Vivacious《Cullen's》(Editing)

•《Chapter III》•

Arianna took a deep breath as she stood in front of the heavy door, her fingers curled around the pink paper that now bore the signatures of two of her teachers. Her heart thumped a little faster than she liked, nerves tapping against her ribcage like restless fingers on a desk. She wiped her sweaty palms against the sides of her burgundy jacket, the soft fabric warming under her touch, then knocked firmly on the door painted a faded greenish-blue.

Through the narrow glass window, she spotted a woman with shoulder-length blonde hair making her way over, clipboard in hand. The door creaked open on slightly rusted hinges, and the woman gave her a welcoming smile.

"Hello," the woman said kindly, her voice lightly accented with something vaguely Southern. "You must be the new student."

"Yes, ma'am. Sorry I'm late," Arianna said softly, stepping inside as the teacher ushered her in. "I got a little turned around."

"It's alright, honey. First days are always a bit of a whirlwind," the woman replied warmly. "I'm Ms. Mason—choir and drama director,," she added with a warm smile as she took the pink paper from Arianna and signed it with a quick flourish. "Here you go, dear."

Arianna gave a small, grateful smile and stepped into the room, her eyes adjusting to the tiered setup of chairs placed on risers, the faint scent of sheet music and dry erase markers hanging in the air. Around twenty-five students were scattered among the seats, most mid-conversation or quietly tuning in to the interaction at the door. The sudden silence as Ms. Mason addressed the class made Arianna feel like she'd just walked onstage during a performance she didn't know the lines to.

"Alright, everyone," Ms. Mason called, her voice full of cheerful authority, "as you can see, we have a new face joining us today. Why don't you introduce yourself?"

Arianna gave a quick, nervous glance around the room before stepping forward. Her smile was shy but genuine.

"Hi. I'm Arianna Alexander. I just moved here from West Palm Beach, Florida."

A ripple of murmurs traveled through the group. Some faces looked interested, others neutral. One or two students stared openly, curious about the new girl with the striking hazel eyes and effortless style.

Ms. Mason smiled and clapped her hands once. "Great. Let's make her feel welcome, alright? Any questions for our new addition before we get back to rehearsal?"

Arianna tensed slightly. Of course. The Q&A. She forced her expression to stay friendly as a girl with vibrant blue hair raised her hand.

"Why'd you move here?" the girl asked.

"My dad grew up in Forks," Arianna replied, shifting her weight a little, "and he was offered a job he really wanted. So... here we are."

"What's your voice range?" another student piped up.

"Either soprano or alto," she replied, her voice warming a bit as she got into familiar territory. "But I usually sing soprano."

A few more questions followed—where she went to school before, how long she'd been singing, what kind of music she liked—before Ms. Mason rescued her with a bright clap of her hands.

"Alright, let's not overwhelm the poor girl. Arianna, you'll be sitting over with the sopranos—third row, just behind Megan and Ashley. They'll help you get caught up. We've got a concert coming in May, but I have a feeling you'll be just fine."