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Post by sonata on Dec 2, 2008 3:09:39 GMT -7
((Continuation from 'Studying'))
He opened the door to one of the music rooms, and checked that no-one was inside. He held the door open to let Gabriella through, and then went inside and sat down at the piano. Okay. Music, music, music... where was any good music? Bleh... what would be a good piece? Maybe a solo item, but that was a bit too bland. A lot of female solo music tended to sound the same. Well, so did all the male ones. They all sounded the same these days.
How about back to the basics... maybe a duet. That way, he could see how she filled in the sound as well. Any good duets? A Whole New World... oversung, and over-the-top lyrics. Somethin' Stupid... good song, but ugh, no way. Far too awkward. How about...
'D'you know "If I Never Knew You"?' he asked, holding up the sheet music he had just found.
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Post by charoulla on Dec 2, 2008 9:17:19 GMT -7
Gabriella followed Song through the corridors of the school, as they headed to one of the practise rooms, holding her books tightly on her chest. She suddenly realised that they had stopped and that he was holding the door for her, she stepped in, still confused... She put her books on the piano, and heard him asking a question. She quickly shook her head in order to concentrate "Pocahontas's If I never knew you?" she asked "Y... yeah... Though, from that movie, I kind of like Colors of the Wind best..." she replied hesitently
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Post by sonata on Dec 2, 2008 15:52:11 GMT -7
Ah, great... take one freelance pianist without music and a singer(?) with an opinion and what do you get? Awkward turtles all round...
Moving on!
'Well, as you may have noticed, I don't have the music for that...'
Immediately he gave himself a kick in the rear- there was no need for that. This girl hadn't said anything bad to him, so why was he being so cynical? The reason was, that he enjoyed being cynical. It was his built-in reaction to things that annoyed him. Not that this girl was annoying- no, she was. She had that incessant be-nice-to-people outlook which he found horribly boring, and it didn't help that her obvious naivete pulled her around loads, while at the same time, was kinda cute- nooo way! Just stick to the singing. Singing was important...
'Sorry... I'll try to get the music later, and we'll be able to go through it some other time. I promise.'
And why did he have to go and say that? Promises were meant for keeping. And he had neither the time or the money to go hunting round for sheet music.
Ignoring himself (if that was even possible), he pushed on valiantly- 'Umm... right. Okay... And... uhh... I start...'
What was it about this girl that made him so nervous? Him, a person who could spend half a day politely pointing out to anybody that their work, attitude, and general outlook and relationship with life was flawed in an incaluable number of ways, was now left stuttering, and a little bemused. Ah, deal with that later. Sing!
He rolled the chords across the piano, his right hand taking the melody while his left hand took on the part of the rising arpeggios. And as the words rose up to meet the music, he let out a breath, then drew it back in renewed-
' If I never knew you,
if I never felt this love...'
Agh! So cheesy! But he went on nevertheless... he pushed his voice over his head to input more strength into the higher notes, followed by a gentle scale on the piano.
'I would have no inkling of how precious life can be
And if I never held you, I would never have a clue
How at last I find in you, the missing part of me.'
As he sang that, a smile reached his face- both sad and happy. He was playing music- this was where he was meant to be. But also, he felt some of the weight on those words. Missing part? That wasn't going to be a person. Let's face it- as both a musician and a writer, he was destined never to take centre stage, and was always going to be a background shadow.
'In this world so full of fear, full of rage and lies
I can see the truth so clear, in your eyes, so dry your eyes...'
He closed his eyes then, slightly, focusing on the clarity of that note, and reaching into a softer, whispering falsetto for the final note, then bring strength again into the piano as he reached down to his normal tone.
'And Im so grateful to you, Id have lived my whole life through
Lost forever, if I never knew you.'
He looked up at Gabriella and nodded, indicating her to follow the music and sing. Now, this was the sound that he'd been waiting for... would it be worth it?
((phew... that was a bit of a monster post...))
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Post by charoulla on Dec 3, 2008 10:56:28 GMT -7
When Gabriella heard what he said she couldn't suppress a roll of her eyes "I just said that that is my favorite song from Pocahontas... Nothing else... I didn't ask you to play it... she said shrugging her shoulders "Plus I don't need a music sheet... I already know the melody" she added simply. When she heard what he said she just shook her head and leaned on the other side of the piano... Just like when she used to rehearse with Kelsi... Though she wouldn't say that to Troy, she had missed the hours she spent with Kelsi rehearsing for the Winter Musical...
