I cross another day of my calendar. It's already been a month since Rainbow and I started dating and luck just doesn't seem to be on our side. Spring Sports are in full swing, and with it comes many practices and games. Along with all those games are performances for the marching band, which I lead, as well as a national composers competition that could guarantee a scholarship to any school I look to. I look at my schedule with a sigh. No free time today either, or at least none that fit with Rainbow's schedule. I grab my baton and school bag, hurrying out the door.
I run through my many, many routines on the way to school. Repeating queues in my head. No time to waste since the competition is next week. When I arrive I notice Rainbow standing in front of the statue, waving at me. What does she have planned?
She greets me with a hug. “I set Spitfire up as temporary captain today so I could have the day free. Not like I need a whole lot of practice, I'm good enough as is.” She says taking my hand.
“As is? You've gotten just as much, probably more, practice than anyone else.” I tell her, giving a stern look.
“It's not like I left them without a Captain or canceled every practice. It'll be fine if I take a day off.” Her reassurances caused a giggle to leave my lips.
“You know I have my own practices to deal with, right? I can't take a day off, especially so close to the composition contest. Do you know how many students in this school are competing?? I have a composition for three categories, meaning three performances, one of which the marching band needs to learn as well, and-”
“You're clearly overwhelmed. Relax Harmony. I'm not going to keep you from your practices. I'm going to watch. Besides, Pinkie taught me how to make 3 minute no-bakes.” She interrupts, effectively calming me down. My eyes go wide at the mention of no-bakes, my favourite cookie. “You're going to have to wait for that.” She pats my head as she teases me.
I let my eyes droop and cross my arms. “You're mean, why'd you even mention cookies if I wasn't getting one?” I say, pouting. She laughs, knowing that most of it's a bluff.
“Come on, you know that doesn't work on me.” She says, grabbing my hand again and pulling me into the school. My face goes back to normal, though I am still disappointed about the cookie. Everyone still stares at us, always interested in the lives of the world-saving students, and who they're dating. Rainbow departs for her own class with a wave and I head to my locker.
When I open it I notice a bag with a ribbon tying it closed, a rainbow ribbon of course. I pull the note out from under it and begin to read.
Had you fooled didn't I? Haha. Don't eat them all in one class period.
I tuck the note in my bag and grab my english book, and head to class, with a cookie in my mouth of course.
~~ ~~ ~~ ~~
I somehow manage to save some cookies until lunch, which is good since I scheduled a practice session for lunch. “Drummers, you're behind a beat, only one week left we can't be making rookie mistakes.” I say, holding the sheet music in front of them. The trumpets laugh and I glare at them. “There's no need to laugh at them, especially since only one of your guy's timing is right.” They bow their heads at that and I make us start over.
“Wow you're pretty strict with them.” Rainbow says, knocking on the wall as she enters. I continue the routine, but it's no use, the rest of the band's already distracted.
“Fine, break!” I yell, but they were already putting their instruments down and talking amongst themselves. I walk over to Rainbow. “You could've waited to comment until the routine was over.” I chide, frowning at her. She laughs.
“Why, so you could yell at them again. Your over-practicing, that's why they're messing up.” She says, pointing at them for added effect. “You're too worried about this contest Harmony.”
“Oh please Rainbow, they get less practice than ever now that I have to lead the orchestra for my other composition, not to mention the practice for my solo piece.” I say crossing my arms.
“That doesn't change that you're too worried. You need to relax some that's why I gave you the already completely gone cookies. There were like 20 cookies in there how did you already eat them all!?!” Rainbow gapes in amazement at the completely empty cookie bag.
“Rainbow I think you should probably close your mouth now. Thank you for those by the way, I really should get back to practicing though, lunch is only so long.” I say, walking back to the marching band. “Breaks over!” I yell, effectively quieting them. We run through the routine three more times before having to put everything away to get to our next classes, and well, the other members have to eat too. Rainbow stayed for most the practice, but left at some point when Pinkie came and got her. By the end of lunch the routine was better, not perfect though. A lot can be done in a week but it would be nice to be able to focus less on this one.
I attempt to focus on my classes, but by the end of school my notes turned into music notes and I had a whole other composition in my notebook. I let excitement take over as I think about what it would sound like in my head. It's too close to the competition to submit a new piece or change what I'm doing but that doesn't stop me from writing more.
I cut practice short with the orchestra, since there were few mistakes and they were on an individual basis. I tell them to practice their part at home and head to the individual room that holds the piano I've been practicing on. I set everything up slowly, and tune the piano, like I do whenever I get in front of the piano. Most people didn't know I could play piano, with my most recognized activity being the marching band. The piano, however, was my favorite instrument to play, and compose for.
I close my eyes and run my hands over the cool keys, letting them find their proper positions on their own. I decided to submit a song I wrote when I was young, since it's been my favorite to play for a long time. I take a deep breath and let my hands fly across the keys, playing the song by heart. Over the years I had embellished it, and now the song is complicated with fast and slow parts, where my hands have to be places that within milliseconds of their last position. Even with a hand on either side of the piano some of the transitions can be easy to mess up timing wise. I didn't.
As I hit the last note I sit there, eyes closed, completely still as the last of the song rings through the room. I open my eyes and realize that I'm crying. Drat, this happens every time. I wipe my eyes quickly and play through a few other songs.
I hear a knock on the door and tell them to come in. To my surprise Sunset walks in. “Hey Sunset, what brings you around?” I ask, closing up my sheet music. She smiles at me and sits down next to me.
“That song is beautiful, you're really good.” She says, humming a few notes from it. “Have you shown anyone else yet?” I stop moving and look at her.
“I'm going to, at the contest.” She doesn't seem too happy with my answer. “You were listening in.”
“Rainbows worried about you, we all are. Even Trixie said you're overworking yourself. I came to see if they are right.” She says, running her hand along the piano. “Are you sure you can reveal this song to others? Its clearly a very big part of you,” she stands up and looks at me. “That song can win but you have to decide if you want to put yourself out there like that.” With that last comment she exits, leaving me to muse over her words. Of course I know that. I place my head in my hands and think for a while.