When the Violin Sings

Chapter 12

November, 11 Months Earlier

As Noel walked along the sidewalk coated in fallen leaves, her stomach was doing hurdles. The auditorium was staring back at her in the distance. Each time she made eye contact with the building, she felt a new wave of nausea come on. She had not reached out Riley since Riley's quick departure the weekend prior. Noel thought about texting her to apologize for her mother's words, but she figured doing so in person would be more meaningful. Noel just hoped that Riley would actually be willing to talk to her. At this point, she felt it was appropriate for Riley not to forgive her for the way her mother had acted during the weekend. Noel had spent those two days coming to terms with the fact that this may be the end of their friendship, and though she did not want to accept that outcome, she was trying to learn to make peace with it.

Noel's fingers were shaking as she went to open the door. She hoped they would stop. Her mother always said that trembling fingers worsened performance.

Get her out of your head, Noel thought as she opened the door to the practice room. Across the room, Riley was sitting at her seat, tuning her violin, not aware at all that Noel had entered the room. Or perhaps she was aware and had just deliberately chosen to not acknowledge Noel's presence.

Noel swallowed dryly before slowly making her way across the room. She quietly set down her things next to her chair. Noel turned her body and opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Riley's gaze was focused solely on the music rack that she was placing her sheet music onto.

Noel's shoulders slumped. She sighed and reached for her own violin, but as she began to tune, she dropped her bow and turned to look at Riley.

"Hey, can we—"

"Let's talk after practice," Riley said, still refusing to break eye contact with her music rack.

"Okay," Noel quietly replied.

Practice felt hours longer than normal. Though the music and act of playing could distract Noel somewhat, her mind kept lingering as to what she would tell Riley when practice got out. As the sound of music flowed through the room, all Noel could think about were the multiple outcomes that might result from their conversations.

Finally, when the last note rang out, Professor Brown clapped his hands together and congratulated the group on another successful practice. Students were quick to gather their things and place their instruments away, but Noel took her time. After all, she still wasn't quite sure what the contents of her apology would be to Riley as of yet.

"Are you coming?" Riley asked. She was lingering by the doorframe with her backpack already slung on her shoulders and her violin in hand. She did not appear upset, but her voice lacked the enthusiasm that it normally did when they went to eat a meal after practice. Noel quickly shuffled the last bits of sheet music into her bag and grabbed her things before rushing to meet Riley at the door.

"So, off to the dining commons, then?" Riley asked as they pushed open the doors to the auditorium out onto campus.

Noel's eyes immediately moved toward the bench situated underneath an oak tree. There was a clanking sound as a few acorns fell here and there. Yet another reminder that autumn was continuing on. Without speaking, Noel grasped Riley's wrist and led her to sit down on the bench.

"Okay, fine. But I still want to eat after," Riley said with a little bit of humor in her voice. That was enough to calm Noel's nerves for a moment.

As they both comfortably took a seat on the bench, listening to the way that the birds chirped in the trees above them and how the wind whistled through the branches that were becoming more barren with winter's approach, Noel finally gathered the courage to speak, and though she thought she had rehearsed an apology, she found that her mouth had a mind of its own.