INTERLUDE // Tubbo X Reader

7

"Can I have your attention for a moment class?"

You looked away from the sheet music you had be poring over too see Mrs. Mears at the front of the room, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet excitedly. It was one of those things that made her your favorite teacher despite only having her for a few weeks - she got genuinely excited about teaching, and judging by the way she was clasping her hands together, whatever she was about to say was something good. 

When everyone had stopped working and turned their attention to her, she clapped her hands excitedly. "So after today, we're probably not going to have to do any sight reading again." 

One of the kids a few rows in front of you sighed in relief. Next to him, a girl tilted her head slightly. "Why, miss?"

"Because..." She drumrolled on the chalkboard behind her. "We're starting our final projects for the year! Yay!"

You glanced at Toby for a second - you hadn't known that work would begin on the final projects so soon - you had really only been in this class for a few weeks. Hopefully it wasn't something too hard, you weren't sure you would be able to pass since you hadn't been in the class for that long. Maybe you should talk to Mrs. Mears, just to be sure -

Your attention focused back on the board as she scrawled a word across the space - composition. Any doubts you had about being able to pass flew right out the window as you read that word - composition was maybe your favorite part of being into music, writing songs was something you could do in your sleep.

"So." Mrs. Mears said, dropping the chalk back onto the ledge on the board. "FoYour the next couple months, we're going to be writing our own pieces for the piano as our final, instead of doing a written test. I didn't think you all would mind since you'll be taking plenty of those kind in your other classes."

She had a point there - you would be taking plenty of written tests in your other classes. It would be a nice break from studying in all your other classes. You knew in the back of your mind that this was just going to be an excuse to fiddle around on the piano and call it studying.

"You'll have to write at least a page and a half of sheet music." Mrs. Mears continued, going over to her desk to grab a stack of papers from her desk. She started down the center of the rows, handing out the papers as she went. "Other than that, literally anything goes. Use any key you like, it can sound however you like." 

Toby took the papers as Mrs. Mears handed them out and passed one to you. You glanced over the rubric - it was pretty simple, almost exactly what she had been saying aloud. The project was pretty much split in half; half the points would come from the actual written sheet part of the project, but the other half would come from a live performance in front of the class. So it wasn't just composing a piece then, you would also be playing it. 

Well. You would have to write something you could actually play live then.

A hand shot up in the front of the classroom. "Miss?" 

Mrs. Mears spun around. "Yes Emma?"

"Are we allowed to work with a partner if we want?"

Mrs. Mears clapped her hands. "Right! I forgot, yes, you can work with a partner if you want. You will have to compose more since there's two of you... what's one and a half times two... that's three... you'll have to write three pages if you want to work with a partner."

Your eyes immediately slid to Toby, only to find him already looking at you. It was a silent conversation - a tilt of the head, the raise of an eyebrow, a quick nod - but you knew you were going to work together on this project by the end of it. 

"I want you guys to really put some thought into these!" Mrs. Mears said, striding back up to her place in the front of the room. "It's a blank canvas - try out some things you normally wouldn't, add a little spice. Write something that you would want to hear if you were at a concert."

You could already feel yourself getting hyped for the project - you loved things like this, where you were encouraged to think outside the box and try new things. School projects where you could actually let your creativity flow were leagues beyond writing papers or doing research on topics you didn't care about. 

"Speaking of concerts!" Mrs. Mears continued. "If you write something good enough, I might put you in the school's spring exhibition!" She grinned wide, waving her hands excitedly. "Which will look really good for university!"

You glanced at Toby again. He perked up at the mention of the school exhibition, and raised his eyebrows in your direction. This was a big thing then - of course it was, an exhibition from a college with this sort of music program would be something to see. You would have to really pour your heart and soul into this piece then - not that you were planning on half-assing it in the first place. 

Mrs. Mears clapped her hands again - you could just feel the enthusiasm pouring out from her as she surveyed her class. "It'll be due in a month so we have time to practice before the exhibition.  Other than that, I'll let you all get started then - you know where the blank sheet music is. I just know that you'll all make such great pieces! I can't wait to hear them all when they're done!" 

You turned to Toby to see him already pulling out a notebook, opening to a blank page and turning to you. "So." He said. "Where should we get started?"