Mum was driving me to the school when we saw that a few men were lurking around the front gate. That's odd.
Just then I caught sight of something black in one of the man's hands and I could hazard a very good guess who they were.
"Mum, reporters are here. Oh yes, I almost forgot. Drive around, the principal gave me permission to use the back entrance." I ducked my head to avoid getting caught by the sight of any of the reporters.
"I know about that. I didn't think they'd be here again, especially when you took a day off yesterday." Mum drove around the school without slowing down at all.
"Is it possible they are here for anyone else?" I asked hopefully.
"Possible? Yes. Likely? No." Mum deadpanned, "When I talked to your Principal last time, she said that a few of their students are popular with the media but they are in the high school mostly, with one in middle school but none in elementary."
And we had just driven past the entrance to the elementary school. Middle and High schools had their own separate entrances.
"That could be a bother," I muttered after getting back up as we were past any suspected media people.
"Should've thought of that before you became an actor," Mum smirked at me.
"Mean adults!" I grouched audibly to which Mum laughed out loud.
She dropped me off at the designated place and I got out of the car and went to my class. On the way to the class, I noticed that the gazes had lessened somewhat but the kids still felt a little skittish around me. When I sat down in my seat, I found another unusual thing. Evan who used to sit behind me was already in his seat and didn't so much as lifted his head to greet me.
"Hey, Evan. 'Sup man?" Being the adult I was supposed to be, I initiated the conversation.
"Hi," He answered in a low voice as if not interested in talking at all.
I sighed in annoyance. The one thing I liked about Evan the most, his ability to not give a fuck about others and be a chill, mature guy was waning.
"Good morning, students."
"Good Morning, Miss Rachel."
Reluctantly I had to get my head back in class. But I am not letting this shit go on much longer.
(Break)
As soon as I heard the bell for recess I quickly stood up and blocked Evan from running away like he had been doing since the day before yesterday. I grabbed his elbow and forcefully dragged him away from the classroom.
"Hey, get off Troy!" He tried to shove me but I didn't budge.
"Not until we have a talk and you tell me what the fuck crawled up your ass and died?" I shouted at him after pulling him to a corner in the hallway. He flinched at my language.
I don't usually swear in front of him because I always felt as if I was corrupting an innocent kid. But when the kid was being as obtuse as he was I couldn't help myself.
"What do you mean by that?" He finally asked after a few moments of uncomfortable silence.
"Don't even try that, I know something happened and now you are avoiding me." I gave him a disappointed stare.
He looked guilty for all of 5 seconds before his face was back to being resolute, "What does it matter to you, huh? With your first role, you have everyone flocking to you. You are giving others advice about becoming an actor and you never once asked me if I wanted to be one, huh?"
"Do you want to be an actor?" I asked.
"That's not the point! The point is you don't care about me and will leave me when you get a better role and everyone wants to talk to you! Yesterday, the teachers told students to treat you normally because even they noticed that! And why are we being warned about not talking to the media?" Evan ranted.
I took a deep breath in. Wow, that was a lot to take in all at once.
"Some reporters are outside the scho… Damn it! It doesn't matter! You are my best mate, and I can never forget you or ignore you. The people who come to the actors after they are popular are all fake. All they want is the chance to say that they know someone popular. And I didn't give out any advice to anyone." I shouted back at him, frustrated at his behavior based on pure speculation.
"Then why was Erica saying so yesterday?" Evan asked dejectedly.
"'Cause she was lying," I answered back smoothly, "That's what I was telling you, people are fake. They make up stories about knowing me personally and all that."
I let it stew for a few moments as he took in everything I said. I gave him time to think before continuing, "But Erica said that yesterday and you were mad at me even before then. What happened?" My voice gave him no space for getting out of that.
"My cousin Jimmy told me you will ignore me when you become popular. His friend did it too. Then you could go away for some film for months or even permanently. I cannot follow you around everywhere like a lost puppy." His voice was cracking up, on the verge of tears.
I sighed out loud. The sentimental moron. He's acting like a lovesick girl. I put a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged it off.
"It's okay, bro." I tried using my words. "Even if I go away, you'll still be my best mate. Y'know we can email each other using a computer. And then we can meet during the summer or winter holidays."
"So you are actually going away?" He asked with a tone of realization.
This was an uncomfortable topic for me. I had a long discussion with Dad about it a few weeks ago but had put it away from my mind and hadn't discussed it with Evan. I knew he would be depressed when I gathered the courage to tell him.
Better to just pull it off like a Band-Aid.
"I went to audition for a big film yesterday, starring Bruce Willis," I began slowly. "The audition was good and there is a high chance that I will get the role. Don't tell anyone about it yet, but if I get it I'll have to go to Philadelphia for two months at least."
He looked at me apprehensively, "Just two months?"
I cringed a little at that, "Dad will have to go back to London for work. So, we will all have to move back during this summer."
"For how long?"
