The return of a forgotten ability

If you listen carefully you can hear the old piano at the end of the music corridor playing a simple melody by a student named Arina who had been in the school for 3 years and had finally given up of caring about her future, she had given up on trying which lead her to fall asleep during almost every one of her classes. Now it was a Friday afternoon and she had been given the task of taking a huge amount of math's papers into the storage room after her sudden outburst when a boy behind her poked her in the back whilst she was asleep she was so close to getting out of school and not having to come back until after the weekend where she would repeat the same old system. At least she was almost finished but then she tripped over a block of air and the papers went flying everywhere a few pieces falling under the opposite door. Arina sighed knowing she would have to spend even more time finding all the pages as she knew her teacher would punish her if she lost even one page she wouldn’t have cared as much if it wasn’t a Friday afternoon and the last thing she wanted was to give her teacher another reason to keep her back longer they're truly is only one thing any student wants on a Friday afternoon and that is to go home after being stuck in a school for a whole week. She picked up the few pages around her scattered closet to her before looking at the door. She had never noticed it before, and it was directly opposite the storage room. She opened the first door to find herself faced to a heavy thick door she attempted to turn the doorknob but no luck it wouldn’t open even when she kicked at the door a few times nothing it was not locked because as far as she could see there was no locking device so the door was either stuck or somehow locked on the inside. She picked up the papers in between the 2 doors and went to go and place them in the storage. Arina now had 2 choice her first was to go and tell her teacher she had finished her job and go home or let curiosity get the best of her and find a key to the solid door. For all, she knew there could be nothing on the other side. She was about to walk away and just go home when she stops midway once again conflicted by the two options because what if something was behind that door and what if that something wasn’t their next week. She had already begun walking back before standing right in front of it. This was stupid she thought, she had already tried to open the door what was the chance it would just... 

The door wasn’t even closed anymore or at least now it was just slightly opened. Without even thinking Arina kick at the door and it flew back along with a quiet sound of someone in pain. The door was now completely opened and Arina carefully stepped into the room to find herself in an empty room with a huge grand piano in the centre and a boy on the other side of the room. They started at each other before the boy sighed in relief.  

“Guess I was worried about nothing,” said the boy as he stood up hand on his head rubbing at the spot where his head got hit. 

“you okay, I didn’t think anything would be in here or anyone,” she said whilst looking around the room before turning her gaze towards the boy  

She looked at him she realises he was taller than her before realising that he was one of the students in a class of hers not that she knew which one  

“Jackson by the way, he said noticing her obvious struggle we are in math’s together. I sit behind you” he smirked  

“It was you” she shouted an accusatory sound in her voice before she was about to shout again, he cut her off saying  

“I sit next to the person you're probably thinking about also would you mind not being so … aggressive, it’s a Friday afternoon so would you calm yourself” he responded in a more relaxed tone, he seems exhausted but it was a Friday after all. He turned his gaze towards the piano and walking back to sit at it 

The large instrument was old but well taken care of. It was black and so clean you could see your reflection in it.

“you can leave now,” he said without looking at Arina  

“I think I am going to stay here,” she said with a fake smile, this guy was starting to get on her nerves but the piano was the only reason she hadn't left yet.  

“do whatever you want but don’t make any sound,” he glared at her  

Rolling her eyes Arina looked around the room it was bare and the carpet didn’t match the ones with the rest of the school so it must be really old before the sound of notes being played in a certain melody which snapped her back into reality it was the sound of one of those famous songs that no one ever knows the name of. The song was dramatic from every note that he played had a sense of power it was quick and sharp but very relaxing the piece slowly became more calming she closed her eyes it was so calming she was afraid she might fall asleep, she remembered when she once used to become a musician when she was younger she worked hard and even had piano lessons but after 5 years she gave up after failing to pass a piano exam to move up all of a sudden the piece began to speed up and she remembered how after she left piano everything else also seemed to fade away she wasn't doing well in school she realised her friend didn’t even care about her and she didn’t have anything she cared about anymore her life felt like it was in black and white and all the time she spent felt like nothing more than a dream now, it happened so long ago. The piece came to a close and she opened her eyes to see Jackson getting up and putting his things away ready to leave. 

“Hey, wait aren’t you gonna play more” Arina looked at him she could describe this feeling it felt like she was really happy but it also felt so much more than that.  

"I don’t feel comfortable playing when others are listening. It also looked like you were going to fall asleep, so why didn’t you just leave if you were so bored," he said slightly annoyed

This loud and annoying girl had disrupted his peaceful Friday afternoon and now wouldn't even leave, but the expression on her face made him curious.  

She realised this feeling was excitement 

“you have to teach me how to play that !” she said  

Jackson started at her in amusement and surprise he didn't expect that

"Guess you liked it then the piece was called Chopin - Fantaisie-Impromptu (Op. 66) it a Grade 8 piece which takes around 3 months to get it to sound reasonable and it takes a lot of practice someone like you would never be able to play it and in case you didn’t understand the piece is to difficult for an amateur and it would be a waste of both our time."  

