Faded Music and Strange Girls
I close my eyes, and dove into my personal ocean. The wash of the tides clearing my mind, bringing back memories, when the world made a little more sense.
I was five, visiting my grandparents at their beach house. While walking on the shore I had found a small purple shell and placed it to my ear.
"Can you hear that Stally? The ocean is in their!" Nana said with a chuckle at my expression of wonder. Even then I found it hard to believe that the ocean would make its imprint on the shell like that, but looking out into the endless blue that stretched before me, I could almost believed it. I brought the shell home and still I could hear the rush of the ocean and crashing of the tides, even as we pulled back to the city. I swore I even heard a few gulls, but then again I did always have an active imagination.
It was a little bit of a year after that trip when I got sick. I remember waking up in the middle of the night, feeling so hot, like I was facing the summer sun in the middle of my dark room. Then my head started to hurt. What happened after was a bit confusing; Dad carrying me out of my room, Mom trying to keep me awake, bright flashing lights, the white ceiling of a seemingly endless hallway, people in masks sticking me with needles that made me feel cold inside.
After each flash I noticed that everyone sounded more and more far away, their voices becoming hollow, being replaced by the hush of the ocean and waves. The next thing I remember, I was awake, and that's all I could hear.
It didn't take long before I realized that I was the only one hearing "the ocean" and that their was nothing anyone could do. I remember how Mom held me and cried, I could actually hear that.
I later learned that the sound that was now my world was in actuality the blood pumping in and out of my head and that the viral fever I had all but destroyed my ability to hear unaided.
It took time, and a lot of frustrating classes, but after ten years I feel like I am able to get by, like any normal teenager can anyway.
Suddenly, an unmistakeable vibration hums through the air catches my attention, but not enough to pull me out of my ocean.
"Bass check." I mutter to myself, feeling only the vibrations of my voice joining the chime of the dying note. Show must be getting ready to start soon.
I breathe deep in the air, a bouquet of smells greet me. An outside spring breeze with just a hint of summer on it, the freshly cut grass around the pavilion, plastic heating up, from the miles of wires for speakers preparing up for their abuse of the back to back performances. Ozone and copper, from the heavy duty lights above as they lay in wait to dazzle the stage. Mixed in are heavy amounts of perfume and cologne and large amounts of perspiration. 'Hormones' from those in the audience trying to get 'noticed'.
At last, a tug on my arm is enough to make me open my eyes. I peer down and the first thing I see is a mess of carrot orange hair. Looking just beneath it I see a pair round rimmed glasses hiding a set of pretty green eyes.
"Hey, Carrot Top." I feel myself say.
She affords me a brief smile, then begins to speak. Reading her lips I can tell she is saying my name, and tugs on my arm to punctuate her words. The sound is sorta their but it's comes out as a mashed up mumble. Casually, flick my hearing aid back on.
"....Stalwart,-turn your -ear-ing -id b-ck o-n!" She says animatedly, pointing to her own ears. I take my hand back from her, and point to the device in question. To which she affirms seeing the green light on the device, indicating its indeed on.
"Oh! Ok." She says, righting herself, a little embarrassed at her previous volume. I give her a shrug which lets her know it was fine. She nods and starts talking again "Script found -s a good sp-t for the sh-w." She says to me. Taking the few words (or fragments), the aide gives me, plus reading her lips, allows me the gist of what she is saying. I nod and follow her as she turns to sift through the crowd.
Tonight is the Canterlot High, Battle of the Bands, the finals to be exact. To be honest, I hadn't really put much interest in this event for... obvious reasons. Still my friends had offered me a spot in their band, cause they're my friends. Still it just felt awkward for everyone when they asked. That is till Written Script suggested that he always could need a body guard from all his adoring fan girls. This playful comment earned him a punch in the shoulder from me and smack on the chest from his girlfriend, who was currently leading me to where he was saving us spots for the show.
