The caged bird sings {Open}

[Erik Stewart]

Erik had wanted it to be easy. He’d wanted what everyone secretly hoped when they picked up something new, a pencil or an instrument, that he’d been a born natural all along and he just never knew it. He’d pluck the string and a chorus of angels would break out of heaven in a big burst of light to sing Hallelujah, a new Star is born. That was the hope. Instead his fingers plucked clumsily at the guitar strings like a limp donkey, hee-hawing in complaint, or like drops from a constipated water faucet or, speaking of, a really difficult crap.

He’d asked the music instructor if he could stay after hours when there was no class, no band and no strings practice. Sure, she’d said, and he pretended not to notice her look of scrutiny. For a week afterwards he might catch her looking over him, trying to suss out whether or not he was going to break the equipment, or else do something unsavory, but all he did was strum and eventually she must have gotten bored of watching. She rarely stayed over to keep an eye on him anymore.

She might have thought he’d get bored, too, like a lot of other things. But he didn’t. By the end of two weeks he was able to play the first verse all right and he was a bit proud of himself for it.

Sometimes he sang. Not for long: there was something embarrassing about singing to an empty room.

Not many people stumbled in after class was over. It was too cold to be wandering about in mid-January; most tucked themselves away in theirs or each other’s rooms, or else sought something warm to eat. Erik was startled badly, then, when the double doors began to open. His fingers stuttered over the strings, leaving behind a cacophony of sour notes.

[Cianna "Cici" Rivers]

Cici checked through her bag. Then she checked again. Then finally, she checked a third time, just to make sure. Yup, her book was missing. But not just any book, her song book! It contained a ton of songs she had written, and was rather important to her. Trust her to forget that, of all things. Biting her lip, Cici wondered where it could be. She'd had it out during classes earlier, could it be she had left it in a classroom? Shrugging, she decided to go get it, even though classes were over. Besides, it wasn't like it was the first time she had left something important in a classroom.

Shivering at the cold air, Cici pulled a face at the sky, as if that would help. Who knows, maybe someone would feel her pain, and make it warmer. And maybe she would turn into an apple. Very likely. But who knew?

Pushing the double doors to a class open, Cici blinked at the sight of someone else already in the room. Why were they here? Were they practicing? Seeing a guitar in their arms, a smile spread across her face and she slowly entered the room. Way warmer, and therefore better, than outside. "Do you play? I love guitar!" Skipping over to the boy, she grinned cheerily at him, wondering what he was playing. He looked vaguely familiar, but a lot of students at Hammel did; she didn't actually know him. "What song are you playing?" Now that she saw someone else with a guitar, Cici's own fingers itched for one, and she wondered of the boy in here would mind her joining him. If she knew the song, they could even play together! The thought made her look around for another guitar, but she didn't go to get one. Yet.

[Erik Stewart]

He was hoping she would be in and out in less than a minute. He was in the corner, after all, and he’d one shoulder turned up in a don’t bother me sort of way but, of course, it all went unnoticed. She reminded him of Nory.

“Not really,” he said defensively. His fingers had lifted off the strings and now rested along its side; his other hand clutched its neck possessively. He didn’t think playing a third of a song counted as ‘playing’. He was tempted to put the thing away and hurry along, tell her he had someone to meet, or something. He was embarrassed. At least he didn’t know her, and there’d be no one for her to tell.

Erik scoffed. “It’s called ‘Leave Me Alone: I’m Busy’,” he said. “You’ve probably never heard of it.”

[Cianna "Cici" Rivers]

Blinking as the boy scoffed, Cici paused at his words. Of course, any underlying meanings washed right over her head and she thought for a bit. Biting her lip, she realized she didn't know it. "Um, who's it by? I don' think I have sorry..." Thinking for a moment later, Cici paused, then shrugged her shoulders. "So why're ya still here aftah class?" As she said it, she remembered her own purpose for coming. "Oh, 'n have you seen a small, brigh'ly coloured book 'n here? I kinda lost it..." Laughing a bit sheepishly, she scanned the room.

As Cici's eyes fell on her book, which was on the floor, her face lit up with relief. There it was! She'd found it! Walking happily over to retrieve it, she was almost at it when her foot caught on a chair leg and she tumbled to the ground. How embarrassing. "Aw, rats!" She mumbled. Blushing, she quickly pushed herself up, hoping that it hadn't looked too awkward. She scrambled to her feet and fetched her book, laughing at herself. Shoving it back into her bag, she turned to the boy. "So I'm Cici, wha's your name?"

[Erik Stewart]

He was relieved himself that she found it. That way he wouldn’t have to get up, though he was seriously thinking about it. There would be other days he could practice…as much as it irked him that it’d be cut short today.

It took him a while to respond. Erik plucked at the strings, trying to emulate one of those long riffs he heard on the radio. He hoped by the end of his ill-fated attempt the girl would be gone by then, like she might’ve got bored and left but, of course, he’d no such luck. He sighed. “Erik.”

[Cianna "Cici" Rivers]

Listening to him play, Cici grinned. She always loved to hear different people playing guitar, whether they were professional musicians or simply at their first lesson. It was fun to hear different ways people played! She knew that when she played, she could seem rather...passionate, considering that she usually played metal, and she found it hard to play metal emotionless. It just wasn't the same.

Smiling as he introduced himself, Cici was oblivious to any annoyance she caused the boy as she offered him a wide smile. "Chur Erik! How long've you been playin'? Min' if I listen?" If Cici had been better at reading people, she would not have asked this. After all, she had found her book, completed her goal in coming here. But alas, she continued to smile as oblivious as ever, finding it fun to talk with others, people she hadn't conversed with before.