# Don't Ask Me Why: Chapter 3



## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

It turned out that Marie didn't have to invite Christy to anything for Friday night. There was to be a party at the back of the school of music in the courtyard, and only Marie was invited. It would be a get-together before the hectic schedules that everyone was going to run in the semester, including herself. Marie was surprised that she was invited, since no one knew who she was, but she figured Tanya was probably involved in it. It was mostly for graduate students, although a few professors would be there.

At around 7 PM, everyone gathered around in the courtyard. Food and drink were provided, but many students brought alcohol. Unfortunately, Marie was the only one under-age at this party.

The school of music was connected to the State University, but it ran roughly on its own. It was highly competitive, and had decent amounts of money for scholarships. Applicants from all around were admitted and enrolled here. The building itself was rather old, 45 years, but there were renovations all the time. The latest renovation was an addition recital hall, and some modernization to the concert hall. The whole performing arts center had a lopsided horseshoe shape to it, a lobby at the center, and two major wings on the left and right. The right was for practice rooms, studios and some classrooms while the significantly larger left was rehearsal space and additional class rooms. There was a basement level too. The performance halls centered mainly around the front entrance of the school, and a large parking lot was to the west. The courtyard was right in the middle of this U-shaped design.

Tanya of course was the first to pounce on her when Marie stepped into the crowd. She was there with Marcus and a number of strangers.

"Marie! How great to see you again! Did you have a good summer?"

"I did! How was yours, Tanya?"

"It was relaxing enough, and I did an opera work-shop for three weeks. It was a lot of work."

"I can imagine!"

"I don't think I'll have much time to do any auditions this Fall, but that can wait. I've a great deal of research to do for my Graduate thesis."

"Graduate school, what everyone talks about at these parties!" Marie laughed, turning to Marcus, who she knew to a degree.

"This will be an interesting year for sure, we have a great schedule of performances coming. But you knew that already," he smirked.

"I did!" Marie laughed again. "Won't it be fun when they do Tchaikovsky's 4th in the spring? That's a tough one on the orchestra isn't it?"

"It will be," he replied. "But these people are up to snuff."

Marie was properly introduced to the others in their small circle, and she felt welcomed. When she was asked what she did, everyone was intrigued, but only for a little bit until subjects of lecture recitals and comprehensive exams took the focus. A lot of it was way over Marie's head, since she only took two years of music, and she could only imagine how difficult graduate studies would be compared to what she did.

"How dare we talk of any of that now!" Marcus whined. "I still have to do one for History, that's a bore! But let's party tonight, and celebrate in hope of a good year!"

Marie couldn't help noticing another man across the courtyard watching her. He was standing with two other guys, none of them she knew personally. Unsure what to do, she wandered back and forth between groups of people, listening in for a while, but not really feeling comfortable around any certain people. She finally found what seemed to be a group of newly admitted grads, and so she joined them since their conversation was sparse and she could enter in.

Four people total were in this group. Marie made acquaintance with all of them, a violinist, a clarinetist, a trumpet player, and a cellist, but she didn't remember their names well after this gathering. They were all very friendly people, and seemed to be just in the process of getting to know the place. For once Marie could actually give some advice on what the school was like, and they all really appreciated it.

Marie suddenly found that their group was collided into by the three guys who had been in the corner before. The man who use to be watching her now ignored her for the most part, but gave a slight glance at her. They all began to exchange names again, but Marie found herself overwhelmed now, and wanted to back away. She knew she would almost never meet these people again, so why bother getting to know anyone personally so quickly?

"Aren't you a grad student too?" the man asked her suddenly.

"No, I'm just staff here at the school, you won't see me around much. I'm behind the scenes."

"Ah, well, pleased to meet you anyhow. Again, I'm Ernest," he smiled.

"I'm Marie. Pleased to meet you. What do you do exactly here?"

"I'm a third-year orchestral conducting DMA candidate."

"Fancy! I think I remember you from a program or two, but I must have missed the concerts you performed in."

"I didn't conduct anything last year," Ernest frowned. "But I have to do something this year, I was told so. I'll do some sort of project, tied to my dissertation anyhow."

"I know nothing about conducting, but Tanya knows. She's one of my only friends around here, she welcomed me right in last semester."

"Well, consider me a friend too," Ernest smiled again, very genuinely.

"I will! I'll make sure to mark you down for any interesting performances. I go for free to a good number of them."

Marie stayed around for a bit longer than she expected. It was nice to get to know all these people. Nonetheless, she felt like an outsider for most of the subjects of conversation, and she couldn't really participate.

It was around 11PM when people started to leave, mainly the professors. That's when the heavy drinking really started, and Marie figured it was time to leave.

She stepped out of the courtyard into the building to find she was being followed by another, the cellist she had been talking with earlier. He had dark brown hair and eyes, and glasses.

"You don't care for parties, do you?" she smiled.

"Ah, well, drinking for the sake of drinking isn't really my thing, nor is talking for the sake of talking," he sighed.

"Me neither. Not that I can drink yet!" Marie laughed.

"You aren't missing out on anything much yet. Partying for me is only fun when it is in good company. I can tell there are some fishy people around here."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, take care," the cellist parted from her and walked down another hallway.

Marie went off in her own direction, puzzled. There wasn't much reason to say those things, so she thought. Then again, maybe strangers like him are accustomed to being overly suspicious when meeting new people. Particularly rival instrumentalists.

"We'll all be friends for sure when this year ends. No doubt about it," she said to herself, and left the building.


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## Bix (Aug 12, 2010)

Read all three so far, like Marie as a character.


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