Following the poofy mass of orange hair proved a bit more challenging as the crowd seemed to be quite rigid and unwilling to move as I squeezed through. On more than one occasion I brushed past someone to earn quite an unfriendly glare from faces who were far more kind before this competition started. I just chalked it up to nerves and hurt pride as many of those now in the crowd were the ones that had been 'eliminated'.
Making my way I saw Script come into view, he had indeed found a primo spot a little to the left of the stage. Picking up the pace, I apparently stepped into the path of another guy, who failed to slow down when I stepped up. The resulting collision forced both me and him to take a few steps back. I turned to face him. Despite the fact that I had the clear 'right of way' in the unwritten code of walking, I had been raised to be polite.
"Excuse me." I casually chuckled to play it off as the no big deal it was.
"-o what? Y-u blind too, Stal?" Said the guy anger evident in his voice.
I was a little taken a back by what he said. Complete strangers? I knew how to blow off what they said, but I had recognized him immediately after I had apologized. His name was
'Thunderlane', and while we weren't really friends, we had been in school together since the fifth grade. We went to same parties, attending many of the same classes, his little brother and my sister went to the same middle school. We gave each other the manly chin jut of recognition in the hallways, for crying out loud! I knew him, he wasn't a bad guy. But the angry look on his face and what he said, threw all that casual history out the window.
For the longest time I just stared at him, incredulously. He didn't seem to notice or care that others were watching us and he just continued to stare me down, a look of shear contempt etched on his usual carefree features.
"Hey!" A familiar voice broke the standoff. I turned to see the familiar frumpy face of Mr. Waddle the History teacher.
"Bre-k it -p, boys." He said coming in between us both. His feeble arms pushing us further back.
Thunderlane merely snorted and continued on his way, leaving me wondering just what that was all about.
"Stalwart." A hand on my shoulder redirects my attention. I turned to see Written Script staring off to where Thunderlane had stomped off to. "F-rget tha- guy, he's -ust a jerk."
'No, no he's not.' I thought to myself following his gaze, still reeling from what I now realized had nearly been a fight. I was starting to doubt that everyone's change in attitude lately was just sore losing and competition jitters. Script turned on his heel and tugged my shoulder in the direction of where he had our seats saved. I joined him, and Carrot Top at our spots. Just in time apparently as the lights on the stage began to move and change color.
I pushed the strange tension in the air out of my mind as the show started up. Already the noise from the speakers was giving me a lot of feed back in my aide, so I was forced to turn it down a bit. Not long after the introductions the show began. A singing trio of girls who called themselves the "Dazzlings" were on stage performing their song. I could feel the reverberations of the music through my feet, the dulcet tones almost came in a hypnotic rhythm. But the music was not really on my mind, when I saw her.
She was standing to the left of the lead singer of the group, furthest away from me. But eventually as the song picks up she came into view. Her very long hair was tied up in its usual ponytail, falling down her back, swaying with her body as she sang and moved to the music I could feel from the stage. It was hard to pick out her voice from the the other two, but seeing her up their, I couldn't help but smile at how focused she was, how natural she looked on stage. Quite the difference from the spunky and...strange, girl I met only a few days ago. My mind began to wander back to that first encounter.
Her name was "Sonata Dusk".
---------------------------------
"I -ave a st-dent that -eeds s-me -xtra help." I followed Ms.Matilda. As we made our way to the library. It was final period, and I had freed up that time tutoring other students in math for almost the entire semester. Not to brag, but I had been single handedly responsible for keeping almost half of the football team eligible to play. So it was rather business as usual when I had been asked to help another struggling student with their Algebra assignments. Admittedly, I was expecting just that; another 'meat head' jock. Already I was preparing my spiel on how "I'm not doing it for you," and "No, I don't really care when the big game is." That is until I turned the corner only to find a blue haired girl, about my age. She wore a short pink mini skirt, and a maroon jacket, with spiked bracelets. Around her neck, she wore a brilliant ruby neckless that was borderline gaudy, but I tried not to stare. Currently, she was meticulously adding push pins to a large pink eraser. When she finally noticed us standing their, she excitedly showed us her project.
