Being Eve Summers

Chapter-10

Why did people get so emotional over memories? Why did some memories trigger people?

Cold wind whipped my hair in all directions as I briskly walked to the music room. It was astounding how fast the week had passed by. After everything Victor did, I wanted to kill him. I knew I couldn't and that built a frustration in me. A frustration I needed to get rid of. That was how I found myself stealing a guitar from the music room at midnight on a Wednesday. My thoughts drifted towards Addy, a frequent occurrence in this past week.

Addy refused to file a complaint against Victor so the only allegation for him was trespassing on the college campus. She had experienced a betrayal that would take a long time to heal. If I were to go by her behaviour this past week, I'd say she consistently avoided anyone. The time when she broke up with him back in high school, I'd been miles away. Despite the physical distance, I had never felt this distance from the best friend I grew up with. This was different. She was different.

I prided myself for understanding people and their needs before they could understand it themselves. Yet I couldn't fathom what my bestie must be going through. I didn't know how I could make her come out of her shell. She skipped volunteer service last Saturday. That was something she'd never do. The one time she had a terrible viral infection that lasted over a week, she had still gone for her volunteer work. She loved dogs to the moon and back. For her to miss her precious time with doggos meant she wasn't fine. I needed to do something.

For now, though, I needed to find an acoustic guitar and sit under my favourite tree in the lawn across the music department building. I needed a break. I'd only be able to help Addy if I got a break from all the stress.

I loved the wind. I loved the rain. I wanted the rain to cool me down. The campus seemed deserted at midnight. That's what happened on a forlorn Wednesday, the day of the week that was always ignored. The quiet and calm day that allowed you to spend time with your thoughts. Thoughts I'd kept at bay all week for fear I might break down in front of someone. All week I made sure to stay by my friend's side and do assignments, for her and for me.

I looked up at the sky as I walked on Main Avenue. I could spot Sirius shining as bright as it would on any other day, nestled between the dense canopy that covered the campus in its shade. The moon shone the same. The sky remained the same. It was a reminder of how insignificant we were in the grand scheme of things. That despite change being a constant in human life, there were some things that never changed. I smiled wryly as I kept walking towards the music room. It was a short walk towards the music department building but the silence of the night made it ten times longer. Something as simple as walking slowly gave me a sense of calmness I had seeked for so long.

I took my Bruin Card out from my pocket to enter the massive building that was deserted. Opening the doors of the building, I immediately missed the cool breeze. Not wanting to be caught taking a guitar from the music room at night, I quickly walked down the corridor on the left. Everything seemed calm and silent in the darkness. The loud tapping of my sneakers against the tiled floor disrupted the serene silence. I had to use my phone's flashlight to reach the door that I was looking for. Quietly opening the door, I took one glance at the glass enclosure and couch to make sure no one was there.

Sighing in relief, I went to the glass enclosure and opened its door. All the instruments and gadgets were lined up against the wall and I was looking at everything so closely for the first time. I knew the band owned three guitars but I registered the designs and wood and patterns of the guitars in my mind for the first time. I allowed myself to look at the sound system and mics on the platform opposite the wall, touching the glass wall in front. The Yamaha keyboard rested on the platform beside the equalizer and my awe settled in. Besides bass and acoustic guitars, there were conga drums, along with a cello and flute. I knew the drums were in the room on the right. That was an interesting combination of instruments. I was familiar with different flutes and this one seemed to be a silver one. Amazing. That was the only word I could think of.