Love Between Us

Chapter 28

I press down on the wrong piano key causing my anxiety to skyrocket. Mrs. Elliot, who is our conductor, orders for the rest of the quartet to stop playing due to me. Because I keep hitting the wrong key.

I slam on the piano keys angrily before letting out a heavy breath of air. "Ugh!" I groan.

"Zuri, take a breath." Mrs. Elliot's voice is soft and forgiving as the other three players try to assure me that it's okay and we'll just try again.

Mrs. Elliot comes onto the stage and makes her way over to me. She places her hands over mine on the piano keys, urging me to relax.

I close my eyes and slowly breathe in and out. Today's piano practice has not been in my favor. I've been having a stressful morning and it definitely shows in my performance. I don't know why I was so stressed per se, but I'm guessing it had to do with my performances later tonight. For some reason I'm extremely anxious, thinking about everything that could go wrong instead of everything that could go right.

This was going to be one of my last performances with Mrs. Elliot's music studio and not to mention a music recruiter from Harton University, one of my top choices for school, will be there watching me, debating on whether or not I am good enough for their music program. Or good enough for a scholarship for the music department. And depending on how well I perform tonight, I may or may not get the scholarship.

And I can't seem to fully understand why I am making so many mistakes. I was doing so well all week and everything was fine. But I guess being that it was just hours away my anxiety decided to betray me and show through my music.

"Is everything okay?" Mrs. Elliot asks, bringing me out of my thoughts. "I haven't seen you like this all week."

"Yeah, I'm fine." I try to convince myself more than her. "Can we take a short break?"

"Sure, everyone take five." Mrs. Elliot announces. "Then we need to come back with our minds focused and ready to play as if we are performing for tonight."

Everyone mumbles sounds of agreement and I get up from my seat. Since one of the students performing with me begins to have a conversation with Mrs. Elliot, I decide that I need to go for a walk and relax. I head out of the room and take a brief stroll down the hall. I reach for my phone, hoping to speak to the one person I know who can always help to calm my irrational thoughts and feelings.

But when I'm hit with Zane's voicemail, I sigh. Of course he isn't awake. I don't know a single young person who is up before 10 on a Saturday morning unless they had something to do. And since I know getting through to Zane is going to take longer than being able to actually talk to him, I decide this one time I'm going to have to do this on my own.

I make it to the end of the hall where there was a window. The sun was shining bright and I stare out at the front of the building where the road was. I listen as cars ride by, the birds chirp, and the faint conversation of those who walk by the place. I close my eyes and focus on the warm heat on my face that the sun provided. I breathe in and out slowly. I tell myself to only let in positive energy and positive thoughts. After a minute I begin to feel more content and I know that I can do this. If I can do it in front of a large crowd of people I did not know before there's no doubt that I can do it tonight. And that was enough to give me the temporary push.

And with that being said, I make my way back to the room where rest of my quartet members were tuning their instruments and practicing various notes and keys.

"Feeling any better?" Mrs. Elliot asks once I return to the bench in front of the piano.

"Much better." I smile and when she conducts us to begin our first selection, I make sure to nail it.