"L-okit!!" She says gleefully "-ts a -ush pin pig!" She then starts to giggle uncontrollably only to be shushed by the passing librarian.
"M-ss Dusk." Ms. Matilda said addressing the girl, who was walking "the pig" on the table top. Only for it to be briskly snatched away as Ms Matilda continued. "Thi- -s Stalwart Gray, he -s goin- to be y--r tutor."
"Oh." She said nodding very slowly. She stood up from her chair and approached me, almost cautiously, making a clear effort not to turn her body from me.
"I AM SONATA!" She's says very loudly and very slowly, even going so far as using hand gestures. "MS MATILDA," she continues motioning to the now cringing teacher, "TELLS ME THAT YOU DON'T HEAR SO GOOD." She said tugging at her ears.
I was actually quite used to people doing stuff like this, but no where near so dramatically, 'was she for real?' I smirked at her performance. I probably should have been embarrassed, even outraged, but it really just came off as funny, especially watching how embarrassed this scene was making Ms.Matilda.
"ARE YOU GOOD ALGERBRA? CUZ I'M NOT." She continued her pantomime, complete with props of an Algebra book which she demonstrated her in aptitude by lightly hitting herself on the head with it.
Before Ms. Matilda could scold the girl for being insensitive, I interrupted, albeit much more restrained.
"It's nice to meet you Sonata,". I said calmly, which she seemed a little taken a back by. "As Ms. Matilda said, my name is Stalwart, and I will be helping you get caught up on your work."
She still looked shocked for a moment, then turned to Ms Matilda and said something more quietly than before, which resulted in Matilda face palming and going a deep shade of red.
I merely chuckled. "Yes, I can talk, and I can also read people's lips to know what they are saying." In response she grabs her mouth and looks a little scared, like when I use to 'steal' my sister's nose.
"Stalwart, -m so s-rry, -f you do-'t want t- d- thi-...." Ms Matilda says apologetically, before I smiled and waved her off.
"It's fine. Really." I said, taking the push pin pig from her and having a seat at the table. "Let's get started, shall we?" motioning to the chair across of me placing the pig, in the middle of the table as a center piece.
Sonata, slowly removing her hands from her mouth looked from Ms.Matilda then to me and sat down at the table.
"I'l- -eave -ou -oo, it -hen, m-ster Gray." The teacher said, looking at Sonata, then sighing, with either exasperation or relief. Probably both.
I opened the book and a pad of paper. "Let's start with a few easy problems, to see where you are."
Sonata looked at the book, then her face contorted into a pout.
----------
At first I had serious doubts I would be able to help her. Her limited math skills not withstanding; her inability to stay on task proved to make things almost impossible. At times it seemed that she had to express every thought that crossed her mind. Her mouth constantly moving to the point where I was having a very hard time following. The subjects, had nothing to do with math, instead ranged from her love of Mexican food, her dislike of her sisters, to what to name the Pig (it was deadlocked between Winston, and Rubarb.). Finally I told her that, for 'my sake', instead of speaking we would have a special note pad for talking, because 'my batteries were low'; that was a lie, but seriously, good grief!
This proved to help keep her more focused, as her writing skills were just as remedial as her math.
At the hour mark, a pencil shot past where I was sitting.
"I c-n't, do -t." She said as I looked up, her face was different now, no longer was she bouncy and bubbly. Instead she was more sullen, sad, 'ready to give up' kind of face.
"Jus- giv- me the answ-rs!" She said looking up at me, sadness now giving way to anger.
I simply shook my head and pointed to the book, and the notes for the algorithms we had gone over. Imagine my shock, when she threw it off the table.
