= Wands High =

Chapter 9 - 10 May 1998, Sunday

The rest of the afternoon was rather uneventful in comparison. When eventually finding himself alone, Daynen, not too sure what to do with his time, decided to simply lay in bed for a bit.

His thoughts wandered slowly all over the place – the situation at the school, the girl who had abruptly entered his life, him leaving Wands High, as well as the somewhat promising, but still very unclear future of his project with Padavona.

He wanted to try and write something, but didn't seem to feel in the right mood for even attempting. Plus, even if he did manage to write anything, they were still a bassist and a drummer short, as he still hadn't had the chance to approach Orianna about it. As for the other potential member – Daynen himself had close to no idea. There were no decent drummers from Innestrad that he could recall.

There was a knock on his door all of a sudden and it didn't make him much happier about it either.

- D, you in there? – said a muffled voice from behind the door, which he quickly recognized as Reginald's.

- Where else would I be, Regg? – Daynen muttered rolling his eyes, though obviously no one could see him.

A long silence followed and he was starting to think that the other boy had simply gone away, when eventually a few more words were spoken.

- You want to hang out or... something?

- Just come in, Regg, before someone decides I am talking to puffskeins living in the walls.

His friend looked somewhat restless when he entered the room, a pair of drumsticks in his hand.

- I am not coming back – Daynen was quick to say, hands still behind his head and gaze staring at the ceiling.

- Come on, man. Give it another chance. You can't just leave us hanging like this, and so close to the battle too.

- The Grand-Battle is a couple of months from now, Reg. This is only a Pre-Battle. And I already gave it another chance, and a few more after that. We just want different things from music, that's all.

- You know that the same amount of people come to both events, man, rehearsal or not. And by "we", it is you and Ender that you mean, yes?

- Sure, since you never really took any side.

- So now it's my fault? – Reginald said, now suddenly flustered. – All I ever wanted to do was to play the drums like a beast and not rock the boat. Simply TO rock. Period. I ain't no leader. You know what I'm saying?

That made Daynen finally look at him.

- That's fine. I am not blaming you. Not really. But I need to be in a band where everyone has a voice and where there is a clear direction, that I am comfortable with. Wands High was never going to be that. The moment I realized and accepted that, the decision itself was easy to make.

- What are you saying!? This was our dream and it has been for years. You just going to throw this away? What has that British chick done to you, D?

- Speaking with someone else's voice again, are we, Regg? If I wanted to listen to Ender's snide remarks, I would have never left – Daynen said rising up and sitting on the bed. - It was my decision, you can tell him that after you close the door behind you.

The drummer opened his mouth as if to respond somehow, but ended up just punching the air instead, before eventually leaving the room.

Daynen himself soon followed, as he had decided that he had to try and be productive somehow. Having dinner was a good start, he thought.