She heard him singing, as she silently waited for her turn... Her heart beating fast, since she was always nervous when she had to sing... Like the time she had to sing solo at the choir and she ended up staring at the ceiling, or at the final call backs for Twinkle Town a few months ago, that she suddenly froze... She saw Song nodding to her, which meant that it was her turn to sing... She took a deep breath and started. Still not knowing what she was doing there and why she suddenly had to sing...
If I never knew you
I'd be safe but half as real
Never knowing I could feel
A love so strong and true
I'm so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Lost forever
If I never knew you
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Post by sonata on Dec 3, 2008 13:03:21 GMT -7
Song himself suppressed an urge to roll his own eyes. Oh, great... a singer with an attitude... this singing had better be good...
'If I never knew you
I'd be safe but half as real
Never knowing I could feel
A love so strong and true'
What was this? It was a sound which he couldn't quite place- it had an annoying lilt which seemed typical of all female singers in this school. They seemed to think it made them sing better, but Sharpay took it waaay over the top. They didn't understand that it actually held their voice back- by making it catch in their throats, all the sound was lost. But nevertheless, there was a new warmth in her voice that enveloped him, unlike any voice had done before. What was it? It was a good voice, but it wasn't good enough to make him feel this way. What about this made it so special?
'I'm so grateful to you
I'd have lived my whole life through
Lost forever
If I never knew you'
He saw a flash in her eyes, and with it, he groaned inwardly. As expected of a girl with such honesty and kindness- her emotions shone right through her singing. And there was obviously someone she was aiming these words to. High school romances... what he hated so much about it, he didn't know... oh yeah. It was 115% hardcore, deep-frozen, stinky gorgonzola cheese.
No time to think about that- his next part was coming up.
'I thought our love would be so beautiful...'
Ha... beautiful love? What did this person know about it? He was probably another high school junkie as well. Song paused to let Gabriella sing her part. "Somehow we make the whole world right"? That was right... somehow, some way... pity no-one had actually gotten round to it yet. But the line was over, and he sang onto the part where both voices sang in harmony, hoping- no, rather knowing- that Gabriella would continue to sing with him-
'I never knew that fear and hate could be so strong
All they leave are worthless whispers in the night
But still my heart is saying we were right.'
A twinge of sadness sparked through his eyes. Am I right? Or am I just another whisper?
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Post by charoulla on Dec 3, 2008 13:36:32 GMT -7
Gabriella had to out a huge effort not to let out a sigh as she sang... The lyrics of that song expressed exactly her life the last few months... Since she came to Albuquerque... The first time she had a real home, real friends... And a boyfriend... It felt weird but so good! For once in her life she wasn't just the "new girl", the "einsteinette", the "freaky math girl"... She was just her... Gabriella...
She subconsciously put her hand above her stomach, where her diaphragm was, just like Kelsi had taught her...
Somehow we made the whole world bright
She sang again and then took a small breath in order to continue at the duet part... Joining Song's voice
I never knew that fear and hate could be so strong
All they'd leave us where these whispers in the night
But still my heart is singing
We were right
And then she continued again with her part
If I never knew you
If I never knew this love
I would have no inkling of
How precious life can be
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Post by sonata on Dec 3, 2008 15:44:10 GMT -7
If I never knew you... what did that mean? He hadn't had a chance to say that he knew someone like that. But yet here was, singing those words as if they came from his heart... if such a thing existed. Song tried to ignore the painful messages hidden in the lyrics, and continued to sing. But as he sung the next words, his conscience began to lift-
'There is no moment I regret
Since the moment that we met
If our times auspicious as that
Is here at last.'
The notes intertwined with Gabriella's as the music began to shine out into life. And suddenly, he was where he belonged. The pressures that social standing and school life had put onto his shoulders were, miraculously being softly eased away, and he found himself enjoying the singing. And as he closed his eyes to sing the next line, a small smile appeared onto his lips- then his eyes opened gently as he sang-
'I thought our love would be so beautiful
Somehow we make the world right...'
What do you feel when you're singing this? Something which I've never managed to touch on before... is suddenly brought to life by your bittersweet voice- such an annoying voice couldn't have done this... I must be wrong...