I looked to the book, then back to her with a start as she was now standing over me.
"You s-id yo- can he-r a lit-le bit, ri-ht?" She said coming closer.
I placed my hands on the tabletop and backed up from the table, but before I could stand she was right in my face, with a what could have passed for a snarl.
'Was she seriously gonna hit me?' I wondered. I was used to dealing with guys getting frustrated, even aggressive. I guess I shouldn't say 'guys', Rainbow Dash once imbedded a ruler clean through a full notebook when her geometry angle measurements weren't coming out. 'But what was this girl doing?'
She leaned in closer, 'wait, is she?' I blushed. Instead her head turned and went for the side of my head, right up to my ear.
For a while we just stayed like that. If I'm being honest, I was scared to move, not knowing what this 'crazy girl' was doing. Images of her peeling off my face with her teeth, froze me in place. Just as I was about to risk pulling away, I started to hear some thing over the usual hush. It started out low, but eventually it became more apparent as I began to focus on it. 'Is she...singing...at me?'
It was rather hypnotic, her voice dipping and rising, in a way that made the hairs on the back of my head stand up and my blush deepen a little. Still their were points where my own limited 'ability', made it choppy and incomplete.
She slowly pulled away, and gazed at me, a lustful look in her half lidded eyes, her hand massaging the back of my head, sending further chills down my spine.
"So," she said mere inches from my face, "h-w 'bo-t thos- answers?" She said leaning into me.
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "Sonata...", I felt myself whisper, my face was probably as red as that necklace of hers, which looked like it was glowing from this angle,....weird. "...you won't...pass by cheating." I breathed out.
For a moment her pupils shrank, and she inched back, her expression changed to that of confusion. Her gaze flickered from one of my eyes to the other, searching for something.
"Gi-e -e th- ans-ers." She said looking more forcefully into my eyes again, holding her necklace up to my face.
"No. You need to study." I said leaning back a little, feeling a bit creeped out now.
"GIMMIE!" She shouted, actually pressing the glowing jewel to my face.
"No! Stop that!" I demanded, quickly moving out of the chair and side stepping away from her. This was something thing she evidently didn't expect as she proceeded to fall forward into the space I was previously occupying. With a 'thwump' she landed, rather ungracefully, on the library floor. I took that, literal downtime to move to the other side of the table, lest she chose to become more...whatever that was she was doing. After a few moments when she didn't come back up, I took a chance, and glanced over the table. I could see the top of her pony tail, and I could tell she had her back against the table leg. She appeared to be...shuddering.
I slowly walked around the table and found Sonata sitting on the ground, knees to her chest, her head buried into her arms. I knelt down by her and I could just make out the fact that she was lightly sobbing.
"...Sonata." I said as tenderly as I figured I could "Are you ok?"
She muffled something that I couldn't discern into her arms.
"I'm sorry, but I can't understand you." I sat down in front of her. "Could you please, look at me?"
She slowly raised her head, and I saw the tears streaming down her face. She rubbed her eyes, but wouldn't look at me.
"This can't be just about math homework, what's really bothering you." I asked sympathetically.
Well, that opened the flood gates and I found myself desperately trying to keep up again with her venting. Between tears, and a few hiccups I was able to discern the following:
"She needed to finish this homework so that her sisters could get the answers, and get Mr.Doodle off their back until the time was right, they could get whatever they wanted (thats ominous). But I wouldn't simply give her the answers and when she tried to (something?) me, it didn't work and that only proves that Aria (her sister?) is right about her being the weakest and stupid one of the group. She doesn't want to be stuck with her sisters, but she doesn't want to be alone either and she wishes she wasn't stuck in this world (high school?). But she was banished (expelled?) from her old home and she hates it here."
After that, and more, she put her head back on her legs and continued to cry. After of moment of trying to make sense of all that information, which I was convinced I hadn't understood right, I regained my composure.
