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 Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 10:19 am
It was one of her rare solo outings from the Black household, with no-one in particular she was going to meet. Instead her destination was a nearby music shop, where she hoped to pick out a few new CDs and perhaps even some new sheet music to teach herself on her saxophone. She was grateful to Chase for digging her out a few old instruments from his attic, dusting them off and presenting them to her. There'd been a clarinet, a violin and a beautiful bronze-coloured saxophone, the latter of which had caused her eyes to light up. She'd put it in her hands and it had just fit. An hour later and she'd been able to play smoothly, with minimal mistakes. It took her to another world, another place. Helped her relax. Steadied her furious beating heart. Everything had happened so quickly, and so for something to so easily make it all okay was a godsend for the delicate young blonde. It was only a short walk before she pushed open the front door of the shop, offering a shy smile to the cashier before making her way to the CDs first of all, flicking slowly through them and trying to find an interesting one that might catch her eye.
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Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 11:30 am
Alexandre was working on a care package. It wasn't for some sick or needy person though he'd argue the person was indeed needy. Lily had been gone nearly all summer and who knows how long it'd be before she could escape England, he still wondered why her parents were so insistent on her living there with them. Something had to have set them odd, but what? His mother was just as clueless as Lily and himself. But that was beside the point.
He was working on a care package and was thus looking over sheet music made for the piano, Lily had told him there was a piano at the home in England. Shifting through the sheets of music, looking for song titles he knew, he was hopeless with reading the stuff, he sighed. He really shouldn't be having to send her a large care package, she should be here with him and trying to teach him to read music while he ignored all her attempts to educate him.
"I should have paid attention, at least once." Muttering to himself. But really it didn't matter if he could read it, he still needed to connect what he read to the sounds made by the piano. Normally when Lily played, and sang as often she did both at once, he would sit back and listen letting his mind drift a bit. He knew enough names of songs, all classical, but she had those already. He needed to find something new, or at least something he hoped she didn't have.
A glance around his shoulder, to the back pocket where his cell phone was just peeking out, and a shake of his head. If only he could call her but she was five hours ahead, time zone wise, and her parents didn't even know he was calling her. It seemed they were insistent upon all ties between them being severed, and he was quite insistent upon helping smuggle Lily back to Destiny City where she wanted to be. What a troublesome situation.
Something else was lifted up, another book of songs, and was flipped through slowly as if he understood a single thing he was looking at, aside from the heading at the top of each page.
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Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2012 8:42 am
Selecting a CD that piqued her interest, Naomi tucked it under her arm and made her way over to a stand where sheet music was ordered, first by instrument and then by difficulty. Not confident enough yet to go for the more difficult end, Naomi browsed through the middle-range music, looking through a few clarinet books before moving down to the saxophone choices, picking up a large book and beginning to flick through. The first couple of pieces looked easy enough, with the difficulty increasing as you made your way through the book. This was exactly what she wanted, something that tested her abilities but gave her a fall-back if she needed a confidence boost. Smiling, satisfied by her find, she looked up to find a mousey-brown-haired boy flicking through a piano book on the opposite side of the stand, seeming not to stop and look at any of the pieces. Occasionally he'd stop, but judging by the briefness of his gaze he merely looked at the title then continued. Naomi frowned as she bravely spoke up, "Do you know what you're looking for?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2012 1:33 pm
"I know some titles, but reading music is not something I can do. I'm looking for a friend, a gift. She is talented with the piano." He spoke while glancing up from the book he'd been flicking through at a brisk pace.
Maybe this person, this blond female, could help him. He had been watching her, while flicking through the books he'd been looking through, and it seemed she knew what she was looking at when looking through the books.
"I can't even claim to know all the pieces my friend has sheet music for. I simply want something unique for her and titles are unfortunately the only thing I know." And he likely didn't know any pieces that were especially unique. Difficulty didn't play into it, he didn't know what level Lily was at, but he was sure she could manage a piece and wouldn't be terribly upset if he got her some challenging pieces.
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 11:05 am
The bluntness of his response took her by surprise, and Naomi blinked a few times. She'd found it slightly weird that she was being nosy and talking to a random stranger, but apparently the stranger had no such inhibitions. Now this was just awkward - or was it just her? She could play the piano, alongside an assortment of other instruments, but it certainly wasn't what she was most comfortable with, especially when it came to selecting music. "Oh, uh...okay." What else was she supposed to say? He'd caught her by surprise, and the blonde couldn't help the pink tinge that stained her cheeks. Tucking her own selections under one arm, she made her way around to his side of the stand somewhat shyly, taking a quick glance over the titles. She looked at the one in his hand, and her teeth snuck over her lower lip to begin chewing it as she nervously reached out a slender hand and began to browse. "Do you know if she prefers classical music, or something more modern?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 11:26 am
Had his answer surprised her? She had asked and he had simply answered, he didn't see a reason for surprise if in fact she was surprised. At the most she seemed unsure how to respond to him.