Jackson looked at Arina's face but still, she seems too happy it was annoying for him, he decided it would be best to just leave before she processes and understands what he said to her, he decided it would be best to leave 

“Grade 2” Arina said still staring at where Jackson sat at the piano 

“What” replied Jackson standing at the door in surprise 

“I failed my Grade 2 exam even after 5 years of private tutors, I can sight-read and play scales, but I failed that exam twice before I gave up” 

Jackson started at her in disbelief, the grade 2 exam wasn’t difficult it nothing too complicated it even felt much easier than the very first piano exam he did.  

“ I forgot why I even started playing the piano after so many lessons and me just failing I lost enthusiasm for it, so even if you don’t want to teach me, I am glad I got to hear you play,” she said with a distant look as she remembers how emotionally exhausted she became after every lesson.

Jackson sighed before turning back towards the piano. He grabbed Arina hand and made her sit at the piano  

“Play something,” Jackson said  

Arina looked at him for a second before looking at the keys it had been ages since she last played.  

She placed her fingers at the keys.  

"Whenever you’re ready," he said in a monotone voice. 

She sat there for a minute. 

"I don’t remember how to play after all it has been 6 years since I last touched a piano."

“This is going to take longer than I imagine” Jackson sighed for what felt like the 100th time since he let Arina in the room, he sat down next to her.  

"Well better to start now than later," Arina said smiling and looking up at him if she was going to get him to help her she needed to show that she wanted to do this and was not going to just give up even if that meant acting positive about something she gave up a long time ago 

"Do you know the letter of each note of the Piano form middle C, you have to at least remember C Major since you passed grade 1 or I’m going to start worrying that you just wasted your time?" 

"Okay I haven’t forgotten everything C major is just all the white keys right So she found Middle C at the front of the two white keys Then D which is in the middle of the 2 black keys next is, E, F, G, A, B then just repeat," she said inquisitively 

"Thank God you’re not completely stupid," he sighed but this time in relief   

"What about sharps and flats do you understand them" he questioned  

Arian just smiled she sort of understood them but flats and sharps were pretty much the same to her.  

" Ugh Alright, I will explain so to you small brain can understand."  

"Rude much" she replied she sighed it had been so long since she had the feeling of actually wanting to do something and this time there wasn’t any pressure on her because starting this was her decision.  

"Hey focus, don’t get mixed up now flats and sharps are not the black keys" bringing back her attention  

"WHAT!" Arian exclaimed of course they are she said with confusion  

"Just listen it’s a common mistake for beginners like yourself. Basically, Sharps and flats are not the black keys. All black keys are either a sharp or flat, but not all sharps and flats are black keys. 

Does that make sense," he looked back at Arina who had grabbed a notebook out of her bag and had been furiously writing everything he just said in fear of forgetting it  

Arina lifted her head “So just to clarify sharps and flats can also be white notes?” 

“Yes, I still honestly don’t understand and can’t imagine why you failed that exam. If you had been learning for that long.” 

"I never really understood when my teachers tried to explain and they would get annoyed when I didn’t understand I sort of began to stop listening to them, teachers are so boring and I can't stand listening to them for more than a minute” 

"But you still manage to do good enough on exams in school even though your asleep half the time. he said in a confused tone. Every time the students had exams he would always see Arina sleeping but when the results came out she was still in the top 50 out of 200 students.

"Bahahaha that is my special skill where I am not listening to the teacher unless I choose to it like my brain only filters in the things it thinks it needs I usually remember things after I hear them once."  

"So you’re an auditory learner, that makes a lot of sense and I might be able to use that to help you"  

"Alright, I have decided I am going to help you pass not only your grade 2 exam but 3 as well and I'm doing this because I feel sorry for you nothing else. if you work hard, I can help you pass both grades. There are 8 grades in piano I am on Grade 6 right now, so I also must practice. If you want after you pass I might help you with grade 4."

"Thanks' I appreciate that in return I will help you with math’s English and science." she responded turning to face him she wanted to give him a reason to help him and repay him."

"I doubt you would be of much help, but I do need to pass those if I want a scholarship into a music school, they won’t let me..." 

Jackson stops wondering why he was about to tell her that he would be able to continue piano if he failed the next exam. 

"Let you what?" Arian asked

"Never mind, you help me with the core subjects, and I will help you become a musician again. 

"It’s a deal," 

"Alright then here, I keep some simple piece so I can randomly practice my sight-reading. They are relatively easy so you should be able to play them. You can look up the scales you need to practice for grade 2  

Make sure you can play these 2 songs and all the scales by Monday. Meet me here Monday after school understood" he said sternly turning back to look questionably.  

"Awesome thanks and I will," She responded staring at these music sheets she had just received  

Both students walked out of the room leaving the majestic black piano to be alone in the room again Arina walked home trying to understand what she just did she felt exhausted like a huge weight had just been lifted know all that was left was to grab that keyboard out of the attic and start practising. She was happy to learn music all over again and discover the magic it held.