"I'm sorry," I said softly, " I know dealing with things out of your control can be tough. Believe me. I know." She peeked up from her arms and looked at me.
"When I first became handicapped, I thought it was absolutely hopeless." I leaned on the floor and rested my back on the book shelf behind me. "I thought I would never be 'normal' again and that I would never fit in."
She sat up more and wiped a tear away, as I continued.
"It wasn't easy, and sometimes it still isn't. But, I've learned ways to make my life better, in spite of the changes that were put on me." I said, leaning closer. "In my case, I had to learn a whole new way to express myself and 'listen' to the world around me, so that I could be part of it, and not caught up in it."
She looked at me and I took the opportunity to talk to her in the way I had been taught after I got sick. I held my hands up and signed as I spoke.
"I don't think your stupid, or weak. I think you are pretty, and funny, and creative. I think 'Rubarb' would agree." That got a smile, so I continued, my hands speaking with me.
"I know changes can be hard, but if you find people who care about you, and you work at it, you really can rise above it, and be happy, no matter what may come your way."
We sat their a moment. She had stopped crying by now and was looking thoughtfully at me.
"So." She said breaking the silence. "Do-s th-t mean y-ur -till not -onna -ive me t-e answ-rs?"
I laughed a little, "Yeah, I'm not gonna give you the answers." She sighed a bit at that."But, I will stay and help you learn how to do this stuff," I picked up the previously thrown book off the ground and gently gave it to her, "even if it takes all night."
She perked up a bit at that, "Really?"
"For realzies!" I said with a goofy smile, quoting my kid sister. This sent her off into a giggle fit that I couldn't help but join into.
-------
It didn't take all night like I promised, but it was definitely dark when we came out of the library. Sonata had put on a hoodie for the chill in the air. We walked out passed the statue in the main entrance of Canterlot High, the one that was rumored to have 'mystical' properties. I briefly shudder at a particular memory. To this day, I'm still not sure what went on at that dance.
I turned to my 'study buddy', who was still bouncing with every step, Rubarb the pig dancing along in one hand. She was still very proud of her achievement in finishing the assignment herself. I have to admit, she earned it. She really did buckle down and focus and went full tilt on those problems. I can still hear the squeal of delight when it really started to click for her and she wanted me to make up more problems for her to 'Algerbrate'.
"Are you sure I can't drive you home?" I asked her, as she hopped up on a concrete embankment and used it as a balance beam.
"Na- th-ts ok, m- s-sters -re -onna m-et me -oon." She said her mood visibly drooping a little at their mere mention.
Frowning at that, I couldn't help but feel I should say something. It really wasn't my place, I had just met the girl, and in a strictly a professional sense, but something about her just...
"Sonata," I finally piped up, "about your family..."
"Can -ou teach me -ne mor- thing?" She said, rocking on her heels, not looking at me. It was rather obvious she was trying to change the subject. I decided it would be best if I just dropped it.
"....sure. What is it?" I said pulling out a pen and pad, preparing to write down notes for her to keep.
"C-n you, show me -ow to talk wit- my hands?" She said wiggling her fingers as she said it, a bright grin on her features.
That innocent and honest little request brought a smile to my face. I put away the pad and pencil and moved over to the far end of a nearby stone bench and invited her to sit on the other end. "I obviously can't teach you everything within the next few minutes," I paused, "but I can teach you the first thing I learned how to do."
She bounced a little, excited to learn something new, 'I've created a monster,' I thought, chuckling at the sight of it. It was adorable, she was adorable and I couldn't deny it.
"Ok," I raised my hand, "ready?"
She nodded eagerly, her own hand raised.
First I made a fist, my thumb resting on top of my ring finger.
Sonata, mimed it perfectly, her eyes following every movement.
Next, I pressed fingertips to my thumb, making a hole shape.
True to form, she followed right along.
Then, a palm down fist, my thumb placed in between my middle and ring finger.
