New/returning readers:
Start here: Let it Rock Chapters 1 & 2
Click here to read the previous chapter or click here instead, to see the full Table of contents
Listen along: Spotify Playlist
OCTOBER 8th
ANGIE'S JOURNAL
Today Lynn called. She asked to meet me at the Peace Quad. I was surprised that she didn't want to talk about the missing music, but she had something else on her mind. She said she'd tell me when I saw her, so I'm very curious.
I still can't believe I snooped the other day! There I was, face to face with danger. I bravely stared danger in the eye and said, "Not today" . Maybe it wasn't as dangerous as all of that - but I was definitely scared. And I did it anyway. Go - ME!
I was a little early getting there, so I killed some time by mindlessly flipping stations on my walkman. This one song came on, "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx, I remember it was all over the place last year. It has this one lyric that goes,
"Oceans apart, day after day.
And I slowly go insane.
I hear your voice, on the line,
but it doesn't stop the pain."
That song really resonated with me. Being by myself, just waiting for Lynn made me miss my family, my dogs, my home. I was touching the lonely part inside, wiggling it, like a loose tooth. I miss my brothers the most. Actually, the pair of kittens that girl in my dorm is keeping illegally in her room kind-of of remind me of them; they are always wrestling, too.
So anyway now I'm sitting on the grass waiting for Lynn, and I started flipping stations again. I wanted something a little different, something like the interesting things Mr. Lee has been showing us. Mr. Lee's class has already showed me that there was a mountain of amazing music that I had only just started to climb.
I finally did find something different on the radio. Jazz. This band was playing a light, fast guitar and soft drums. Nobody was singing, but there was also a piano.
I'll stop writing now, and just listen.
ANGIE
I felt a tap on my shoulder, and turned the radio off.
"Hi," said Lynn.
"Hi there, lady," I said. Apparently, I'd been lost in the music for a bit, because she was also sitting down.
"I guess you've been here awhile?" I asked.
"Yeah, I didn't want to disturb you. You seemed to be getting into something really heavy, " Lynn replied, grinning.
I thought about the ebb and flow of the jazz and nodded. "Definitely."
"Cool, " Lynn said. "Can I hear?"
I nodded again and handed over the headphones, then turned the music back on.
Lynn listened for a few seconds, then her head began to sway from side to side. "Oh, yeah, that's alright. Very smooth," she said, as she took the tiny speakers off her head. "Thanks."
"Sure, no problem. So, you have a class? Today?"
"Not a class since it's a holiday. I just want to pick up a book at the library. You?"
"I'm meeting up to do some lab work with my partner, in 15 minutes in the Kramer center." I stood up and picked up my school bag, checking my watch. "Let's walk and talk. I shouldn't be late."
"Sounds good, " Lynn replied, leveraging herself up. "First, I've got something to show you."
"You said on the phone, it wasn't about the music mystery. So what's up?" I asked.
"Something else. Let me just grab it." I watched Lynn as she deftly maneuvered her bag off of her shoulder as she trotted down the path next to me, pulled out her music notebook, handed it over, and closed her bag all without dropping pencils and books everywhere.
"Here, look at this," she said. "There's a picture in the inside pocket."
I opened the book and took out the picture. "Hey, what's this?" I asked. "Why do you have a picture of Kanu?"
"This isn't a canoe, it's a person. Oh, you were saying her name? Who is Kanu?" she asked. She had stopped in her tracks and put her hand on my arm to stop me, too. "You are telling me that you know this person? What did you say her name was?"
"Yes, of course I know her. C'mon, we're going to be late." I started walking again, and she followed. "She lives in my dorm, her name is Kanu, Kanu Acharya, she's got cats but isn't allowed to have them. She is in my study group for Biology. I don't know her *that* well, but this is definitely her." I held up the photo and waved it in the air. "But, why do you have this photo? I mean, you clearly don't know her, since you didn't know her name. What's going on, Lynn?"
We had just rounded the corner by the lecture halls, and were now only a few steps away from the science building, where my class was. Lynn reached out to try to take the picture back, but I held it away from her.
"No, you have to tell me first, " I said. She really didn't want to tell me, but then, why was she showing me this picture?
Lynn's hands went to her chin, and she rubbed it unconsciously. "Okay, yeah. It's complicated but I'll try to make it all make some sense. First, you know I have an older brother I live with, right?"
"Yes, but what's that got to do with..."
"Right, well, he's missing. Disappeared. I haven't seen him in a few days, and then today, well he didn't come home last night. Or the night before. This picture is the one clue I have to go on. I found it in his room. I think he might be dating her, this Kanu, and maybe she would know where he is." She dragged her hands through her hair, pulling on it. "I thought maybe you would know her, since she's in our music class."
"She is?" asked Angela.
"Yeah, she was there the first day, so I brought you the picture. I had the idea that maybe you would know her, since you are so smart." Lynn gently bumped her shoulder into mine as she said this.
Angie said, "Thanks. Flattery will get you nowhere, or you win more flies with honey, or something like that." I waved my hand to dismiss the compliment.
"Yes, so how do you know her? Did you say that she's in your dorm?"
"That's right. She lives next door to me, and last week she joined our study group. I didn't know she was in our music class, too." I had a thought. "Wait, your brother is a TA, and my dorm is just for undergrads."
"So? What about it?"
"Well, if they are dating, are they allowed to? Is that something that they can do? I know there are rules about teachers and students dating, but I don't know the rules for TAs." I stopped walking. "This is me, I've got to get going, I'm supposed to be there early to help set-up."
Lynn looked disappointed. "Okay, well I don't know about that dating thing, but they definitely have been spending some time together. So maybe she can tell me something, or help me. Look, can I just come by your dorm room later? And we'll look for Kanu? I really need to find him." Lynn looked uncomfortable, and she pulled her jacket close. Maybe she was cold.
"Sure, absolutely. Just come to Kimball House at 6:30, I should be back by then. I'll let you inside. We'll find him, Lynn." I reached out and impulsively gave Lynn a hug. "This is important to you, I can tell." Then I ran off to class.
New chapters every week.