It seemed she was going to respond though, not in a vocal manner though. Watching as she came around to his side, obviously to provide him some much needed assistance, he nodded his head in silent thanks.
"She'll play classical when I'm around, a preference of my own. But I know she also plays more modern pieces as well, she's played them for me a few times." For a teenager it might be seen as odd that he liked classical but it was relaxing, it was something he'd play when he needed to work on essays or go to sleep and was to round up to go to sleep normally. It was used as a tool to calm him enough to focus on things and yet it was also something he enjoyed. "So both types of music. She likes a challenge and is talented with the piano and singing. It that helps at all. I'm rather clueless when it comes to music." He simply knew what he liked to listen to and he knew the titles, those pieces all being on his iPod, but Lily had the sheet music for all those pieces.
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Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 10:44 am
Classical or modern. Great, that gave her...just about everything to work with. Frowning a little, her eyebrows furrowing, Naomi pushed out her lower lip as she browsed a few more options. As she read she unconsciously began to chew her lip, a bad habit she'd developed. She'd wondered briefly if she'd had the same bad habit beforehand, before...well, y'know. But she'd brushed such thoughts off. They only made her confused and upset, it was best just not to think about it. She was building her life now, any old life just didn't matter. Both types of music, likes a challenge, piano, singing. Did that help? "Uhm...not really," she admitted, cheeks pink as she finally selected a book to pull out and flick through, though he continuing frown suggested that this wasn't going to be the one. "Is there anything else to...narrow it down? Sorry, it's just there's a lot of piano music. It's all up to personal preference really." Not wanting to leave it at that, she put the book she was looking at down and reached over to grab another, holding it up for the boy to see. "I've got this one, and I really like it. It's got a bit of a jazz-y vibe to it." She didn't know if that would appeal to him or his friend at all, but she wanted to offer something!
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Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 2:19 pm
"Yeah, I can see there are a lot of options, I hadn't thought it would be this large a selection." He really hadn't thought that when he'd decided to get sheet music for Lily. "I think that one will work, jazz music, even a vibe, would be interesting for Lily. How about for the other book we go classical?" So something somewhat modern, and upbeat, and something classical which he preferred to hear.
After all the care package wasn't just a way to send gifts to Lily but to invoke memories, good ones, about all the things they'd done together growing up. So classical was good for that, and Jazz was just different enough she should like it.
"For the classical I'd like something difficult if possible." Give Lily a challenge and something to work on, spend her time on that and not thinking about the situation. They would, together, get her out of the situation and get her back here in Destiny City.
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Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 7:50 am
Woa, she wasn't getting paid for this! He was treating her a little like a shop assistant, but Naomi didn't want to be rude, so exhaled through her nose and bit her tongue, teeth soon moving to chew on her lip. Polite, Naomi, you didn't want to go making enemies right now. She didn't have any friends, so she certainly didn't want to be going and pissing anyone off. "You could do," she commented, reaching out to hand him the jazz book. She felt a little rude, but she didn't want to be a pushover. Trying to glaze over the fact, she indicated the far end of the long stand, "The more difficult books are down that end, classical are on the bottom shelf I think." Now she did just sound like a shop assistant, and for a moment Naomi was torn. She didn't know what to do! Sighed softly, she relented and moved down to the area she'd just indicated, deposited her selections neatly on the floor and crouching down to have a look. She took a few moments to browse before holding up a book to the boy, "Try this one."
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Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 10:22 pm
Personal shopper? Oh no, this was just how he asked normal people for help. Were she some personal shopper she'd know, tapping foot and crossed arms not to mention a sharp and cool tone would tell her that. No, he was just asking a person for help; at least as far as Alexandre was concerned he was.
He wasn't all rude though, as he didn't mean to be, and followed her. Crouching down as well he took her books and glanced over them. "The saxophone, I remember elementary school music class. A woodwind, right?" A reed was needed if he remembered. He really knew little on instruments but he did remember that little snippet among many other such bits and pieces of random information. He held onto her books, keeping them from spending time on the floor, as he watched her look for something for him. When she seemed to find something he took it with his free hand, nodding his head in thanks.
"Thank you, I'll trust your judgement. And thank you for the help, I really am useless when it comes to music." Shaking his head as he spoke, a small smile curling his lips. "Where as it seems you have a talent, or at least a love, for music."
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Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:19 am
Naomi looked up and offered a small, grateful smile as he took her books from her. Well, it was the least he could do really, and she was genuinely grateful for his act of chivalry. Turning her attention back to the bookstand once again, she did a quick recheck to make sure she hadn't missed anything, listening as she did so. "Yep, a woodwind," she confirmed with a nod, standing with an additional book that she'd found tucked behind the others. "There's this one too." He seemed happy enough with the other she'd selected, so she put the second one back on the shelf again before reaching out to take her books back from him, smiling in response to his gratitude. "Heh, no problem. I just...I dunno, it relaxes me. I find it soothing, just to disappear into another world, either by listening or playing." She glanced over her saxophone book, running a finger down the cover, "Do you not play any yourself, then?" Sleet Tempest Snape Chrome deleted my first post attempt, so sorry this is sucky ;;
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Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 4:23 pm
"No, I never have played. I've never tried either." So who knows if he had some talent for it. He'd never bothered to try and play any instrument. "I enjoy listening to my best friend play, it's relaxing when she plays." Whether say sang while she played or not it did wonders for relaxing a person.