Followed by a palm forward relaxed fist with my thumb pointing to the sky.
Then I move my thumb in between my index and middle finger.
Lastly, repeated same action before, with my palm out in a loose fist, thumb vertically.
She was watching thoughtfully, moving her fingers to follow mine. I repeated it a few more times till she was able to do it in the correct order.
"That's -arder, then -ooks!" She says with a giggle and a shake of her hand, only to continue signing. "Wha- -m I -aying?" Seeming intrigued by her fingers.
"The first thing I had to learn was how to sign my own name." I raised my hand and repeated the signs.
"In your case;
....S
...O
..N
.....A
...T
...A".
----------------------
I reluctantly left not long after that. I would of felt better having made sure she was alright, but the next day I saw her at school. It was then that I also saw her friends; Adagio and Aria. I tried to casually approach her, see how class was going, if she needed more help. But the hostility they were now giving off made it hard to accomplish.
Snapping back to the present, I watched Sonata and her fellow Dazzlings perform on stage. Their hypnotic beats and undeniably sultry swaying was akin to a snake charmer and the crowd was clearly picking up on it, if the fact that all eyes seemed to be glued to them.
The performance continued, the song, of what I could understand, was rather shamelessly ostentatious, and rather...domineering? They essentially wanted the crowd to do whatever they said,"clapping and jumping on command". On a whim, I turn and scan the crowd. Everyone seems to have a relaxed yet fixed look about them, their eyes however seemed to be glazed over. "'Under a spell, indeed." I mutter to Written Script, giving him a nudge. Which goes unnoticed, as his eyes remain locked forward. It was eerie but I decide not to dwell on it.
The special effects they were using were particularly strange as a red mist seems to be coming from them and seeping into the crowd, theatrical I suppose, but a little down beat for my taste.
My own attention returns to back to the stage where my eyes happened to meet with Sonata's. She seemed to flinch a little when she recognized me, and stopped singing. Instantly their seemed to be lifting of a weight I hadn't noticed before, I didn't really know what to make of it.
She looks a me blinking a bit. I manage a shy wave as I feel others around me stir a bit. Script grabs his side where I poked him, apparently just noticing. "Delayed reaction, much dude?" I say to him, which is met by a confused look. The music grows louder and Script's eyes go back to the front, the haze returning. I look back up to see Sonata is singing again. She looks at me and I detect a hint of....regret? It's on her face for a moment before her pig tailed bandmate gives her a sharp jab in the shoulder. Sonata turns away from me, and continues the song.
Suddenly, things started to feel wrong, like really wrong. Like we were all 'chickens leaving the farm and going for a ride' kinda wrong. I frantically looked around, the mist was getting thicker, and nobody seemed to notice or care, I attempted to shake Script and Carrot Top awake, but nothing happens. Just that enraptured stare, glued to their faces.
Looking back on the stage gives me a greater fright as the musical trio begin to transform before my eyes. Wings, and horns? Or are those ears? Either way this can't be part of the show. Memories of that bizarre dance begin creep to the forefront of my mind as the stage and those on it continue to change.
A commotion from behind catches the now demonic looking Dazzling's attention. Subtly, I raise my hand and click my aide off, silencing the music and bringing me the ocean.
Then things got really weird.
---------------------
"Battle of the Bands?" The words seemed so ironic after what I had just seen. Flying girls, monstrous apparitions, rainbow laser lightshow? Also the fact that NO ONE SEEMED TO THINK THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG!!!
When everything was said and done, everyone decided to go hit up the local diner for a late night meal, Thunderlane even said he would treat as a way of apology for how he acted. It was a gesture I thanked him for; reinitiating our 'guy-brink-of-friendship' with a fist bump of acceptance to his apology, but frankly, I decided I had enough excitement for one day.
Bidding a goodnight to all I made my way back to my car. Fumbling with my keys I couldn't help but reflect on the strange happening, scratch that, second strange happening, in my time at Canterlot High. "One more year, just one more year." I chanted to myself as I approached my car door.
