Chapter 6: Violin Lesson

A loud blaring noise startles the woman awake, and Leila rolls over, nearly falling from the bed as she reaches for the phone to turn the alarm off.

She climbs out of bed sleepily, rubbing her eyes to wake up and slips on her shoes. She grabs a light jacket for the evening and throws her long hair up into a messy bun.

Leila snatches her backpack up and double checks for student ID. Once ready, she leaves the silent.

“Hayley must’ve gone to classes.” she mutters as she exits the darkened room. It’s a five-minute walk to the Ball Hall where all the music and language arts classes are held.

She makes it to the class with minutes to spare and finds a seat at the back of the room. Several students, mostly female, join Leila in the classroom. Glares are passed around between each of the women. One of the girls waltz up to Leila and states, “You. You’re that girl who was hogging Professor Ezra last night at the bonfire.”

Eyes fall to her. She feels the envious glares piercing through her and replies nonchalantly, “I didn’t know he was an object.”

The redhead before her snips angrily, “I bet you can’t even play the violin and signed up just for him.”

She rolls her eyes and quips, “Are we in high school, or did I get lost somewhere? Could’ve sworn I enrolled into a university full of semi-mature adults.”

The redhead scowls and snaps, “You best stay away from him.”

Leila retorts in annoyance, “I’m literally in his class. Shut up and go take a seat.”

She scoffs but goes to find her own spot directly in front of Leila. Ezra comes into the room moments later and scans the class, his eyes falling on Leila and holding her gaze. He gives her a light smirk before turning away causing her cheeks to heat up.

Leila focuses her eyes on the table in front of her, trying to maintain her calm. “Why did he have to do that?” she hisses in a whisper only heard by her, or so she thought.

She notices Ezra chuckling quietly to himself before he begins taking the roll. Her eyes narrow. Had he heard her or was he just laughing in general? She isn’t about to ask him though.

“Leila.”

“H-here!”

His eyes meet her honey-brown ones once more as she answers him, and he asks, diverting his attention to the class as a whole, “Has anyone had any previous experience on the violin?”

No one dares to raise a hand. Leila is hesitant with her response but decides on leaving her hand down until Ezra approaches her with a raised brow. He asks once more, “Anyone?”

She narrows her eyes at him and refuses to raise her hand. He turns away from her and replies, “Alright. Let’s get started then, shall we?”

He begins by explaining the parts of the violin. This is something she knows about from previous years of experience with the instrument, but she doesn’t want to speak up on it. Instead, she focuses on listening intently to the lesson until Ezra pulls out a violin.

Everyone watches in anticipation, waiting for the man to play the instrument, but he turns towards Leila then. He asks politely, holding the bow out to her, “Care to give it a try?”

Eyes fall to her as he holds the instrument out for her to take. There’s no denying her blush as she meets his knowing gaze. She quickly searches for a way out of the situation and replies, “I really can’t.”

“Then you can be the demonstration.”

He holds his hand out expectantly. She internally screams but stands from her spot and grasps his hand. He pulls her to him, her cheeks on fire and her heart ready to burst. Ezra places the violin where it’s supposed to rest between the shoulder and neck.

Taking her right hand in his, he settles the bow there, careful not to touch the hairs. Her fingers wrap around it in proper placement as she tries to focus on anything but the muscles she can feel pressing against her back. He guides her hand with the bow to rest on the strings of the violin.

He smells of lavender and leans in close to her face, responding as he turns her towards the class, “This is how you’ll hold your instruments when you get them.”

The redhead, Megan, asks with a small coo to her tone, “Are you going to show us all how to properly hold it, Professor Ezra?”

He dryly states while releasing Leila, much to her relief, “I just have, so remember it.”

The pout on Megan’s face is plain for everyone to see. Leila stands there with the instrument in one hand and the bow in the other. She holds them out to Ezra and states, “You’ll probably need these back.”

He smiles gently and counters, “They’re yours for the semester. Take care of them.”

Leila frowns but nods her head. She shuffles back to her seat, moving behind Megan who gives her a dirty look, but Leila pays it little attention. That’s not what her mind is focused on.

The rest of the class goes by smoothly, Ezra sizing each student to a properly fitted violin and teaching the first musical scale they would all learn and be tested on in the next week. Leila sighs internally, not excited for the quiz. She didn’t want to blow it in front of her clearly jealous classmates.

When the class comes to an end, Leila is the last to leave. She hears Ezra question, “Why didn’t you play earlier?”

She answers shyly, “I’m out of practice.”

“The firmness in your hands earlier say otherwise.”

Leila’s cheeks redden and she responds, changing the subject, “I have to meet Hayley.”

Ezra nods and states, “I won’t hold you here. Stay safe, Leila.”

Every time he says her name, it sends shivers down her spine, and this time is no different. Before he can notice her odd behavior, she packs the violin and rushes out of the space.

She hurries to the dorm and finds Hayley getting ready, dresses thrown about the floor as she picks an outfit for the night.

“Oh, you’re back?”

Leila bobs her head slowly and sets her things down in her room. She states calmly, “Alright, I’m ready.”

Hayley scans Leila up and down and frowns. She blurts, “You aren’t going out like that. Come on, come try something on.”

She hesitates, but Hayley snatches her hand and pulls her into her room, throwing a short, black dress at her. Leila tries it on and immediately frowns at herself in the single, off-shoulder piece. She can feel her nakedness in the dress and speaks up, “This isn’t going to work.”

Hayley replies as she examines her, “You look great though.”

Leila does what she can to hide her legs, and Hayley exhales noisily. “Fine, fine. How about some leggings and a simple off-shoulder shirt with lots of accessories?”

She nods her head, answering, “As long as I don’t feel exposed.”

Hayley tosses her a pair of solid, black leggings and a white, one side off-shoulder top. Leila lets her hair loose, and Hayley hands her several pieces of gold jewelry. Leila sighs as she puts it all on and stares at herself in the bathroom mirror directly across from Hayley’s small room.

Leila takes a brush to her pencil straight locks and exhales once more. Maybe getting out would help her relax.

Hayley places her hands on Leila’s shoulders in excitement. “Look at you, hot lady!”

Leila blushes and quickly counters, “I’m not.”

Hayley holds up a pair of black, stiletto heels and hands them to the older roommate. Leila’s eyes narrow as she looks at the spiked heels, and she states matter-of-factly, “I’m going to break my ankles in those.”

Hayley giggles and replies, “Do you have any good-looking shoes then?”

Leila goes to her room and pulls out a pair of black boots. She shows them to Hayley who nods her approval. Giving a once over of Hayley, Leila feels plain, but she isn’t into provocative clothing like Hayley.

She wears a short, blue dress with a slit in the chest revealing some of her cleaving. It stops just below her bottom, and she has on a pair of black stilettos. Her hair is pulled up into a high ponytail, and she wears a pair of silver earrings and a necklace to match the look.

Hayley asks with excitement, “Ready?”

Leila nods her head. “As ready as I’m going to be.”