Young Writers Society

Lea

I lifted the bow. I nodded to Lukas as he took his place several feet away. I didn't like how he was so ashamed of the orchestra- of me- but I put up with him. He was family. I promptly resumed my playing, drifting in and out of familiar songs.

My eyes flickered open for half a second. I was looking directly at a boy with brown hair- Mikey, double bass- and green eyes.... who was looking directly at me. I shivered. He was gazing me so... intensely. Like he wanted, no, needed to see how I worked, what I thought, why I was like I was. I got goosebumps and set myself back to playing Lux Aeterna.

I heard Lukas snicker, and in one quick motion, slapped the back of his head with my bow. There were several laughs and a smattering of applause. I smirked, eyes still closed. I tuned into the sound of the double bass down in the pit, and started playing a melody that complemented it.

I opened my eyes, a bit in a daze. I made the last note waver and launched into another song, this one sweeter. Bach's Cello Suite No. 1, the classic cello piece. I ended it just as Mr. Bowie, our conductor, strutted in, beaming his hairless head off.

Oh, jeez.

Audrey~

"Good afternoon all!" The conductor smiled, standing up on his podium. The teenagers all returned their own chorus of hellos, Audrey running a hand through her hair slowly. She sat her harp up, off her shoulder, and sat up straight, paying all her attention to the conductor. "School starts tomorrow, doesn't it?" Again, everyone nodded their own reply. "It's been a hot, humid summer, but now that fall's just around the corner, that means more shows, and more practicing."

Lukas Black sat his violin down, drawing Audrey's attention to him. He scanned the rows as she gazed at him. His eyes landed on hers and she blushed and looked back at the conductor, her heart beating a mile a second. The conductor was talking on and on, but all Audrey could hear was her own erratic heart beat. She'd known Lukas since she'd lived with Mikey and her adoptive mother and father, but he'd never paid any mind to her.

"So... who wants to play their piece from the song first?" The bald, smiling man grinned. Audrey slowly looked over at Lukas, her eyes catching his once again, and she blushed and looked away once more. "Audrey, how about you?"

"I-uh-um..." She swallowed hard and let the harp fall back, the conductor telling her to start with a sharp rap of his
conducting bow.

Taking a deep breath, Audrey closed her soft blue eyes, and began to play.

-Contessa Grace Charleston-

She'd wanted to play first; but of course, she hadn't gotten her wish. Wistfully, she watched Audrey play a piece of music. It was beautiful, harmonious--and she payed no attention to it. Instead, Contessa's eyes slipped over to where Lukas Black was sitting, and like any shy girl, she looked away blushing like mad when she saw he'd been looking her way.

Audrey finished her piece, and the conductor called Contessa up to play a song. Nodding, she made her way to the velvet bench in front of the piano. She sat, took a deep breath, and let her fingers caress the keys.

There was no better feeling than the one she got whilst playing the piano.

Lea

My god. Contessa was playing beautifully, but there was no way I could get lost in that with my cousin going gaga over Audrey. Awkward as heck. As she closed the piece with a cluster of dreamy notes, I smiled and clapped. She ducked her head, blushing.

I scooched up a little and closed my eyes, pressing down a cord as I drew the bow across. I started playing softly. I didn't know what it was -half my best work was improvised- but I did know it was angry and dark. A bit like Welcome Home, now that I thought of it. In the peak of the song, it was frantic, wild. Untamed. I loved it.

I ended it slowly, making it go softer. Frustration to anger to rage to sadness. It was perfect. I opened my eyes slowly, and keeping them downcast, slid back to my place. Contessa smiled, and there was applause. I drew my pajama-pant clad knees under my chin and closed my eyes again.

I was really tired now. That was the problem- I couldn't sleep at all at night, and when I was finally tired, I wasn't allowed to sleep. Gr. Lukas poked me in the side. I swatted him with the bow again, this time more subtly, and looked up groggily.

I needed... something.... I didn't know.

Just something.

[Trying to make things a little bit interesting...just a little.]

Lilia

I had overslept this morning, and rushed here. The music is sweet and dreamy and beautiful...key word being dreamy. Dreamy, sleep, sleep is bad... My eyes start to droop until I'm snap to my senses by silence, followed by much clapping, sharp and loud.

"Lilia Mao!" My turn. I walk up and sit on the velvet piano bench, but turned away from the piano. My lips press against the mouthpiece, the metal and wood, and softly blow. Each note is precise and sweet. If I think about this song...the music represents everything. My weakness, my love for the world, the haunting sound of the tin whistle, so...so sad...

I drop my tin whistle and a sob comes up from my throat. Worried whispers fill the air, and I'm faintly aware of the conductor asking if I'm okay. "Yeah," I mutter between sobs, "I think I forgot to take my medicine this morning..."

Audrey~

Audrey stood up from the harp, and walked down a couple steps to where Lilia was, a worried look on her face for the crying girl. The conductor, and the entire orchestra's attention was on the two. Audrey stopped in front of Lilia, squating down with a sweet smile. "What's wrong?" She asked softly, feeling everyone's stares.

"I-it's nothing," Audrey, being a borderline bipolar herself, didn't believe her. A reminder of the pills in her purse flashed in her head. Audrey looked to the conductor, asking permission with her eyes. He nodded and Audrey stood up, taking Lilia's wrist and pulling her from her seat. She grabbed her bag as she walked by, the pills rattling. "W-what are you doing?" She continued to cry.

"Just follow me, okay?" Audrey smiled sweetly back at her as they moved to the back of the orchestra stage, and sat outside in the cool air, the wind blowing softly. Audrey looked up at Lilia, from her bottom step, and pulled a small tube of pills out of her bag, along with a cool Dr. Pepper. "Here, take this. It's not very strong, but it should hold you over until you get home." Audrey smiled brightly, before taking a chocolate bar from her bag.

"Y-you just have everything in there, don't you?" Lilia let out a choked laugh and Audrey giggled softly, rolling her eyes.

"Only the basics," Audrey grinned before breaking the chocolate bar in half.

CRASH!

Audrey turned around and Lilia gasped upon the crash of the tin garbage cans.

**Can be anyone:D**

I am still in this, right? I apologize for what happened with my profile for Milo.

Milo:

I tripped and fell right into garbage cans. Two girls gasped and looked up at me. On m back I smiled at them and said "Um, hey guys. What's up?" Sitting up I brushed all of the trash off me and stood up. I looked at the girl with tears streaming down his face and gave her a smile "Hey, you alright?"

Jack:

Somewhere around Tess's piece, my fingers started tapping the drumhead.
All of them were good; the back of my mind teased me a little.
What was I doing here anyway?

Another teen caught my eye and smiled. I nodded, then turned back to
the front... As Lilia started to cry, my beat faltered.

Audrey stepped forward just as I made up my mind. She sort of waved me
aside, heading towards the backstage entrance.