Watch out. Maybe she's here to audit the competition's budget. Monica didn't turn around. Not a muscle in her face twitched. Only her right hand on the desk clenched slightly, her nails pressing gently into her palm.
Meredith nodded, her voice shifting to a cold, professional tone. Thank you for participating. You'll be the last one called this morning. Monica sat down in the row of seats along the wall, separated from the group of younger students exchanging large sheet music scores, tapping rhythms. On the backs of their chairs, were occasionally glancing at her as if guessing how far this odd character would carry the joke.
Preston Caldwell, the one who had made the Excel comment, was among them. He wore a black tuxedo with a red silk handkerchief tucked in the pocket, sitting with one leg crossed over the other, holding a BAM Paris violin case. He turned toward Monica, smirking. I guess you'll play some old school jazz, right? Very nostalgic.
Monica looked directly into his eyes. I'll play what I still hear. Not sure if it's in the music theory books you study, but it's real. Preston snorted, turning away, but his eyes weren't as confident as before, because, in her words, something made the dazzling techniques and long- winded education seem powerless. A while later, Jordan Lee appeared at the end of the hallway.
He wasn't in his security uniform today, just a gray turtleneck sweater and a coarse fabric coat. When their eyes met, Monica simply nodded. Jordan walked over, sat down beside her, and remained silent. "You're still submitting," he said quietly. "I didn't want to, but I couldn't not do it."
Jordan glanced at the other contestants, the ones with the pasts of Vienna concerts, Salsburg classes, master classes from Giuliard professors, then turned back to Monica. They think you're an intruder. I'm not an intruder. I'm coming back. Jordan didn't laugh, but his eyes lit up.
It was as if he had just seen the lights flicker on the stage where everyone still thought there would never be a role for her. The bell rang. Meredith stood up announcing, "First contestant, please prepare. We will call in order. The last one today is Monica Harris."
The entire room turned to look. Preston pretended to clap slowly three times, his voice indifferent. Well, this will be an interesting finale to the morning. Monica sat still. Her heart began to race, but her eyes no longer looked at them.