XPLR | Colby Brock

~129~

A NEW FAN FIC IS OUT NOW. SAM GOLBACH: "BEYOND".

I smoothed down my dress as I stepped into Lincoln Plaza. I took a deep breath and I pushed my short hair behind my ear.

"Here we go," I say to myself, and I set off towards Juilliard school.

I'll be honest, I was walking in blind. I didn't know what I was doing or where I was going. Surely I could find a desk somewhere with someone who would tell me where to go.

Glancing around, I saw dozens of people entering the school as well. A lot of them carried cases of some sorts, a lot of them identifiable. Violin cases, cellos. Holy shit, is that a bass? How do you even carry one of those things? That must be a bitch to take on a subway. Oh wait, you don't always have to take the subway. God, Rose, calm down. 

I took a deep breath and moved towards the school, following a cellist into the doors. I looked around for a few moments, for any sense of direction. Damn, I should've done more research before I left this morning. 

I was lost until I heard a somewhat familiar voice behind me. 

"Rose Romano?" Gerald Brown asked. I turned around to face him, and he smiled as he opened his arms to me and gave me a friendly hug. I'm just slightly taller than him, so it was a bit awkward. "That's me," I said. 

"You look a bit lost," he teased, standing back and giving me a quick look up and down. I felt subconscious for a moment. "I am. Where can I go to find my schedule? Or make my own, or..." 

He smiled, and he motioned for me to follow him. "This way," he said, and he started to take me deeper into the school. There were people all around us, standing, lounging, laughing. These people are like me. Back in California, I only felt part-of when playing music, and even then, most of the people didn't take music as seriously as I did. They were all playing in the college orchestra because they player in high school, they might've been first chair first violin in the top orchestra. But they weren't majoring in music like I was. 

But no, here? These were creative people. These were smart, cunning, and diverse people, but we all had one thing in common: a love for the fine arts. I wonder who the other piano alumni will be... 

He brought me to a main office, type area, and he spoke to a woman for a minute or two before he handed me a piece of pink paper. A schedule. 

"Music composition... fundamentals..." I red aloud. Gerald Brown nodded. "Those classes are what it takes to graduate with a degree in classical piano," he said. I shrugged and smirked, then dramatically said, "Piece of cake. I'll be done in no time." 

"No doubt about it," he said. He took the paper from my hand and looked through it, then said, "Come on, Ms. Romano, let's find your first class." 

I followed him into my first "classroom", music composition. I smiled as I followed Gerald Brown inside. Mr. Sanderford stood at the front of the room, and he smiled when his eyes landed on me, and he paused. He was middle aged, with a few worry lines on his face. I could feel the veins through his hand when I shook his hand. 

"Rose Romano," I told him. He smiled as he shook my hand twice, and then took his hand away and put it in the pocket of his pants. "You're the famous Rose Romano. It's nice to meet you," he smiled, "I've been looking forward to seeing you in my classroom. I saw your Rachmaninov video," he said. I smiled, and for a moment, I reminisced about my Little Red Riding Hood performance. 

I bet a lot of my superiors will have seen it. And I'm glad. That was an amazing performance. 

I sat down in my seat, near the back, and I checked my phone last time and texted Logan, "Going great so far!" 

He texted back a few seconds later. "I'm glad! I'll meet you after your class, okay? We can go get an early dinner." 

I smiled at that. "Sounds good. See you around five." 

I sat across from Logan in a busy Manhattan restaurant, still high on adrenaline after the day's happening. "The coolest thing ever," I  said, finishing a story about something I'd learn that day. He smiled, watching me speak and listening to my story. He took a sip of his drink and smiled once I finished. "That is the coolest thing ever. Not to mention, you're living the dream now," he said. He seemed pleased, and I knew why. I hadn't been this happy since I got to New York. 

My mom would be so proud of me. I can't wait to tell her about this tonight before I go to bed. 

But for now, I was eating french fries and drinking coke as Logan told me about his day. And his favorite "rock star" student. 

I looked out the window every now and then, watching the bustling people of New York. Logan was right. 

This is the greatest city in the world.