Moon Song

Music Camp

Chapter 2

Two years later

Lydian flashed a confident smile at Jenny as she settled into the passenger seat of the white Mazda. "Thanks so much for the ride to music camp. I really appreciate it," she said, buckling her seatbelt.

Jenny smiled back a sincere smile. “Absolutely, Lydian. It’s no problem! I’m happy to have some company on the way up!” Jenny put her white Mazda into drive and off they went.

“So do you play an instrument, or why do you want to go to music camp?” Jenny asked as she flipped her blinker on and merged onto the main road outside her neighbourhood. The drive to Kansas University would take about an hour and a half. Plenty of time for Lydian to get a good feel for her roommate at camp for the next two months.

“I've studied piano for eight years, but mostly, I love to sing." Lydain gushed with enthusiasm. "I've been taking voice lessons for the last four years and honestly can't think of anything I love to do more. As for why I want to go to camp, well, starting at Dakota Crescent High will be my third high school in three years, so I was hoping to meet a few people before the school year started, and just have a really fun summer. Do you know if anyone else from our school will be at music camp?”

Jenny checked her mirrors as she merged onto the highway that would take them the twenty miles to the camp. “Yeah, a few actually. There are two girls from our choir. Melody, and Kayla who will be there. Melody’s little sister is coming too. Her name is Gemma. She is super sweet.”

“Oh, that’s good. It will be nice to start the school year with some friends! In the past, I’ve always had to join a sports team to meet people, but just between you, me, and every person I’ve ever played sports with... I suck at sports. The only thing I should be doing at a sporting event, is singing the national anthem, or eating a hot dog.” Lydian’s face blushed red thinking of how horrible she was at tennis and volleyball. At her last school, she tried something completely different and tried out for the colour guard in the band. Twirling a rifle was indeed the most fun you could have with a fake gun, which was zero amount of fun, but she had liked the sparkly outfits.

Jenny gave a commiserating laugh and said “You and me both girl! I am excited to hear you share my love for awkwardly ruining sporting events,” Jenny said with a laugh. “I’ve tried my hand at sports, but let’s just say my coordination level is lower than a drunk toddler trying to walk in high heels.”

She paused, remembering her last attempt at playing soccer. “I was basically a human pinball bouncing off of other players. At one point, I even kicked the ball in the wrong direction and almost scored on our own team.”

I can’t play a sport to save my life. I will stick to my saxophone. Most of the kids at school are really nice, but you do have to choose your friends. Not everyone is as nice as they come off at first, and not everyone is as bitchy as they come off first. I don’t want to speak mean about anyone, but I would just be really careful around Melody until you really get to know her.”

Lydian noticed Jenny's careful choice of words, "Oh? Are you speaking from personal experience?" she asked.

Jenny's expression changed as she spoke, "I've known her since we were six. We started kindergarten together, and I like her, but she's an acquired taste. She might come across as a b***h at first, but that's not who she really is. It's just that you need to get to know her before she opens up to you. She's fiercely loyal to her friends, but can be a formidable foe to her enemies. So, it's best to be cautious around her until you get to know her well, and she gets to know you."

“I have to admit, Jenny, I’m actually pretty shy when it comes to meeting new friends. See my brave face? All an act!” Lydian laughed while pointing at her face. “I imagine being careful around new people will just come naturally to me."

Jenny reassured her, "Don't worry, Lydian, you don't need to be shy around me. I'm an open book and happy to share anything about myself. And I promise to keep your secrets safe."

“That’s good to know Jenny! Alas, I am quite boring and have no secrets!”

Nonsense!” Jenny waved a hand as if pushing away that preposterous notion. “Everyone has a secret! In fact, it’s one of my favourite things to ask people!”

“What do you mean?” Lydian looked sceptical.

“I have this theory! Everyone has a deep dark secret that they’re dying to tell someone but they never have the opportunity. I provide them with the opportunity! People feel much better afterwards.” She smiled a big cheesy grin.

“So, miss Lydian, do you have any deep dark secrets?”

Lydian tried to maintain her smile, but her mind raced with the terrible secrets she had. Hundreds. She had hundreds of secrets. Wretched, awful, and horrible secrets that would give sweet Jenny nightmares for the rest of her life. Secrets that normal people couldn’t even imagine in their nightmares.

But she decided to share something light, "It took me three tries to pass my written test to get my driver's permit."

“Three times, wow. Were you going for a record or something?” Jenny laughed.

“I just never got around to reading the handbook. Reading the actual test was my way of studying, I guess.” Lydian shrugged.

Jenny asked, "So, what kind of student are you? Are you a nose-to-the-books kind of girl, or a wing-it-on-test-day kind of girl?"

Lydian admitted, "Somewhere in the middle. If I like the class, which usually has more to do with the teacher than the subject, I tend to do pretty well. But if I don't like the class, I struggle to stay focused and have to do a lot of extra credit."

“I love the honesty. Want to know a secret about school?” Jenny asked.

“I don’t know! I hope the school didn’t swear you to secrecy like I’m going to do with the information about my driving test!” Lydian joked.

“Don’t worry, your secret is totally safe with me, and this secret needs to be shared.” Jenny didn’t wait for Lydian to agree. "My mom works as the school secretary, and one day, while I was in her office, the principal stormed in, ranting about test scores. Turns out, the school board won't allow failing grades because it affects the amount of government funding they receive. So, to ensure they get more money, teachers pad the grades to pass students who may not deserve it."

