Chapter F4

Today is Monday, the 21st of December, two days before the Christmas concert, also the day I have practice with the band, that will play in the concert.

The practice is in the school's music room. Practice starts at eight in the morning and ends before lunchtime. This means I will have to skip 4 classes.

I brought my drumsticks and made my way to the music room.

The school music room is a lively and energetic space that is filled with the sounds of music. The room is filled with various musical instruments, including drums, guitars, pianos, and more.

There are also microphones, speakers, and recording equipment in the room.

The walls are decorated with art and photos of famous musicians and various music-related art, and the room definitely has a very artistic feel to it.

There are also soundproof walls, so we don't bother other classes.

I was the first one. It might be because I'm too early, since it is only half past seven.

I sat on the drum stool and began to drum. Or, moreover, I was testing if the drums were tuned. And by my surprise, they actually were. Surprising.

3rd person perspective:

Aki's mind was wandering, drifting towards the thought of returning to his dorm and coming back at eight, when suddenly a figure entered the room, seemingly out of nowhere. Aki's heart raced for just a moment, caught off guard by the sudden appearance.

"Drummer?" A soft female voice was heard.

"Yeah." He replied.

After she came closer, Aki saw her face even better. It's Ms. Marryans daughter, who goes to the same class as the Three Crows band, does - 8.C

She was tall and thin. Her hair was medium with long bangs that were pinned up with a bobby pin and dyed purple. Her body was covered with a black, long-sleeved crop top and those popular baggy cargo pants. The septum and snake bite piercings were the most visible on her face.

She was also carrying a guitar case. Which means..

"I'm bassist." She murmured while she unpacked her bass guitar. Then she looked at him and gave Aki a handshake.

"Natasha Marryans, call me Nat."

"Aki Hartez, call me however you want."

Nat plugged her bass into the Marshall speaker.

"How about we practice just two of us while we wait?"

"Why not."

Aki sat behind the drum kit. And jumped straight into a beat. Nat matched with him, and the bass under her fingers began to make up tunes. Aki was holding the drumsticks tightly, focusing only on the drums in front of him and the tunes that were coming from Nat's bass guitar.

He never played with other people. This was the first time he did.

And it did feel magical. Playing with her made him want to be in the Three Crows band even more. He got motivation to practice. If he improves and impresses them, they will surely let him join the band, right?

Natasha stopped, and so did Aki.

"You're really good." She praised.

"Thank you, so are you."

The other band members arrived.

Nick, the guy who wears shorts in winter and loves to impress girls, is the guitarist.

Mina, the violinist might look cute and innocent, but she will kick your ass if you touch her since she does Muay Thai.

Tony is the pianist. He's Asian and, as a child, his parents forced him to learn piano.

Nova is a kind black girl who plays clarinet.

And lastly, Mr. Machal, the leader of the band.

"Alrighty, is everyone in here? One, two three- ah yes, we are all." Mr. Machal checked. 

"So, before we start rehearsing, I want to tell you that you guys will be an instrumental band since no singers participated."

   Everyone understandably nodded.

"Alright, let's start with the song Blue Christmas by Elvis Presley." 

Everyone went to set up their instruments.

"Aki, give them a tempo before starting the song, alright?" Mr. Machal told him.

 "Okay."

When the instruments were carefully taken out of their cases and checked for tuning. Mr. Machal checked that everything was in place before giving the all-clear. Aki was nervous but ready to get started.

Mr. Machal gave Aki an approval to start.

"One and a two and a three and a four." Aki said, hitting the drumsticks together.

With that, the band began to play, each member finding their own rhythm and settling into the music.

Every each of them was adding their own unique sounds to create a harmonious blend. The feeling of playing together was like nothing else, and the band members felt a sense of pride and excitement that they had never experienced before.

They worked together, each playing their part to create a sound that was greater than the sum of its parts.

As they finished their first song, the band members exchanged smiles.

"I love it!! I bet you guys will be the popular musicians one day." Mr. Machal acclaimed.

After playing five more songs, Mr. Machal saw how tired they were, so he gave them a fifteen minute break.

Nick's suggestion to play truth or dare during their break seemed like a perfect way to relax and bond with the rest of the band. As the bottle spun and landed on Natasha, she eagerly chose the truth. The group was ready to hear what she had to say, knowing that it would be interesting and could help them get to know each other better.