Shouts from behind a set of bleachers caught attention as I was about to unlock the doors. 'Just go! Don't worry about it'. My common sense shouted at me. 'After what happened tonight, their is nothing good that can come of being curious.'
Despite my better judgement, I approached the sound of the yelling. Making my way to the edge of the bleachers, I peered around and immediately, my breath caught in my throat.
The Dazzlings, still covered in garbage from their booing off stage, were standing mere feet in front of me. Sonata stood with her back to me, Aria and Adagio however were in the midst of screaming at each other.
"WE -ERE SO CLOS-!!!! Shrieked the puffy haired primadonna! Her voice shrill enough to make me cringe. "THIS -S ALL Y-UR FAULT!" She exclaimed pointing an accusing finger into Aria's face.
The other irate vixen, bit back with more venom, "MY FAULT! AR- YOU -IDDING ME!?"
Every part of me said to get out of their, that even though their "spell" was broken, sticking around could still be fatal. One thing gave me pause. While the screaming match continued, I looked more closely at Sonata, particularly her hand. At first I thought she was just fumbling with a bit of rubbish that had been thrown at her, but glancing closer I was able to make out something else, something familiar.
S.....O......N......A......T.......A......S....O.....N.....A.....T..........A.....
The pattern continued, over and over.
Risking obliteration, I carefully made my way from my hiding spot. The two other Dazzlings were now completely in each other's faces, practically barking at each other now. Still, I walked forward, ready to bolt at moments notice.
I could see now that Sonata was trembling, her hand still signing at a feverish pace as the fight heated up more.
'What are you doing?' My common sense tried to reach me over the caterwauling. 'You saw what...whatever happened up their! Why are you walking into the lion's den?' Still I took another step. 'Well, don't come crying to me when they tear your heart out and eat it!' He huffed as he then jumped ship as I came to a stop directly behind the blue haired Dazzling.
Taking a deep breath I gently tapped her on the shoulder. She sharply turned and saw me, fresh tears in her eyes, bits of thrown fruit hung from her once ornate costume. A pull on my heart told me exactly why I was here.
"Are you okay?" I asked dumbly, not really knowing what else to say. Sonata merely, shrugged. She had stopped signing and I saw that in her other hand was the remnant of her once proud ruby necklace that inexplicably, shattered during the height of the battle.
The other two Dazzling's still hadn't noticed me and were now resorting to hair pulling and headlocks. It was rather pathetic looking at them now. My eyes fell back to Sonata who was wiping her tears away with her free hand.
Recalling the previously declined invite, I spoke up.
"Do...Do you want to get out of here?" I said with some hesitation, still recalling that this girl had sprouted bat wings in front of my very eyes. That was forgotten at the warm smile she gave me. She looked to her friends, who were now rolling about on the pavement, shrieking, what I assume we're obscenities. She then tossed the remains of her necklace and looked at me straight on.
I expected her to say something until she raised her hands and gave me a surprise that nearly floored me. It was choppy, but obviously well practiced:
I'd love to, S-T-A-L-W-A-R-T
She finished signing with the biggest smile I yet to see from her, that was only a little detracted by the banana peel stuck in her hair.
The gentleman I was raised to be, I simply removed it and offered her my arm, to which she grabbed eagerly. Together we walked out to the parking lot. Glancing over my shoulder I saw the other two had ceased their fighting and now watched frozen, Aria in mid bite of Adagio's arm, Adagio mid yank of Aria's hair, both afflicted with a dumbfounded look as we walked off.
Sonata just held my arm a little tighter, both of us remained comfortably silent.
For me, I just enjoyed the quiet as I always learned to, the rushing hush of 'my ocean'. But for moment I thought I heard something else, a sweet hummed song, over the crashing of waves. But then again, I always did have an active imagination.