The Orchestra

Name: Jack Bonnington
Age: thirteen and a half.
Instrument: African hand drums.

blond hair, bleached almost white. A ruffled look
that speaks of seagoing experience.

Personality: A prankster, but devoted to his friends.
Even when he's running on empty, Jack won't hesitate to
give of his time and talents.

>Okay, we're starting!<

Lea

I stared at my ceiling. The colin in my alarm clock blinked in a steady pattern. I couldn't sleep.

I sighed and shifted over to face my cello. I had propped it up in a corner, the bow by its side. I tilted my head. Mr. Bowie wouldn't mind, would he? Of course not. I slid off the covers and got out of bed. I padded over and picked up the cello, bow in the opposite hand.

I walked down the hall, around the curtain- finally, onstage. I pulled up a chair and sat. I leaned the cello against my legs and pulled the bow in front. I closed my eyes.

And then I was no longer there.

I was in a world of dark, lit with raging fire. My motions were fluid, seamless. Nothing from reality could bring me back now. I was playing what sounded vaguely like Dumbledore's Farewell, one of the saddest songs I knew. But I was weaving in notes that I didn't recognize, patterns I didn't know.

A tear slipped down my cheek, but I didn't feel it. Lea Black didn't matter. Only the music. Nothing but the music mattered. Another tear fell, sliding down the neck of the cello.

Nothing but the music.

Ian

I strummed the guitar a little, thinking of a tune. Nothing came to mind instantly, which was good. I closed my eyes, strumming the guitar more. Suddenly, my fingers had control, and I was playing a random tune. It sounded awesome to me, and I knew Cammie and Lillie would be enjoying it too. They were sitting in front of me, their eyes closed too, swaying to the music. I ended the song, copying the notes I had played. It was short, but it sounded good. I sighed, laying the guitar on the bed and laying back. They clapped, and I smiled to myself, flattening my hair in my face. It was down to the tip of my nose now.

"Thank you," I said as the two twins came to sit on either side of me. They were my only tie to reality. If it wasn't for them, I would have ran away a long time ago to join a band or something. I looked over at the alarm clock on my dresser. I hadn't realised what time it was. They had school tomorrow, and I had practice. I patted their heads, pointing to the wall. Their room was on the other side of it.

"Why can't we sleep in here again?" Cammie asked. Lillie nodded in agreement, and I sighed. The pushed out their bottom lips, and widened their eyes. I looked back then down.

"I haven't slept in my room alone for a while, and you haven't slept in there in a long time. What about my privacy. We've talked about this." The sighed together, standing and trudging to the door, their heads hanging. I sighed.

"Fine, one more night," I said, watching as their head flashed up and the ran over to hug me. I couldn't help but laugh. These were my sisters, my own flesh and blood. My real family. The others hated me if I didn't do what my dad wanted to me. I was going to have to leave them if my dad kept his word to kick me out when I turned 18. I had promised them I'd kidnap them if I had to. I laid down, turning off the light. They laid on either side of me, closing their eyes and going to sleep. I laid on my back, staring at the blackness, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. Soon, I felt my eyes droop, as I fell asleep.

Audrey~

Audrey's fingers moved fluidly across the harp as she played, the instrument resting upon her shoulder, her eyes closed in contentment. A deep, fluid sound joined in, playing different notes, but to the same melody. It was in complete harmony with Audrey's harp. The double bass picked up speed, and so did Audrey's fingers, the two playing one of their favorite songs. Audrey's eyes opened, and she smiled at her brother, who was grinning wildly as he played, his hair swaying side to side wildly.

Audrey was humming softly to herself, closing her eyes once again, her head held high. The siblings were in public, but honestly, neither one cared. Opening her mouth, the words flooded out like a stream, her voice filling the air around the two. People were standing around them, but neither one cared, they just continued on. That was, until the shop's owner chased them off. Audrey laughed as she and Michael ran, running to the orchestra set-up. They found their spots, not noticing the other person in the stadium, and began to play, wildly in tune with one another.

