Saxifrage 37

slow and moody, and just lay on the floor. He wore a plain white shirt and gray pants, hoping to blend in with the walls and make it through the day. He crept down the hallway as the girls in the dance troupe passed him. They were already in heavy stage make-up. Their mothers must have had them up early primping this morning, anticipating their big moment later that night. Nathan approached his locker and noticed his combination lock was missing.

The backlash must finally have come, he thought to himself as he wearily opened the locker, expecting any number of smells, awful sights, or creatures to meet him inside. Instead, sitting atop his books and papers, was the black gig-bag for his violin. He pulled it out and held it in his hands. He slowly unzipped the bag expecting the violin to fall to pieces, but there it was, all in one piece. Well, sort of. There were scratches and dings, but where the neck connected to the body he saw the remnants of a messy wood glue job and screw holes that had been started, but then abandoned.

The strings were put back loosely and out of tune, but it was whole again. Out of the case a piece of paper fell to his feet.

There are other ways to fight. I hope this still works.

Ashley.

P.S. Sorry about your lock.

Nathan looked down into his locker at his combination lock. It looked like it had been cut or pried open. He put the note in his pocket, and took off with the violin to the practice rooms of the band hall. ...

Nathan stood with his patched together violin offstage watching Darby and his crew lip-sync to a rap song while wearing tank tops and matching, colorful pants. They were working the crowd and dancing inappropriately close to girls that were swooning over them in the front rows. The faculty were wrapped up in the performance too and didn’t seem to have a problem with it. Nathan waited for his turn to go on as the girls in the dance troupe argued with their sequined costumes and primped bangs, oblivious of him. The crowd erupted into cheers as the music stopped and Darby and his group exited the stage. They took little notice of Nathan as they jumped up and down and fist-pumped the air, feeling their victory was secure. Nathan headed out onto the stage.

He was announced by Ms. Turner, the band instructor. She had always been kind to him and helped give him tips to make his playing better. Ms. Turner looked down in concern at the sad looking violin and asked him politely if he was ready.

22