Hiraeth: Belonging (II)

Chapter Eleven

Mike and I got into performing alternative band again. I wasn't necessarily surprised, but I was definitely relieved to not have to worry about it anymore. All our friends from last year (Frances, Emmitt, Nicole, and Santiago) made it back as well. Additionally, there were two new students to replace Willow (who had graduated) and the late Nelson.

"Why don't you all introduce yourselves?" Doctor Annabelle began, sitting at her desk while we spread around the comfortably-furnished salmon-hued room.

In a similar fashion to the previous year, everyone said their name, instrument, and something about themselves. The two new students went last.

"My name is Raven," the being of darkness began. I recognized her immediately, with her dark grey eyes and short curly charcoal hair. She looked a lot like Mike, and not just because of her skin and hair colour. The other beings of darkness all had big eyes and ears, a rounder face shape, and a small frame. "I'll be playing the bass trumpet. And... I like to skate."

"Hello!" The other new student exclaimed next. For a second, I thought he was a wingless dragon. He had lumpy brown skin with pale yellow speckles and tan undertones. A long, thin tail with strange bark-like patterns poked out from under his shirt and curled up slightly near the ground. His slitted eyes were the colour of dust, with soft spikes to replace eyelashes that led down the back of his head and neck. His appearance was quite friendly, and his outfit was a simple sky blue polo and baggy cargo pants. (Reptilian fashion included a lot of collars.)

He's a gecko boy.

"My name is Gonzo! I play the cello and enjoy tree-climbing."

A crested tree gecko at that.

"Nice to meet you, new students," Doctor Annabelle said with a smile. "To-Day is the-first-song-of-the-year-choosing Day. I know most of you were in this class last year, but please be open to suggestions from Gonzo and Raven."

"'Dog Days Are Done?'" Santiago started eagerly once we were free to discuss. We had all been talking about it the previous Day, save Raven and Gonzo.

"But isn't that mostly ukulele?" Gonzo asked.

"I don't think my instrument would match that," Raven added. "Plus all your guitars... and the piano?"

Emmitt laughed. "Trust me, if there's a way to play harmonica and leg-maracas with Mike's guitar riffs, there's a way to have the trumpet, too."

Gonzo scratched his chin. "Give me an example."

"Have you ever heard the band Fall Out Girl?"

"Oh yeah! They use brass instruments sometimes."

"Exactly, also violin and flute and stuff. And their main instrument is guitar."

The newcomers were convinced.

"Are you sure?"objected Nicole, last-minute of course. "It's not a super popular song. Last year we drew quite a crowd because we picked songs everyone knew."

The room went silent.

"What?"

Santiago sighed and whispered, "Nicole, you know the real reason we got such a big audience."

She narrowed her eyes and grinned. "Oh yeah... That's true."

Gonzo raised his paw. His clawed fingers had strange grooves all over them. "Can I say something?"

We nodded.

"I came to watch you guys last year because of Mike and Roxie."

"See?" Santiago whispered to Nicole, who rolled her eyes.