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“Word,” said Kaitlyn. “Anyway… Remember those songs you worked on? I feel like if we practice hard this week, we could be ready for the next Shadetree show. Professor Barley said we could do it.”
“Awesome,” I said, thrilled to know that I would get to perform after all. I would certainly still be around in June, and I probably wouldn’t have a job yet. This thought cheered me up a little bit. After being buried with work over the past… year, I would have a stretch of blissful free time.
I tuned my violin and applied rosin to my bow, and moved a chair into a comfortable position next to Kaitlyn, so we could both see the sheets with our notes. It felt good to go through the whole set up ritual. It helped me get in the zone.
“Okay so, obviously, we’re going to improvise a bit,” said Kaitlyn.
“Right.” I suddenly felt a little nervous, rusty, even. Improvisation was different from being one of many voices in an orchestra. The violin was such a vocal instrument, and if I made a mistake, it would be much more obvious.
Kaitlyn tapped out a beat with her foot and started strumming and humming. It was a pleasant tune—most of ours were, since it was nearing summer and we were playing outside, where people just wanted pleasant music while they were passing by or focusing on something else.
I played some experimental notes, my fingers pressing the strings down and my other arm sliding the bow across the strings. The reverberation from my violin was subtle, but I loved hearing it. I loved everything about this instrument and what I could do with it. Truth be told, I thought of it a little like a pet.
As I kept playing, I was able to relax, and Kaitlyn and I fell into a good groove together. I’d lost t
rack of time, my soul in tune with only the music. Emily had closed her computer and was leaning back on the couch with her eyes closed. She was smiling, though, listening to us without distraction.
Kaitlyn’s humming turned into singing; I hadn’t realized she’d written lyrics for this song. It was beautiful. It was so thrilling to be a part of something greater, even with just one other person.
A knock on the door interrupted us, and Emily jumped up to get it.
It was Margie.
“Hey,” she said, waving. “I texted you, Brianne.”
“Oh jeez, sorry,” I said. “I guess I got lost in the music.”
Margie smiled and she and Emily sat down on the couch. “Please, keep playing,” said Margie. “Don’t let me interrupt you.”
I still had some of the energy going, so I jumped back into what I was doing. Margie seemed at ease, and I felt comfortable with Kaitlyn and Emily’s company. It seemed cozy, somehow, just the four of us in this apartment.
We quickly got our groove back. Now that Margie was here, I couldn’t help but glance over at her, pleased to see how rapt she was. I didn’t think I was that good, but then, what did I know? Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung open slightly. She was really into it.
Kaitlyn and I came to a natural stopping point and decided to take a break. I stretched my arms and hands and went to sit next to Margie, putting an arm around her while Kaitlyn walked around to stretch her legs.
“You two are seriously great,” said Margie. “I mean, I knew Kaitlyn was already great, but when you play together, it’s awesome.”
“Thanks,” I said, truly glad for the compliment. “We’re going to be playing at Shadetree next month. Are you going to be here?”
Margie’s face fell. “I’ll probably have to go home for the summer. Find an internship or job or something.”
“Why not find one here in Rosebridge?” asked Kaitlyn, who was now standing in front of us. “You like animals, right? There’s a number of animal rescues and even a zoo.”
“Hmmm.” Margie pondered. “I don’t know how I’ll be able to afford to live here over the summer, though, especially if it’s unpaid.”
“The school sometimes gives stipends for that reason,” said Emily. “You could ask financial aid.”
“Or you could move in with me,” I said casually. “I mean, just for the summer. It’d be fun.”
“Really?” Margie turned to me. “Are you sure? I wouldn’t be imposing? I mean, I’m sure I could pay some rent…”
“Margie,” I said, “my parents are paying for my apartment. So you really can just stay there if you want to.”
“I’ll think about,” Margie said, “see if Cass can find a subletter. Or maybe Marnie will stay with her.” She stared off into the corner, clearly thinking through the logistics.
“Just let me know,” I said. “No pressure.”
“Sure.” Margie nodded. “Thanks for the offer.”
