Chapter 1
She hummed a gentle melody as she walked through her campus. The weather was getting colder, and the nights were getting longer as winter settled in, and then she saw her. A woman quite shorter than her running so early in the morning with track suit on and a face that caught her eye. Cecilia was in awe, but just like that she came and went as they both clearly had places to be. In fact, Cece was very nervous as later tomorrow she had an audition for some small theater, so she was meeting up with her accompany, Shiori, early to practice. Shiori was her senior but a sophomore in college, she played the piano while Cece played the violin. As she made it to the college's music department Cece saw Shiori just arrive in a car with her girlfriend.
"Shiori!" Cece ran up to Shiori and greeted her with a hug. "Hi Nerissa" she spoke to the girl in the car, who gave her a polite wave.
"Hey Cece" Shiori gave her a hug back. "You're here early"
"Of course I am, this is a very important time to be practicing" she said with a mix of excitement and nervousness. "This could be it! Our chance to be on a big stage!"
"Yes, yes I know" she giggled, "It's my dream too I can't wait"
Shiori leaned down and kissed Nerissa on the cheek. "I'll see you later 'kay."
The ravenette smiled "Of course, good luck" she closed the door "and to you too Cece, you guys are gonna rock it!" and with she drove presumably to her morning classes.
Shiori and Cece then began walking into the building which was empty. The music director, knowing of their audition, allowed the two to practice early in the morning. The two made small talk as they set up their instruments. The song they decided to play is Pachelbel's Canon it was a nice, beautiful piece they felt captured the vibe of the event. The suggestion actually came from Nerissa who was a great singer and loved music. The two had been practicing for two months now, to the point Cece can hum the melody in her sleep. Surely this would be the big break they both so wanted. They set up a camera to record them while they played. Shiori started off a gentle melody one that Cece led into elegantly, the way Shiori rocked back and forth as her hands pressed against the keys and how Cece seemed almost to be dancing the way she moved with her bow. The two had loss themselves in their music. They were in perfect harmony, their practice is really showing. The song ended as they landed back down to the ground happy with the practice performance.
Shiori let out a soothing exhale. "That was good! I think that was the first time we did it with no mistakes"
"Yeah!! It was awesome" she placed her bow and violin down and walked to the camera. "Your piano is beautiful as always Shiori.
"Thanks, your violin as well" she smiled as she heard their song back in the recording. "Let's go at it a couple more times before school starts"
"Yes ma'am" she shouted playfully. She set the camera back up and they resumed their playing as well as going over other songs they might need.
Shiori wasn't Cecilia's only friend but one of her best. Cece is actually studying abroad from immerheim so she started off the school year without any friends. They are majoring in music performance and were paired up by their professor. Ever since then the two became best of friends playing music and growing with each other. Out of their entire class the only one to talk to Cece was Shiori, probably due to the cultural difference. To keep up with her English, Cece also minors in English Language where she is also friends with a senior, Takanashi Kiara. She really admired Kiara; she seemed like she had everything in order. Captain of the track team, business management major and soon to take over her parents' fast-food business. But Cece had dreams of her own, around the time she graduated would be a big concert for classical music players that she and Shiori desperately wanted to play in. But until the auditions for that concert come up, she and Shiori have been playing in smaller places such as restaurants and malls, but this would be their first time in an actual theater.
Cece went through the rest of her regular classes with relative ease, despite how busy her schedule was she somehow managed to maintain straight A's. Her English class was one of the hardest, but she and Kiara worked together often. As the class ended, they both usually walked out together.
"So, how's the practice coming along" Kiara asked as they walked side by side.
"It's been going good! Me and Shiori work really well together" Cece clearly beaming with excitement.
"Thats's good, I can't wait to see you on the stage again" She smiled at her.
"But what about you? Track season is coming up right"
"Yeah, we already started training. This year is gonna be great." She paused to think for a moment. "We got this one freshman who joined this year, she seems really riled up"
"Oh really" she seemed slightly curious.
"Yeah, she's showing up early, leaving late, and is putting in like 200% effort" she paused. "Honestly I'm kind of worried, it's not good to push yourself that hard you know"
Gigi had just finished a light jog; she had already run two miles in the morning. But in Gigi's eyes her job wasn't finished. She had something to prove she wanted to be the best, the fastest. She had been a part of track since middle school, and she had constantly made it a point to be the fastest on the team. The feeling was exhilarating. So, she homed in on that, spending most of her time training and not making many friends. But to her that was ok. Sure, she got lonely from time to time but that was ok. The season hadn't started yet, but she had to get ready. It would be her first season with her upperclassmen, and she wanted to show them she was tough, and pretty soon their first meet was coming up.
She sat down on a bench at a park and took a sip from her bottle of water, when she heard a voice from behind her.
"Still out here running" the voice said. Gigi turned around to see her, pretty much, one and only friend, Amelia Watson. Who also happened to be her ex-girlfriend.
"Yeah, you know me." She gave out a nervous chuckle.
"I do know Gigi", Ame looked concerned. "You shouldn't overwork yourself Gigi, make sure you get some rest"
Gigi gave her a smile. "Of course, I'll try" Ame gave her a skeptical look "I promise, ok?"
"Thank you, now that we have that cleared, have you made any friends here" The blonde sat next to her on the bench.
"Eh, not really I've just been busy y'know" Gigi looked away sheepishly.
"That's not good Gigi; you need to stop working so hard" She put a hand on her shoulder.
"I know, I know, but it's in my DNA I have to work hard" The girl tried to explain herself.
"You know what, me and my girlfriend are hosting a party at the end of the week and you're coming" Gigi grimaced at the mention of her girlfriend, she looked like she was about to deny, "I'm not taking no for an answer"
"Ok, fine I'll come" Gigi knew she had no more feelings for Ame, but it still stung a little to hear that she had moved on.
"Thank you, now I have to get going, I'll catch you later, ok?" Ame parted with a hug, to which Gigi returned.
As Gigi watched her leave, she reflected on the things Ame said to her. She does put a lot of time into track, maybe it's time she made some new friends. She barely leaves time for herself, whatever free time she has, she just plays video games, mainly League of Legends. That's when the loneliness really sat in, it's also when she made her decision that she would go to that party. She got up to walk back to her dorms or rather jog back. The sun is starting to set as she slows down her jog and her campus is just a block away. That's when she hears a soft melody. A violin it seems. She decides to check it out and walk to the sound. It takes her a while, but she finds herself at a gazebo in the back of the dorms building and is given a view of a woman wearing a flowy green dress. Her appearance almost doll like and completely captured Gigi's attention. She danced under the gazebo with her eyes closed. Gigi was at a loss of words so all she could do was watch. Soon the woman stopped playing and opened her eyes.
Her eyes landed on Gigi has she screamed in shock, "AHHHHHHH"