New readers start here: Let it Rock Chapters 1 & 2 or check out the music here: Spotify Playlist
LYNN
Lynn Omiros
October 1st, 1990
Stonyfield, NY (a.k.a. "the middle of nowhere")
"Dear Zoe,
This first month here has been AMAZING! I miss the city, and you and the girls of course, but out here I'm discovering all these really cool things. Please tell Anchu not to worry about me. I haven't made any friends yet but I definitely will soon.
When you come to visit, you'll see that the biggest difference between here and home is the mountains. They are just totally unbelievable with all of the autumn colors. Reds and yellows and purples...your jaw would drop, seriously! It's like it's Halloween, and a giant hand sprinkled piles of candy all over the hillsides. You remember that one Halloween, maybe three years ago? We had piled them up around us, and buried ourselves underneath like it was sand from the beach at Coney Island. Orange and yellow and purple and red all over the carpet in my living room. Mom was so mad but it was such a blast."
I looked up from my writing, to check to see if class was going to start soon. Nope. I still had a little time. I re-read the first paragraph as I tapped my pencil against the desk.
I definitely should say something about what the kids are like here. This morning's Bio class was a bunch of dweebs, just kids in sweatpants and tee-shirts. I looked around the whole room, leaning back to see the corners. Nope, nobody cool. The beautiful tall black girl who normally sits near me isn't even here yet. Not that we've talked, or anything. I just always see her in this class, usually sitting somewhere nearby. She must like the third row.
There were a few cool-looking kids around campus, including some cute boys I've seen around. Just not in this class, or any of my classes. I picked up my pencil again.
"Another thing about this place that you would love here are the guys...oh boy, there are so many good-looking guys here. This school could be renamed cute-guy-town. I'm serious. I think every hot guy from New York City followed me here. I saw one yesterday that was so gorgeous, completely your type, lady. He looks like he walked out of a music video."
I paused, and reconsidered. Okay, maybe that was too much. But it's written now, I can't take it back.
The girl who wore golf clothes to class on the first day arrived, and turned to take the steps to the balcony. Every class she wore something different, a total fashionista. Today it was Ralph Lauren, head to toe. She must be rich, I think. Why does she go here?
The beauty finally arrived and sat down next to me just as the teacher walked in, so I put the letter away and took out my class notebook.
Mr. Lee looked different today, somehow. Is he scared? Why would he be scared? His eyes were darting this way and that as he gripped the wooden stand with both hands and leaned into the microphone. What's his deal?
"There won't be any c-class today," he stuttered into the microphone.
Wait, what? No class?
The room erupted in moans. Some kids echoed my thoughts with calls of, "Wait" and "Hey" and "What's going on?" One kid in the balcony actually shouted, "You've GOT to be kidding me!"
"Settle down, I have more to say," he mumbled. He waited a beat for quiet to return, then continued. "There was a minor, um, technical incident in the music library yesterday and as a result, I can't play anything for you. Without access to the samples there is no..." He paused and tried to adjust his tie, making it crooked.
"Ahem. Yes, well there is no reason to have class without the samples. I hope to have this issue resolved before next week's lesson. Please check the bulletin board in the Music Department for updates. You are dismissed. Thank you." Then he turned and was gone.
What? What is happening?
I heard my pencil hit the floor and roll, but I didn't feel myself drop it. Where did the class go? Why is it so quiet? There's no class, but why is he scared about it? What's going on? I felt a touch on my shoulder, and a voice that asked me something. It sounded like it was coming from far away, or through a thick fog.
"Huh?" I turned, it was the girl. The brain. The beauty. Whatever. Somehow, she was talking to me, and she said something I didn't understand. Her face was drawn in a frown, like she was worried about something. About me?
"I said, are you okay? You look like you are going to be sick."
I breathed, and tried to remember that I had a heart that was supposed to be beating. The sound in the room came back, like the volume on the stereo was turned back up. I breathed again.
"Oh, yeah. I guess I'm okay. Thanks." I let out a tiny laugh and shook my head, making my hair swing like a skirt. "It's just...I'm shocked, I guess. And maybe," I looked at the now-empty stage and tried to will Mr. Lee to come back, to say it was all a mistake. I checked the doors. He wasn't coming back.
"Maybe?" she asked.
