FicWad

One note after another, Serena started to glide along the piano like the waves in the ocean. She was enjoying the sound she was making until she hit a wrong note she could not hide. Frustrated, she hit the right note and continued until the same routine continued over and over again where she would hit a wrong note. Eventually, she just hung her head over the keys.
"Grandma, I can't do this!" Serena complained in tears. She rested her head on the piano keys making an ugly sound echo throughout the house.
Her grandmother just sighed. "Do you want Shannon to come over to help you?" she asked.
Serena sniffled, "Having her come over here will show how bad I am at the piano. You know how well Shannon plays, don't you?" She wanted to go take a quiet rest outside, but the noise in London was so loud, it would give the wrong meaning. Inside was quiet, but she would have to listen to her grandmother giving lectures while cleaning up the house.
Serena finally decided to get some fresh air outside in the late morning and buy herself a grapefruit to calm down her nerves. She grabbed a dime, her favorite hat, and walked to the trade market to buy the tangy fruit.
While making her way through town, she thought of the recital she was going to tomorrow. Shannon and herself were performing a duet together, and Serena was still in a rush to perfect her part. And it wasn't just playing correctly, there was the crowd listening to her while she played. Those two things combined into one made the entire recital regretful.
All of the sudden, Serena started to cry. She didn't want to perform! She was too busy crying silently that she bumped into Shannon at the market. Once she realized it, she wiped away her tears, held her head high, and smiled at Shannon, embarrassed.
"Hi, Serena. Are you ready for the recital?" asked Shannon encouragingly.
"No, I'm not," Serena said sadly. "I decided to stop here to get a grapefruit to take a break."
"Okay, but if you don't mind, can we go to your house once we're done to practice? I'm not ready either."
Serena was stunned. Shannon wasn't ready? She wasn't ready herself! After three weeks of practicing, both were not prepared for the recital the following day. They both stood there, staring at each other with no words coming out of either open mouth. Quickly, Serena bought the grapefruit, had Shannon sit on a bench with her, and split the fruit in half for her as they talked.
"How about I come to your house?" asked Shannon.
"No, that won't work. My bench is far too small." responded Serena.
"How about the actual piano in the recital room?"
"We would have to ask the guy that owns the place. He is not a nice man, they say."
"What other options do we have?"
"You could bring your bench over and we could use both small benches as one large bench."
"I can bring mine over."
"Do you want me to help you?"
"No. I am planning a day to spend in the forest with my dad next week. I will need to work my strength."
"You are so lucky. I want to go to the forest, but grandma won't let me."
"Maybe I could take you, but for now, let's practice.
Both girls headed in opposite directions. Serena walked home finishing her grapefruit in one direction, and Shannon headed home to get her bench in the other direction. Serena couldn't wait for Shannon to come over to practice. With both of them at each other's side, they would perfect the song in no time at all. Serena literally skipped along home, which was surprising to her grandmother when she opened the door.
"Hi, Serena. My, do you seem jolly," said grandmother.
"Shannon is coming over with her bench to practice with me." said Serena, beaming.
"For the love of a nine-year old, you learn your lessons fast," grandmother responded, shaking her head.
A few minutes later, Shannon came with her bench, and the two girls both started to practice immediately. With playing most of the time and giving feedback the rest of the time, before they knew it, 5 hours had passed and they had the song down perfectly. They did a complicated 30-second high five handshake like they always did when they accomplished something, which made them both laugh. Serena's grandmother said she would treat both of them to a fancy lunch tomorrow after the recital, and everyone agreed.
Shannon left, thanking Serena and her grandmother. Serena got ready to go to sleep while her grandmother did the dishes. The sky was dark except for the stars like salt on the coffee table in the living room. Serena laid her stomach on the bed and looked out the window at the stars, smiling.
"It only felt like minutes ago that I was still struggling with the piano," whispered Serena as she turned over and pulled her covers over herself. "Now it feels as if I have been washed clean."