Natasha took a deep breath before diving into her questions. As she looked around the circle, she felt a sense of unity with the group. They were all here to play music, but they were also here to learn about each other and create a strong bond that could help them work together more effectively in the future.

Nick was the first to ask a question. "What's your type?"

Natasha took a moment to think before she answered. "Caring and respectful one. Someone who is willing to help me with anything and has time for me. And if we are talking about appearance, then maybe someone with good sense of style, I guess."

The group nodded, appreciating her answer. It was a good way to describe someone she wants to find and love one day.

"So a gentleman, huh?"

"Nah, a gentlewoman."

Nick didn't understand what she meant at all.

Instead, he spun the bottle again, and this time, it landed on Aki. 

"Truth or dare?" Nick asks once again. 

"Truth." He said the same reply as Natasha did.

"Do you have any siblings?" Nova was tempted to know.

"Uh, yeah. Two. Younger sister and older sister."

Nova smiled at his response.  

 As the game continued with more questions and answers, a sense of camaraderie and understanding grew among the bandmates. They were learning more about each other, and it was helping them to see things from each other's perspectives.

After an hour of playing, the group decided to call it quits. They had had a lot of fun, but they also had to get back to work. As they got back to the business of playing music, they knew that the bond they had formed through their game of truth or dare would endure. They were a team, and they were here to make music together.

"Break is over! The next song we're practicing is "O come o come Emmanuel" by Sufjan Stevens. Get ready!"

After another few songs, Mr. Machal announced lunch time, and the band members began to pack up their instruments.

Aki and the others made their way out of the music room and into the corridor, each lost in their own thoughts as they prepared to take a break.

As Aki was making his way to the cafeteria, he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Natasha standing behind him. "Mind if I join you?" she asked.

Aki smiled and nodded, his excitement growing at the prospect of spending some time with Nat outside of practice. "Of course, I'd love the company," he replied, his steps quickening as they made their way towards the cafeteria.

As they walked, they began to talk, their conversations flowing easily as they discussed their favorite bands, their dreams for the future, and their hopes for the band.

It was a pleasant way to pass the time, and Aki found himself grateful for the opportunity to get to know Nat better.

By the time they reached the cafeteria, they had lost track of time, and the smell of steaming food filled the air, reminding them how hungry they were. They found a table towards the back of the room and sat down, eager to dig in.

As they ate, they continued their conversations, the sounds of the cafeteria fading into the background as they lost themselves in their own world. It was a small moment, but it was one that would stay with Aki for a long time to come. 

Suzuki, Aki's friend, seated next to Nat. Nat looked at Aki with confusion.

  "This is Suzuki, the girl from my class, who i help translate because she doesn't understand english that much." Aki introduced.

  Suzuki's delicate almond eyes shone with a bright warmth as she looked at Nat, smiling at her in a protective but caring manner.

When her gaze shifted to the small food crumb next to Nat's lips, Suzuki instinctively rubbed it off with her thumb. She then spoke, her voice gentle and soft, though her english was not perfect. "Um, food is little, by mouth," Suzuki said in a simple yet sweet way.

Natasha, who looks like her heart is about to burst, was blushing, making her look like tomato. Aki smirked at her, knowing she might just fell in love with his friend.  

   "Give me her phone number, will you? Nat's softly whispered, although it contained an underlying seriousness as she asked for Suzuki's phone number.

As Nat was asking, the worst guy ever suddenly interrupted the conversation, his presence immediately noticeable.

"Nat?" he shouted, seemingly incredulous at the mere thought that she'd prefer to date someone else over him. "You're saying you'd rather date him instead of me?!" Patrick yelled, his words a mixture of aggression and hurt.

   "Date him my ass. I just don't like you, and besides, he's just my bandmate." Nat calmly answered while sipping her juice. 

"Just bandmates, huh?! You sound like celebrities, trying to hide it." 

She rolled her eyes.

"You weird ass stalker. Just leave me alone before I report you for harassment."

  Before Patrick left, he gave Aki a death stare filled with spite and bitterness.

"Womanizer." He muttered to himself, but it was loud enough for Aki and Natasha to hear it.  

That was quite something.

Suzuki wasn't sure what was happening, even so she didn't question it. Instead, Suzuki told Aki something in Japanese.

They will go on a trip to Europe on the seventh of January.