8. Azriel
Backstage was my new favorite place to paint.
More specifically, the crossover. It was directly behind the backdrop.
I had to wait until rehearsal was over and I usually missed dinner in the dining hall, which was fine by me.
I usually ate with Misha because he avoided the dining hall too.
I didn’t understand why Orion went in there.
Everyone kept trying to get in our pants, but not because of us.
They all thought that if Johann couldn’t place them with their dream job, riding our coattails could do it.
It wasn’t Johann that made dream jobs come true.
It was usually their talent. If they had no faith in their talent or just no patience, it was usually much more sinister. That was me once.
I was engrossed in my painting. I wanted to see what it looked like if Hieronymus Bosch did his apprenticeship with Caravaggio and just really wanted to troll the Church. Like, I knew that saint didn’t get martyred like this, but it was fun to paint it this way.
Then I heard the voices. Annoying. Who was disturbing my peace? It completely broke my flow. I removed my brush from the canvas and just listened. They thought this place was empty and it should be. I was also nosy. If they were going to interrupt me, they could at least entertain me.
Oh, and I was entertained. This was the mysterious new girl Johann was bringing in so late in the semester.
Orion was bitching up a storm about playing tour guide.
I was a lot friendlier than he was, but Johann knew better.
I’d just break something if he pulled me away from my art.
Misha was a little too sensitive and Johann knew damned well Orion and I would break anyone who messed with him.
So, it had to be Orion if it was going to be one of us. This one wasn’t star struck. She was a fan, but I rather liked she wanted nothing to do with us because of the stories we spread after we canceled our tour. Curious.
I needed a peek. I crept from the overpass to the wings where two women were standing. Both were completely stunning, but complete polar opposites. I could see the bond though. These two were as close as sisters.
I also had no idea why Orion was asked to give her tour. She had a violin case in her hand. Orion could compose for an entire orchestra, but he didn’t play the violin. He once tried to learn the viola once, and it didn’t come as easily to him as the piano, so he dropped it.
There were three violin professors on staff. They were all famous in their own right. One had retired from performing and was here permanently. The other two were professionals in residence. At least one of them would be her mentor until they left, or she graduated.
It meant something. I knew why we were here. I didn’t know why she was here. She was also stunning, exactly my type, and she wanted nothing to do with me or my drama.
Don’t do it. Don’t do it.
I avoided students. I didn’t go anywhere near fans.
She could be annoying. She could be one of those people who were cruel to Misha just because they could and I’d have to destroy her.
This girl could leave one square on the toilet paper roll and leave me stranded when I took a shit or not bring her shopping cart back. We could just not be compatible.
But damn if I didn’t want to find out.
Shit, she was coming up on stage. I wanted to meet her, but I didn’t. I wasn’t ready yet. There was no point in convincing her to fall in love with me if I didn’t know her yet. That was how your pet bunny got boiled.
I stepped right into a can that had been used to paint props. Fuck! She knew I was here. She didn’t crawl up the stage like a spider and try to kick my arse. That would have been hot. She turned around and left.
Interesting.
I couldn’t paint after this. This brought up way too many questions. Why was she here? Was she allowed to be that hot?
I guess I was going to the dining hall.