'And still my heart is saying we were right.'
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Post by charoulla on Dec 3, 2008 16:07:07 GMT -7
Gabriella left the piano, as Song sang his part and started walking in the music room. wandering around, waiting for her turn
thought our love would be so beautiful
Somehow we'd make the whole world bright
She sang as she observed a picture of a symphonic orchestra playing at a concert... She observed carefully the instruments and the artists, as she started singing her part
I thought our love would be so beautiful
We'd turn the darkness into light
She moved away from the picture again and headed to the window... The one that was seeing to the field. When she noticed Troy's familliar figure jogging next to Chad a wide smile appeared on her face as she started singing the duet's part:
And still my heart is singing
We were right
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Post by sonata on Dec 4, 2008 2:17:44 GMT -7
And suddenly, Song knew why this sounded so weird- technically and sound-wise, it was good. There was emotion, and there was commitment. But they weren't singing a duet. This was just two soloists, singing two parts. But how could he, a person with the emotional range of a gravestone going to input any emotion, especially for this dull-eyed dreamer?
But music shouldn't be so selfish. Gabriella was focusing only on one thing, and that was this other boy. By using only one emotion, the range of her tone was being held back. Right now, she was singing with someone else. Song gave a silent sigh of exasperation- how could an honest girl like this even hope to properly embrace the music if her mind was taken over by the thoughts of one good-looking boy (well, he assumed that he was good-looking)? But he gave a small smile, both sad and amused at the same time. It was lucky that she had someone- but love like that was rarely permanent, and the infatutation almost always wore off.
Well, if she's not gonna try, then I might as well do it... he thought, and before he sang, he summoned up to his thoughts all the good things he could come up with about this lovestruck brainiac- which wasn't much, since he barely knew her. But wasn't this the best thing? His mind hadn't been caught up in the web of hierarchy or judgement by clique. He was completely neutral- and now he had to convince his mind that he loved this person.
Ew. What would a high schooler know about love anyway? Another pretentious emotion... but he was an actor, so act he would!
He looked at her and summoned up all her good points. Honest, kind. Very very cute, with sparkling dreamy eyes, which despite being intelligent, was stuck in some pink, faraway I-love-you-land... no, good points, good points...
The way the sides of her lip curved as she sang and how her eyebrows tilted to form that coy expression. How her eyelids drooped a little to hood a part of her eyes with her dark eyelashes, giving her a slightly lazy, but affectionate expression- that was it!
That expression, with the sleepy eyes and the slight smile- that was something they had in common. Between this cute Einsteinette and the background musician, of all things, it was a single expression. But he focused on that, and with all the other things he could think of about her, he focused them into a feeling of affection as he sang the next line-
'We were right
And if I never knew you
I'd have lived my whole life through...'
This is it... the sound had changed, and he was now singing as if he meant it. No cynicism, no sarcasm, no response. Just him, the singing, Gabriella... and that other boy. Smiling again, he opened up his voice as he sang the last lines of the song-
'Empty as the sky
Never knowing why
Lost forever
If I never knew you'
As his fingers played the final chord, he listened to the chord dying away, and there was a slight feeling of regret as he heard that sound fall away. He was back.
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Post by charoulla on Dec 4, 2008 2:58:30 GMT -7
Gabriella retreated herself from the window with a small smile and moved back to her previous position... Leaning on the piano with her arms folded. After a few seconds she unfolded her arms and rested her chin on her hand as she sang the final part... Still having no idea why she was in there and why she found herself singing...
Empty as the sky
Never knowing why
Lost forever
If I never knew you
She waited until every sound was lost and pulld away from the piano... If Sharpay even knew she was in there, Gabriella was deffinitely dead... Really dead... "Look... I told you I wasn't good at this..." she said "But can I now know what I'm doing here?" she asked sighing
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Post by sonata on Dec 4, 2008 9:29:49 GMT -7
Song looked up sharply at Gabriella, and for a moment his eyes were bewildered and a little angry- did she really feel nothing? Surely there was something deeper and more meaningful in this music than 'what am I doing here'?
But then, they grew sad again. Of course. People these days could never realise what music could really do. All they did was jump around singing pop songs, enjoying their lives without thought or consideration. Even this amazing singer, whose unique voice had the potential to touch thousands... was left hollow.
