"Miss Abrams, you're up" the door keeper said.
Josephine sighed as she removed her violin from the case. She gave Isaac a glance and noticed he was shaking "What's wrong?" She asked.
He didn't put his head up. She became angry once again. She raised her violin up and it came crashing down on his head. It made such a noise that some people were sure that someone had just committed murder "What was that for?" He asked.
Sh
happily as she had gained his attention "Don't be scared, we've practiced for nearly a week now and you know the score by heart. Just take a deep breath" she said.
"You do know I haven't played in six months" he complained.
She laughed. If only he knew she hadn't played in four years. He would have had more confidence in himself. "Stay by the monitor and watch me play" was all she said and she walked to the stage.
Flora and Georg both sat among the audience. So did her parents. She sighed and muttered in a low voice "Dios solo". She placed the violin in between her shoulder and her chin and slowly played the opening to Vivaldi's "Four Seasons' Winter". She played it so beautifully that the female judge couldn't help but smile.
Isaac watched from the monitor and was amazed. How did she play so confidently? She definitely had her audience enthralled by the melody she made. By the time she was done, she flashed a smile and gave a quick courtesy.
"Such a lively soul" A judge commented.
She got a lively applause as she left the stage.
She went back to the backstage and put her violin in the case. Isaac walked to her "You're definitely a motivator" he said.
As usual, she smiled "Go up there and do me proud"
Just then someone walked past them with a proudly air.
Beth Waltz.
"Do you know who that is?" Isaac asked as soon as the girl was out of earshot.
Josephine nodded "That's Beth Waltz. Nile West's masterpiece and your greatest rival" she said.
Isaac gulped hard "Let's go to the monitor and hear her play" he said.
"You must have a tough heart to do such but ok" she said and followed him.
On the screen, Beth was marvelous. She played with both skill and expertise. All Isaac could do was gulp hard. "She's amazing" he said.
Josephine didn't say anything.
"Mr. Smith, you're up"
Isaac felt uneasy. He felt like giving up. Josephine noticed it and laughed "Are you feeling scared" she asked.
He nodded. "I feel like giving..." Before he completed his statement she gave him a loud slap on his face.
"Don't you dare tell me I've been doing rehearsals with a dummy" she yelled.
He held his chin "Do you think I can play better than her" he asked
Josephine gave him a hard kick on his leg "I know you will do better than her so go there and stop behaving like a dummy" she screamed.
He walked up to the stage and stared at the audience. He looked at the piano and walked to her "It's up to us Becca" he said and sat on the piano bench.
It was way too low for him. He adjusted it and loosened up the last button of his jacket.
Josephine had already changed to her normal clothes and sat among the audience. She painstakingly searched for where Flora and Georg sat and luckily there was a vacant seat "Can I sit here?" She asked.
Flora nodded.
Isaac stared at the piano. He placed his fingers on it and began to play the opening bars of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy". He played it as it was exactly in the score till his fingers became numb. Although he didn't stop playing his chords became weaker. He wasn't following the score anymore. The sounds he was making was screeching to the ears. He couldn't even believe he was the one playing those notes. He decided to stop the torture and began playing the end notes.
Josephine couldn't believe it. He couldn't stop playing halfway through the preliminaries. He would get disqualified.
"Is he going to stop"
"He'll get disqualified"
"What an idiot"
Were all the comments Josephine heard from the audience. She couldn't take it anymore. She got up and screamed in her highest pitch "Don't you dare try to stop playing you idiot"
Isaac heard it and tightened his bars.
"She can't be the only one putting him back on track" Flora thought and stood up too "You can do it too" she screamed too.
Georg just turned away and pretended he didn't know them. What they were doing was completely embarrassing. If he joined them, all the girls would lose their respect for him and he didn't want that.
No way.
Isaac played wonderfully, he let his emotions guide him through.
The head judge was ready to disqualify him but since he didn't break his play, he was safe.
When he was done, he received a loud round of applause. Flora and Josephine cheered the loudest.