Comrades in Action: Chase Vonn Book 6

Chapter Three

She stood in the middle of the stage. She sought calmness by taking a deep breath. Slowly, she put her violin's lower bout over her left shoulder and rested the side of her chin on its chin rest.

Another deep breath before she finally closed her eyes and expertly and gracefully played the bow to the first note of Niccolò Paganini's Caprice No 24, one of her many favorites from the phenomenal violinist.

Time stood still for her. There is only her, the violin and the music. Nothing else. Something that she's not tired of experiencing whenever she plays. The silence.. the calmness and the peace... These are the things that she could never get enough of. Playing the violin and the satisfaction it brings her is like her own personal drug. It numbs the pain... it makes her forget...

She focused herself on her music. Her heart started hammering against her chest when the beautiful piece is nearing to its end. She glided the bow faster to match the tempo. Her fingers dancing to the violin's strings to achieve that perfect tone. And when she hit the last note, there was nothing left but the fast beating of her heart.

Then finally, loud claps and cheering of the crowd entered her ears. Prompting her to open her eyes for the first time since she started playing the piece. She looked in front of her and then she saw them... her viewers... applaud loudly with appreciative smiles on their faces.

She bowed and then exited the stage leaving loud applauses in her wake.

Brooke attacked her with a tight hug when she entered the waiting room. "That was intense! You never fail to amaze me, Caye!"

She only smiled at her praises.

"It's a sure win. So you'll gonna have to treat me."

She rolled her eyes at her. "Let's still wait for the announcement, Brooke." Wika niya pero hindi pa din nawala ang kampanteng ngiti nito.

"Stop being so humble, Caye. Even the other violinists here accepted defeat when they heard you play."

"Tsk." Inayos niya ang kanyang violin sa case nito. Lumuhod siya upang sana ay isarado ang case ng sawayin siya ni Brooke.

"You'll ruin your Valentino dress!" Tukoy nito sa Lavender print dress na pinahiram nito sa kanya.

"It's just a gown, Brooke." Balewalang sagot niya na ikinasinghap nito.

"Gown! That's one of Valentino's spring collection! Like there's only two of that in the whole world, Caye!"

That, had almost made her eyeballs rolling to the ground kung hindi niya lang kilala kung sino ang kausap.

"Fine. Whatever."

Natatawang nilapitan sila ng kanyang coach na Ms. Holt.

"Relax, Brooke. I'm sure Cayenne knows that by now." Anito bago siya binalingan. "Good job, Cayenne!" Puri nito.

Ginawaran niya ito ng isang ngiti. "Thank you, Ms. Holt."

"Now all we have to do is wait for the announcement." Tinapik nito ang balikat niya bago ito umalis.

Umupo siya at saka kinandong ang kanyang violin case. She was about to close it when something caught her eyes. She squinted. Tinitiganang mabuti kung namamalik mata lamang ba siya.