"As long as it takes," I replied honestly. We were moving back to begin the pre-production of the Harry Potter movies if everything went well. Dad had shared the idea with me and asked my opinion about moving back to England after just two years in the States. Evan was probably the only reason I was hesitant to answer him, but I knew that Dad would have to go with or without me, and I love him and our family more than I cared for Evan, so of course I chose the family.
Also, had I chosen to stay, Kathy would have to stay here with me, away from her husband. It's better if all three of us move together. Even if I were to stay back, sooner or later I would have to go to London to shoot the film if I wanted to play Harry Potter.
Evan's face fell even more if that was even possible but he didn't say anything else to me. He just nodded and walked away silently.
I let him. It's better if he thinks this through properly. It broke my heart to see the betrayed expression on his face, it really did. From his perspective, it didn't take him even a minute to decide that he wanted to change schools so he could be in the same class as me, but I abandoned him within a year.
It looks pretty bad when I put it like that.
The thing is, I have entered the active workforce wilfully and I love working on a film set, so I have to set my priorities. Work or friends? It would be so much easier if those two things weren't mutually exclusive as a kid. Especially in the absence of social media.
I just hope Mark Zuckerberg works fast or I'd have to do his job for him.
(Break)
"Let him be
Let him live
If I die
Let me die~"
"Stop!" Mr.Tanner cut in.
I looked up at him dispassionately. Ever since I had explained things to Evan, I have been feeling empty inside. The reason is simple: He is my only true friend in the whole world. I have heard numerous interviews of celebrities where they would say how difficult it is for them to make true friends. You would always second guess if your friend is with you for fame or for real. With Evan things were different. He is my brother in all but blood. So the betrayed expression he showed me was more than a little hurtful for me.
"Pay attention, Troy!" Mr. Tanner chided me harshly. "What has happened to you today? You used to love Les Mis songs."
"I don't feel so good today," I mumbled unenthusiastically. "Can we end the lesson early today?"
"What happened?" Mr. Tanner softened his tone as he took the seat opposite to me. "Everything okay at home?"
"Yeah, it's just... everything else. The media, my classmates, teachers, everyone has changed ever since that film came out. They think I don't notice, but I do."
"What happened with media?" He asked. "Any new articles about you?"
"Nah," I shook my head, "just the paparazzi. I'm not even that famous yet, and they are behaving as if I'm Tom Cruise."
"Believe me, Tom Cruise has it much worse," Mr Tanner joked. "Are you sure you don't wanna continue with our session? Because if I remember correctly, you had asked me to begin your piano lessons today after the vocals."
I had forgotten about that with everything else going on.
"Okay," I relented. "Let's continue the lessons."
"Good, because I was dying to tell you that you were ending the 'die' too fast. Use your epiglottis and stretch the melody like this, 'If I die, Let me die~~~'" He sang the note for a few extra seconds and I could see the difference between the two versions.
I nodded in understanding.
I cleared my throat and sang again, "If I die, Let me die~~~"
"Yes, exactly like that," He exclaimed when I was done with that particular note, "This was the most powerful song that I've heard in the theater. It is so powerful that if done correctly, it can move mountains. This song is incomplete without that emotion. So feel the emotion of the lyrics and the situation. Jean Valjean is trying to save the young man Marius and he is ready to die if it means that the love of her daughter can live on. Bring in that emotion of sacrifice to your voice. You're ready to bet everything, even your life, for another person, feel the emotion!"
Alright, that was too much emotion in one dialogue. Before I started preparing a Les Miserables song, I didn't know he was so passionate about Musical theater in general and Les Mis in particular. Or I'd have chosen something easier.
It's not like I'm unwilling to sing more difficult songs. It's just very difficult to hit all those notes in a demanding song like 'Bring him home' until my voice drops, and that is quite some years away.
Mr. Tanner knew it, but he wanted the best that I could in my current condition so I persevered and we practiced for the rest of the allotted vocal time.
"That was a decent attempt for your first try." Mr. Tanner commented.
I gaped at him. He was never stingy with his praises. He was one of those rare teachers who wore his heart on his sleeve. Before today, he had only criticized me when I practiced 'Empty Chairs' for the first time. Coming from him, a decent attempt was like a slap on the face.
"I'll try to get better."
"Make sure you do." He said while walking towards the instruments section of our practice room, "Shall we begin with your piano lessons then?"
"Yes," I answered resolutely.
"But you haven't mastered the guitar yet." He eyed me as he sat down in front of the piano.
"I am good enough at playing guitar for my requirement. I will continue my practice of course, but I want to diversify into piano as well," I explained. I didn't tell him that I wanted to learn drums, flute, and cello next, in that order.
"I have to agree, your guitar is very good for someone who began only a year ago, but it could be better. But as long as you continue practicing on your own, I don't mind beginning your piano class." When I nodded he pointed to the seat beside him, "Sit, we'll begin with your first chord."
Mr. Tanner may not be the best at talking to his students, but he sure knew how to distract me just enough that I forgot about all my other life tensions. In hindsight, it sounds so ridiculous that a 9-year-old has tension of any sort. I guess it isn't wrong to say that music is medicine in itself in many ways. As my fingers played a beginner's set on the piano, I felt free.
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