**Short, I know, and I'm so sorry! I'm in a rush!"

Lea

I didn't look up as two people rushed in. Better to practice and do well than look up and stumble. I drew my bow against the strings, closing my eyes for a second. I liked the sound. I had always liked the sound the cello made- that's why I had even ever played it.

I opened my eyes slowly and checked the sheet music in front of me. I was trying to learn a very complicated piece meant for piano, even though I didn't have to. Finally, I gave in with a sigh. I pushed my hat up a little and decided to play Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 instead.

I closed my eyes and smiled as I created the music. I loved saying that- creating the music. I was going to tackle Welcome Home by Coheed and Cambria next, so best to work on the familiars. I seamlessly launched into Moonlight Sonata next; BCSN1 (my affectionate name for it) ended on almost the same note it started on. I didn't want to play Dumbledore's Farewell because it made me too sad, so I switched to The Pretender. It had taken me weeks to get that one down, and I was rather proud.

And that's how my mind works- BCSN1 to Moonlight Sonata to The Pretender, freestyle, now close. Repeat.

Side effect of performing on the streets.

Jack-

I was hardly aware of the impatient tugging at my sleeve. "Bonnington--"

As one tune flowed into another, I found myself tapping a beat on my trouser seam.
The first mate, standing nearby, smiled into his mustache. He knew me well enough to
stand aside.

One of the siblings pointed to me, then a kettle drum backstage. I smiled, got a friendly nod
in return, and took up my place. No sticks for me; bare hands always worked just fine.

I'm a little confuzzled. Are they all in one building, but have their own rooms, like dorms or something???

Some people board at the orchestra if they need to (like Lea). Basically, everyone's coming into the main theater right now, where they practice, socialize, etc.

Evelyn

I walked out of my room, with nothing to do, and headed towards the man theater. There were already a few people there, practicing, so I decided it would be okay to join them. I brought along both my flute and violin, but I got out my violin first. Then, I started playing.

It was a soft and beautiful tune, just making it up as I went. I felt so free when I played, like I could do anything. I wasn't aware that more people had come in, an pretty soon we had a large group of people playing. Together, they sounded like crap, because we were playing completely different tunes. Separately, though, all the instruments sounded amazing.

I felt like I was flying as I closed my eyes to help concentrate on my own instrument.

-Contessa Grace Charleston-

I woke later than I'd wanted to, originally, but was glad for the extra half hour of sleep. I dressed quickly after showering and blow-drying my hair, throwing on a pair of red sweatpants and white tank-top. I tucked my music notebook into my small white purse, in which it barely fit. Rushing, I ran into the auditorium, where people were already practicing. Sighing, my eyes caught the glint of the deep black piano waiting for me--beckoning to me.

I answered with a run, sitting down on the plush bench, with my purse lying next to me. I grabbed the music notebook out from it, and placed it on a stand attached to the piano. I tried not to think about everyone in the room, and as soon as my fingers hit the keyboard, I was gone.

The musical notes I was making filled my ears, drifting me off to a world where everything was perfect. The scene changed again when I started on the "dark" part of the song. Finally, I had finished the piece, breathless in enjoyment.

I smiled as I started the next song, my fingertips caressing the keys.

Lea

I barely registered anyone else coming in. I doubt they would me- I was just the redhead cellist with the purple hat in the dark corner. Of course, I didn't mind. I was playing the undertone of the piece everyone had just drifted onto. Contessa was playing a beautiful piano piece, the brother-and-sister playing a lovely duet. And I was their base.

Yes, me, with my dirty fingernails and still in my sleep pants and baggy tee shirt, was still lost in the music. It was an untamable pattern now, wild, but dark and powerful. The black tiger, I'd suppose. I was drifting into Lux Aeterna, probably my favorite pieces to date. Wild, angry, dark. Everything. I had reached the peak of the song when my eyes shot open.

