# Don't Ask Me Why: Chapter 7



## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Tanya was called to have an appointment with Dr. Johnson after her concert performance.

"In two weeks, you will be asked to participate in a Lab Orchestra session, to learn how to conduct symphony players. It will do you a lot of good. You'll need to learn to use a baton better."

"I see," Tanya her eyes went wide. "What kind of preparation do I need to do?"

"I'm going to give you the score right now. Schubert's 5th symphony, particularly the 1st and 2nd movements, the expositions. Remember to bring your baton!"

"I will, Dr. Johnson," Tanya was about to step out when he stopped her.

"Wait! You will be assigned a graduate conductor to coach you for these two weeks."

"Ernest?" Tanya cried involuntarily.

"Oh, how did you know?"

"What?? Oh... just a guess," Tanya really had to suppress her excitement now.

"Yes, you will get some one-on-one coaching with him, just two sessions before the lab session. He will give a report on you too, mind you. Times and dates are to follow."

"Thank you, sir," Tanya smiled brightly, and finally stepped out. She could barely believe her fortune! It would be the perfect chance to talk to him, to really get to know him.

She was dying to get to know him now.

Almost a paranoia came over her when walking through the halls. Tanya ran into Ernest on a very inconsistent, unpredictable basis, and whenever they met, her heart would leap.

This was all very strange, since she had never been afraid of him before. What was she afraid of now?

Now she was forced to confront him.

The day after the appointment, Tanya was sitting in the courtyard at a table. It was very sunny and the air was crisp, with a cool breeze. She wore a blue blazer and dark jeans. Fall was approaching now, and the trees in the courtyard would soon be turning colors, with bright red and orange maples. The courtyard was enclosed on three sides, with the fourth turning out to a downhill forest. Some people would sled down that hill, but if someone wasn't careful, they would hit the trees, and pretty hard too. The forest was property of the music school for a distance, but only so far, before it turn to wild public property. Few ever went out there.

Tanya was reading a book, but slightly out of focus. She was fingering her engagement ring with her other hand, feeling its shape. It was gold with a three small diamonds across the band, and very nicely cut. It was a beautiful ring, meant to signify how happy she was going to be with Marcus when they finally married, agreed to be sometime the next year when both graduated, but not exactly scheduled.

But Tanya wasn't happy anymore.

Marcus was in the middle of three composition projects now with his Final Project taking up most of his time. Whenever he came home from his academic duties, he would go straight to his office without a word. Tanya waited for him, but they would only say a few words before he would go straight to his study. Strangely enough, he forgot to eat on a few occasions.

Tanya was feeling very confused inside, agitated, anxious.

She continued fidgeting with her ring until Marie came up to her from the inside with her lunch. She wore an orange sweater and brown skirt and shoes.

"You're looking good today, Marie," Tanya smiled lightly, glad to have some distraction from her thoughts.

"Am I? Oh... thanks," Marie took the compliment lightly, but inside was gratified.

It was in these few days that Marie had suddenly become more self-conscious. She normally dressed plain for her work, because she never left the office, giving her some liberty to wear anything she chose. However, subconsciously she moved to having nicer outfits, and arranging her hair more neatly. Although Marie had been not very aware of it, she had always been a beautiful woman with her straight brown hair and dark brown eyes. Her skin was slightly tan from the summer, more than Tanya who was rather pale. It became another "unconscious" habit for Marie to go on the outside of her office and explore the school of music, and although she usually ate her lunch alone in her office, she moved outside today.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" Marie said.

"Yes, I can't believe it's October already! Time flies around here, I'm always hurrying around to various lectures and rehearsals. Soon we'll be talking about mid-terms," Tanya shook her head.

"Yeah, work has picked up for me too. I have six programs to make this week, due the next. Anything exciting you're a part of?"

"Not now, but I think th---" the word was caught in Tanya's mouth as Ernest stepped into the courtyard. He was watching them with a rather unhappy face, and went to sit by himself with a laptop rather than talk to them.

Marie also froze up, but just an instant.

"Yeah, Tanya?"

"Oh..." Tanya went back to her train of thought. "I'm doing more conducting training. I'm probably doing another concert in December, we do all these extraneous things at the end of the year," she said absentmindedly. "Say... you want to go out with me some time? Just us? Dinner maybe?"

"Sure! We ought to take a break once in a while."

"Great," Tanya seemed unusually relieved, and Marie was puzzled but said nothing more.

"I think I ought to go," Marie said quietly, "See you around. Call me."

"Sure thing. Bye!"

Marie went as quickly as possible out of the courtyard, looking neither left or right. Tanya watched her carefully, and then looked over to Ernest, who had darted a glance at Marie.

"Ernest!" Tanya spoke up more directly to him. He looked up.

"How are you?" he asked but turning down to his work on his computer.

"I'm great, I heard you are going to be my coach for conducting for two weeks, right?" she started standing up with her stuff to walk over to him.

"Yes I am," he finally looked up at her, "I asked to get you actually, if you don't mind me doing that."

"You did?" Tanya was surprised. "Why?"

"You have a great deal of potential, I liked the way you conduct. I think I could really help."

"Oh!... thank you," Tanya replied, and looked away.

"Friday at 2PM, does that work for the first coaching?"

"Yes, it does!" Tanya smiled.

"Great. It's the only time in my schedule," he muttered.

"You're that busy?"

"Yeah, I have two part-time jobs outside of school, but one is almost full-time. Not to mention comps..."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you can make it through."

"Same here."

"Well, I have to go. Bye!"

Ernest just nodded his head.

Tanya smiled to herself in satisfaction, but then frowned.

"I wish he likes me... he likes me more than Marcus right now, that's for sure..."

Tanya continued on with her day, which was far from over.


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