"I paint myself, that's the form of art which I indulge in." He spoke with a hint of a small smile. The book she had picked for him, for Lily, was settled into his lap as she took back her own books. As he stood he kept hold on the two books she had found for him. Lily would, he had a feeling, like both of these. "It is, because I know nothing of music, that I had no clue what to get for my friend. Unfortunately, she is at present off in England with her family. I'm sending her a care package and thought some sheet music would be appreciated by her." He couldn't wait till Lily returned, since he knew she was working on a plan.
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Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 7:15 am
He'd never tried? "You should give it a go," she encouraged with a gentle smile, but nodded to show she understood the relaxation it brought just listening to it. She currently only had a battered old Walkman that Chase had dug up for her, but she hoped to save up for an iPod with a gigantic memory. "Painting?" That was pretty cool! Impressed, Naomi nodded, tucking a stray hair back behind her ear again. "What sort of things do you paint?" She wanted to ask whether he was any good, but that seemed a bit forward and a little rude. Painting itself was a fairly wide subject - there were different types of paint, and people often had a preference over the subject of their artwork. "Oh, England? That's...far." She frowned, and suddenly understood why he'd sought help. "She must mean a lot to you. I'm sure she'll really appreciate this." What was she saying? She didn't know this boy, didn't know his friend - her mouth was getting carried away again.
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Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 9:56 pm
"I wouldn't know where to being if I were to even consider trying. I can't read music, though Lily did attempt to teach me, it all made little to no sense to me." That was putting it simply, it really had all gone in one ear and right out the other. He just zoned out and couldn't focus on the lessons on reading music. "Not even just that, but what to try and see if I could even get to produce music for me." It seemed harder to him than it really should be.
"Mmm, I paint." Nodding his head as he smiled lightly. He enjoyed painting, he had at times painted while Lily would play her music, it was something he enjoyed and unfortunately hadn't had enough time for lately. That was something he hoped to change soon, he figured with school starting again he'd have the time if only because he had art classes. "I do nature paintings. I dislike painting people, there is that need to paint the person as they appear. With nature you can alter and change things as you please." So it gave some freedom and he liked that. He could add flowers, remove trees, and that sort of simple thing. He could also make up some scene from his own mind. "I like to work in water colors, I can make something as sort or as dark in color as I want." He could make a flower very delicate and soft looking and it worked nicely on doing other things, water and rain were other reasons he liked using water colors. Though he knew there was a good chance he'd have to use other paint types in school this year.
Turning his eyes, and a bright smile, upon the blond he noddedhis head. "She does, she's very much like an older sister. I've known Lily since I was born. My mother has worked with her father for years. Being that I have no siblings in blood she became an elder sister to me. Her parents became something of second parents to me and her elder siblings became, to a lesser extent elder siblings to me as well. We are quite close, so her moving has become something of a upset." And he wanted to send her something showing how much he missed her, even if he knew she was planning to get back here. He didn't know when she'd make it back.
"I think she'll appreciate this as well. our help has been very much appreciated." The smile, and his voice, said just that.
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Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 5:49 am
Oh, he couldn't read music? This now made a little more sense, he wouldn't have had a clue what he was buying - she could've just given him a horribly boring, near-impossible book. Luckily, she hadn't, and so Naomi smiled and nodded to show that she understood. Reading music was a pain to learn, but once you had it was a whole new language that opened up a plethora of new possibilities. "Music isn't for everyone," she sympathized, beginning to move over towards the cash desk where they could pay for their goods.
It was nice that he obviously had some artistic ability with his painting. "Just like how I can't draw for toffee," she offered with another smile, remembering the other night when she'd tried to draw a masterpiece and had ended up with a few stick figures that Chase had mocked mercilessly. "Nature paintings must be difficult, surely?" All of those reflections and shadows and lights to try and capture accurately...it sounded like a nightmare as far as Naomi was concerned. And with regards to altering things...well, that just made sense. Otherwise you might as well save yourself the trouble and buy a camera. "I love watercolours though, they're so...delicate."
The smile that graced his face when he started talking about this Lily was...it was amazing. It was so endearing, he clearly cared for her a lot, and Naomi couldn't help but smile back warmly. He spoke about her like a favourite sibling and an old friend, and Naomi briefly found herself mourning over the loss she'd had of any such thing. Had she had a friendship like this, before? "Like I said, it wasn't a problem." She forced a smile back onto her face again, placing her wares on the desk and turning back to Alex as the assistant scanned them through the till. "I hope you get to see her again soon."
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