She leaned back, waiting for Lydian's reaction. "Crazy, right? I couldn't believe it either when I first heard it. But I guess it's just another example of how money corrupts everything, even education."

“You mean I’ve been worried about graduating all this time, and I didn’t actually need to worry at all?” Lydian said completely aghast. That was a secret that needed to be shared!

“Well, high school will pass you, but only just. Universities don’t have to accept you, so I guess it depends on what you want to do with your life. Jenny explained thoughtfully. "For instance, I really want to teach music to young kids. It's what I’ve always wanted to do with my life, so I need to work hard on my music and be better than the other applicants."

“I think you would be great at that. I bet kids love you.” Lydian could already picture Jenny with a conductor's wand, tapping it against her podium.

“I think I do OK with them. How about you? What are your big plans for after graduation?” Jenny enquired.

Jenny's eyes sparkled as she spoke. "I've been working hard on my singing, and I've applied to several prestigious music conservatories. My goal is to become the best singer I can be and eventually audition for opera roles."

“So less musical theatre, more classical?” Jenny wrinkled her nose. “I’m not a huge fan of opera.”

Lydian laughed. “Everyone says that until they actually see one live, and then they cry and say it was beautiful.”

“Are you sure they’re not crying because it hurt their ears?” Jenny teased. "You will fit in perfectly with all the choral kids at music camp."

Jenny eagerly recounted her past experiences at music camp, regaling Lydian with stories of talent shows, concerts, and dances. Lydian listened attentively, feeling a sense of excitement and nervousness building within her. As Jenny spoke Lydian tugged absentmindedly at her long sleeves making sure her scars were covered. It was a nervous habit. Despite her desire to make new friends and start fresh in Wheat Valley, she couldn't shake the anxiety that came with making friends in a new place. But Jenny was so kind and genuine, and Lydian couldn't help but hope that they would become good friends.

Jenny pulled past a sign directing traffic to a parking lot for the Music Camp.

As Jenny continued to talk about the various activities at Camp Allegro, Lydian couldn't help but think about her future plans. While the music conservatory associated with the camp was a great option for some, Lydian knew she wanted to venture out into bigger cities and take advantage of bigger opportunities. She couldn't imagine staying in a small town surrounded by wheat fields for the rest of her life. Nevertheless, she was grateful for the fresh start Wheat Valley offered her, and she hoped to make the most of her time here and build a strong foundation for her future.

Jenny and Lydian parked their car and headed towards the check-in line, which was long but moving quickly. The summer sun was blazing down on them, and Jenny closed her eyes for a brief moment to appreciate the beautiful shapes and swirls that the sun created on the backs of her eyelids. Suddenly, everything went dark, and she felt a cool shade cover her. Opening her eyes, she gazed up at the sight of the most striking grey eyes she had ever seen, peering down at her from the towering height of the man standing before her.

Jenny couldn't help but be taken aback by the sight before her. The man had a commanding presence, and she found herself instinctively taking a step back.

Lydian felt her heart rate increase as she stood there, transfixed by the tall and handsome stranger in front of her. She couldn't believe how much taller he was than her - it was rare for her to feel small, but this guy made her feel positively tiny. She tried to compose herself, but her mind was racing and her palms were starting to sweat.

"Hey, the line's moving," he said, breaking the silence and bringing Lydian back to reality.

"Huh?" she blurted out, her mind still clouded by his presence.

"The line," he repeated, gesturing to the queue in front of them. "It's moving on without you."

Lydian turned around to see Jenny several feet ahead, and quickly jumped forward to catch up, feeling her face flush with embarrassment. She couldn't believe how stupid she must have sounded. She kept going over and over the first word she said to him. ‘Huh?’ She mimicked in her own head and chastised herself.

As she caught up with Jenny, she tried to shake off the embarrassment and focus on the task at hand. But she couldn't help feeling self-conscious, as she could sense his gaze on her from behind. She tugged at the hem of her shirt and smoothed out her hair, hoping to look a little more put-together in front of this mystery man.

Lydian took a deep breath, trying to calm the fluttering in her chest. She couldn't afford to get distracted by a crush right now, especially not when she was at Camp Allegro to focus on her music. She wasn't the type to get swept up in infatuation easily; most guys her age seemed to be all flash and no substance. She'd learned that looks could be deceiving, and more often than not, a pretty face didn't equate to a stimulating conversation.

Music was her true passion, her constant companion in a world where people often failed to understand her. Lydian lived and breathed music, and it was the one thing that always made sense to her. The thrill of a perfectly executed note, the way chords could evoke emotion, the feeling of being swept up in a performance - those were the things that made her heart sing.

Lydian tried to push the tall, handsome stranger out of her mind. She didn't need the distraction, not when she had so much to learn and experience at Camp Allegro. But as she glanced over her shoulder, she caught his gaze again and felt a jolt of electricity run through her. Maybe, just maybe, he could be different from the rest. She made a mental note to keep her cool and try to strike up a conversation with him later, once she had her nerves under control.

Lydian approached the check-in table and gratefully accepted the welcome packet. Nigel, a friendly college student with a bowl haircut and circular glasses, greeted her and Jenny, eager to show them to their dorm room. He led the way, pointing out important locations along the route: the cafeteria, the music hall for choral practice, the stage for show choir practice, the band room, and a few other key spots. Upon arriving at their dorm, he asked them to retrieve their schedules and highlighted some upcoming events, including a mixer at 8 pm after dinner, complete with karaoke. Nigel recommended they come prepared to sing their hearts out.