song had the feeling of shattering glass, and the strength of a hurricane. There was anger, and pain, and sorrow. The sound was louder, so he must be close to the mystery violinist. As he walks towards it, the song started to change. The shattering glass was now only cracked, and the sound of the hurricane was a thunderstorm. He realizes the musician must be near the cherry tree behind the school.
By the time he gets there, the song was cold rather than angry. The glass was now intact, and the rain just pattered softly, like a sad lullaby. Or a fairy tale without a happy ending.
And with a few last notes, the song was over.
He looked around the tree to see who the violinist was. A girl, about his age, had turned around at the same time. They looked at each other, both with curiosity. She had white hair, not like a gray, faded version of the original color, but more of a bluish-white, like a cloud. She stared back at the boy, her violin still on her shoulder. Her ocean-blue eyes had met his dark brown ones. His hair was a light brown, reminding her of the homemade bread her mom used to make.
She was the first one to speak. "Who are you?"
He gave a nervous look, and felt his face grow warm, "I ... I'm... I'm Timothy, Timothy Polmnè."
"Luna Linvio," she states with a small smile. Timothy looked at her face again. Was she... crying?
"Well, Luna, your playing is incredible," he says.
Her small smile started to grow, "Thanks. You play anything?"
His eyes dropped down to his hands. "The piano."
Her eyes widened, "Really? For how long?"
He thought for a moment, " A few years,"
"Ooooh, you must be good," She says, her eyes glistening, "You think you can play something for me sometime?"
Before he could reply, the bell had interrupted their talk. She quickly started to pack up. Timothy knew he couldn't be late for class again.
"I could play on the piano in the school basement, if you could meet me after school," he says, already walking backward.
"Alright, I'll meet you there, Timothy," Luna replies, packing up her bow and rosin.
"Call me Tim," he says as his goodbye, and heads towards the school, leaving Luna and the white violin under the dance of the cherry blossoms.