He smiled, but behind the happy facade, there was a deep-set melancholy. 'What do you mean? You were fantastic... but...'
He looked away from that deep-eyed gaze, and focused on the music, and the words he had just sung lifted itself off the pages. 'Empty as the sky'... that was right. A voice which could expand without limit- but with nothing in it.
'...but did you really feel... nothing?'
As he said that, he caught himself, and his smile returned. 'It's nothing. Sorry for dragging you out here- it's just that I wanted to hear you sing... I hadn't heard anybody but Sharpay sing all the time, and that's not necessarily always good on the ears...'
He gave a small laugh that was meant to sound scornful, but instead came out as a nervous 'hm'. What was wrong with him?
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Post by charoulla on Dec 4, 2008 10:22:55 GMT -7
Gabriella shook her head Singing is not my thing" she said shrugging her shoulders "And how can I not feel something? I'm not some kind of a person with no soul! Those lyrics combined with that music, are just amazing... It's impossible not to feel the slightest thing" she said. But when he mentioned Sharapy Gabriella sighed... She closed her eyes in desperation and threw her head at the back "Oh God!" she muttered. "You just reminded me why singing is not my thing!" she said. Sharpay... The person that made her life difficult since the first day she steped foot at East High... And after what happened at the Winter Musical, Gabriella wasn't planning on getting involved into that again
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Post by sonata on Dec 4, 2008 11:17:07 GMT -7
Song looked at her a little skeptically. She might have felt something, but there was still room for more. He just needed to find the right song, the right atmosphere, the right feeling... and then, maybe, she would be able to truly understand what it felt to be in the world of music. Even with that bittersweet voice, she had only touched on what it was like to be enveloped by the music.
'You enjoy singing,' he said simply. 'If you enjoy singing, then what does it matter if it's not "your thing"?'
He leaned forward on the seat towards the keyboard. 'And if someone like Sharpay, a person who prefers to keep everyone else in the dark, tries to stop you-'
His eyes locked with Gabriella's, still with a lazy expression but with a wordless challenge hidden behind its depths. '-what's that to you?'
He played a random chord on the piano. Oh. B flat major. Nice key, that. 'If I told you that I could keep Sharpay out of your hair... would you let me give you a chance to make "your thing"... even for a little while?'
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Post by charoulla on Dec 4, 2008 16:55:57 GMT -7
Gabriella sighed at what he said "Sharpay... Well let's just say that she put me through a lot lately... And I don't want to give her another chance to repeat it!" she said shrugging her shoulders "And as for singing... My bathroom is very impressed... And I think that it's going to stay that way... I don't do well with... singing in public" she explained "I just... freeze! Or end up staring at the ceiling at the worst case" she said again shrugging her shoulders
When she heard what he said next she looked at him with a weird expression "You seriously think that you can keep Sharpay from making another one of her "infamous" plans? That's a good one!! You really have an imagination!" she said sarcastically
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Post by sonata on Dec 5, 2008 2:10:56 GMT -7
At this, he clutched at his heart, and said laughingly, 'You cut me deeply! You trust me only that much?'
Song gave an honest, if not mischievously sincere smile. 'I've been playing this game at least as long as Sharpay has. And although she might not know it, I've been hanging around her longer than she knows, and I think I've got a good hold over what makes her roll.'
'She doesn't like people taking the spotlight- no, correct that- doesn't like anyone even looking as if they're thinking of taking the spotlight. If her attention is occupied while she's in the spotlight, she's not as half as worried with what's happening with the extras in the "supporting roles".'
'And,' he pointed out, 'As flattered your bathroom may be by your lavish vocal ablutions, music shouldn't just be for yourself all the time. A voice like yours- well, it would be a killer of a shame to waste it. Especially on account of an insecure, material, pink-obsessed blonde whose lilt is so viciously carved in that it resembles an incurable disease,' he added, with the softest hint of light-hearted vehemence... if that was even made sense.
'Leave Sharpay to me,' he assured her. 'But meanwhile, I can help you learn how to ignore the crowd, so you won't be getting that lovely view of the ceiling every time. I can even help you enjoy the crowd- so that you can connect with more than just one person.'
He gave her a rather impish grin. 'You've got a person you like, right? Wouldn't it be great if you could sing with that feeling anytime, anywhere?'
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**