I could see that the lecture hall was rapidly emptying, but a large group was still gathered near the doors. I added, "Maybe I'm a little...hahhh...a little confused, too." Breathe, darn it.
"Um, I get shocked. Sure." The beauty nodded. "You are looking better, now. You actually have some color in your face again."
"Thanks. I feel better, too." I said, and I reached down to pick up my pencil. Why did I drop this? Oh, right. Shocked. I looked over at the group again. The TAs looked angry. Very angry, actually. Why would they be angry?
"But.." she said, interrupting my thought train. Was she still talking to me? The look of concern remained on her features. "What's confusing? Class is over, canceled. It's time to go, like he said." Then she looked around. Was she trying to see what I saw?
I leaned back in my seat. Well, I did have an idea. Or a question really. But was she actually interested? Maybe she is. Maybe she would understand. Yeah, she's pretty, but I know that looks aren't everything. She did ask. Had anyone asked me anything, for weeks?
Her voice sounded nice, too.
"Do you REALLY want to know?" I finished my thought aloud. "I mean, I'll tell you, if you are interested."
"Yes, I'm interested." She faced me again, and put her half-packed bag back on the floor. "I'm not happy about missing a day of class, but tell me. What's in your head?"
"Well. Okay, then." I nodded to myself, decided, and checked the group by the doorway again. They were still there. "Let me say first - that of course, I'm not thrilled that class is over, either. I'm actually the opposite of thrilled, if there is a word for that."
"Depressed? Unhappy? Unsatisfied?" She looked directly into my eyes.
It was distracting, actually, she was so pretty. I tried to look between her eyebrows instead.
"Yeah, okay, like that. But I just don't believe it. I mean, what's REALLY going on here? Do you actually believe that bull that Mr. Lee was saying? What does that even mean, a technical problem with the music library? It's just a bunch of records and cassette tapes, and machines you can borrow to listen to them." I was on a roll now, and kept going.
"Was there a fire? The door broken down? Did they run out of batteries? Plus, he looked scared, really scared. Why would he be afraid? I just don't buy it." I made as small of a gesture as possible at the TAs standing in a group.
"Something is definitely wrong. D'ya see those TAs over there?" She nodded. "Look more closely. What do you see?"
She looked again, taking her time, then turned back to me. "They look dazed. Upset. I would say they look like witnesses to a car accident, although that's pretty gruesome. Some of them are waving their arms, some are slouched and leaning against the wall, in shock. Like you, I suppose. A few seem to be arguing."
I nodded back and continued, "You are right. For sure those guys don't look happy. They look mad. Why would they be mad about a simple technical issue?" I lowered my voice to a whisper, and leaned closer. "I bet they didn't even know that class was going to be canceled, that's what I think. Why would that be? Wouldn't they know about it, if there was a fire or some other," I made air quotes, 'technical issue'? This just smells wrong, y'know? I just don't get it." Then I pushed myself back from the desk with both hands, and waited for her reaction.
She didn't say anything, but I noticed that her mouth was hanging open in an O shape. Well, she asked for it, and she got it. Full on me. I started this, so now I'll finish it. This is where she says, "Uh, okay thanks," and walks off, right? Or not. Either she'll like me or she won't.
She didn't say anything. So I took a deep breath, then said, "It feels so good to talk to someone! But, I'm sorry. I think I'm very rude. My name's Lynn. What's yours?" I stretched out my hand.
Her mouth closed, and then she smiled. "I'm Angie," she said, then shook my hand. Her fingers were cold and soft at the same time. She let me go, then leaned over the chair's armrest, and spoke quickly but softly, her eyes wide.
"I agree, this is a little weird. Why are they so upset and what really happened to the music library? No, you aren't rude. And now I'm totally wondering that too, just look at them going at it!" She spoke quietly, and also started making tiny gestures with her fingers without moving her arms. Then she held out her hand to shake again. "Hi, I'm Angie. Oh, wait, I said that already. You're Lynn. It's nice to meet you."
She was funny. Cute. Surprising. "Wow, that was amazing. You are a super-fast talker! How fast do you do your homework?"
She smiled back at me and said, "Not as fast as I'd like. Hey, I didn't eat before class and I'm hungry and I could eat, can you eat? How about we skip over to the Union before class, grab a bite? Wanna come with? We can continue talking about this. It's so interesting!"
I was relieved. "Sure, just let me just get my things."
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Janet
good job. want to know what comes next