The song was just too perfectly fit to the night my past was destroyed.

I sat slackjawed for a moment before picking the song back up, drifting to that land of black and fire and endless music.

I loved the cello. Powerful, bass, dark. Wistful, yearning, angry, hiding its secrets. That's what the sound was.

Just like me.

~Tabitha~

I was a little late to practice, but once I got there, I joined them with a smile, and I pulled out my violin, taking a deep breath, then letting it take me over. I didn't have to think about it, I didn't even know what was happening, I just let it all out. The music sounded so wonderful, and I knew Ian's two little sisters would enjoy all of this. They were just like him, kind and sweet, but they had their dark sides. I kept my eyes closed, playing faster and faster, then slowing it down a bit. It was fun to let myself go, to let Tabitha, the troubled teen who had barely any friends, and who didn't want to be a freak, go and just let the violin take me over.

Ian

My sisters watched as everyone practiced. It was almost time for them to leave and go to school, but they continued to beg me to skip. I didn't have a problem with it as long as my dad didn't find them here.

"OK, but if dad walks in--" I began before they cut me off.

"Yea yea, hide behind--" Cammie started. "Curtains over--" Lillie continue. "There," they said together, pointing to the curtains off away from us.

"Or behind the piano. I'm sure no one will mind," I said. They nodded, throwing their back packs off into a chair and sitting down in front of us while we played for them. Again, I let the guitar take over, but I played softly every now and then as background music as usual. I had no problem with that, I just wanted to play.

Everyone loved Cammie and Lillie. They were just so lovable and cute. Anyone could just walk up to them and pinch their cheeks, but they're be used to that. Of course, they didn't like it, but they did enjoy the attention they received from having a musician for a big brother.

Michael~

Michael continued to draw the bow across the double bass' strings, its deep, fluid sound filling the air and mixing with the rest of the orchestra music. He smiled over at his sister, who returned his toothy grin across the woodwinds and brass instruments. Michael continued to play, his eyes turning to gaze before him, at the back of the cellos. Red hair caught his gaze, not as bright as Audrey's, but red nonetheless. When she tilted her head, his couldn't tear his eyes away from her face. Her eyes were closed and she was playing in such... peace.

Audrey suddenly sneezed, throwing her harp off. Everyone looked at her, and she blushed, saying a soft sorry before picking up where she left off. Michael chuckled softly, still looking at his sister.

The front doors opened, and Michael followed Audrey's gaze to Lukas Black, who was striding through the doors, high and mighty. Michael snorted, and was almost certain that the whole orchestra had heard him. Any guy who chose popularity over the orchestra didn't deserve to be in the orchestra.

Evelyn

Another girl walked in and started playing the violin. At first, the two different songs, hers fast and mine slow, clashed, but we both sort of fit them together somehow along the way. It was easy for me, since I was making mine up, so I was the one mainly to speed up instead of her slowing down. I didn't mind. It sounded good with two violins.

The front doors to the auditorium opened and in walked, or strutted, a boy. He looked like he owned the place. I tried to ignore him, since I didn't know who he was, and just continued playing. It seemed like everyone had stopped for a while to see who had walked in.

((Sorry it's so short!))

Contessa:
I didn't have to look up from the keys of the piano to know whom it was that had commanded the attention of nearly all the musicians as he strutted through the doors and made his way to his instrument. I smiled shyly at him; I didn't have anything against Lukas Black. He was as good of a musician as any.

Sighing, I continued my piano piece, but my thoughts were clouded with the face of Lukas Black, who probably didn't even know I existed, I reasoned. I finished out the piece and stood, grabbing my purse and leaving the piano with a wistful sight.

I met eyes with Lukas Black, and he gave a smirk. He hadn't caught me staring, had he? My breathing faltered and I smiled shyly.

"Hi. Um, yeah. Hi, Lukas." I stumbled.