One Path, Two Lives
an excerpt

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“How was music today?” her mom asked, sitting down next to Lilia and taking a bite of her sandwich.

“Normal,” replied Maya shrugging. “I’m advancing quickly on the musical theory, unlike some people.”

“Someday you’ll have to tell me just what Irena did to you.”

“She didn’t do anything,” Maya explained. “It’s just that lately she’s been starting to think she’s awesome at what she does and that percussion is really her thing. Oh and people always telling her how awesome she is at the drums doesn’t really help either. They feed her ego and she pleasantly accepts. It’s annoying, really.”

“Yes, but do you think she’s that good?”

“Well, okay, she’s good,” Maya admitted. “But if someone put a music sheet in front of her she wouldn’t be able to play a thing.”

Her mom sighed heavily and put her sandwich down on her plate. “Did you know that your grandfather played percussion in the band at the same time I did?” Maya nodded – she’d seen the pictures. “Well, he couldn’t read music either – he hated musical theory, and since he had such a good notion of rhythm and everything, they let him in the band without knowing musical theory.”

“What did he play?”

“He played the snare drum,” her mom said, taking a sip of her beer. “Look, your grandfather… You know the rhythm played in the marches?” Maya nodded. “Well, he had his own rhythm.” Seeing that Maya wanted to interrupt, she quickly said, “You can’t change the rhythm but you can add things to it.”

“Oh.”

“Yes. And that’s what your grandfather did. He played by ear.”

“Yes, okay, I see your point – but Irena doesn’t play by ear. She doesn’t play by anything.”

“Maybe she’s not as good as you all think,” her mom said simply.

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Wednesday, 17th October, 2007

Dear Diary,

You know, if I’d never gone back to the band in the first place, maybe I wouldn’t be having only a free half-afternoon. But I did, and what’s done is done.

So it’s currently a half past two in the afternoon and I’m just lazing around. Since I don’t have anything interesting to do in the laptop anymore and I don’t particularly feel like doing my homework, I decided to just write.

What should I write about, considering that this entry is only 5 lines short? Umm… How about band? I know it’s quickly starting to take over my life, but really… Give me a break, okay?

So, I had lesson yesterday. My lessons only last about 25 to 30 minutes, which is good. I get there at 5 and leave at a half past five. Well, I mean, I don’t think I’ll be leaving very soon today. Irena has a percussion lesson and she always takes long. Seriously, don’t I remember last Friday?

Well, I have to meet her at a half past three, so that we can be there at four. I honestly don’t get why she wants to be there so early, but hey, maybe that’s just me. Considering that her lesson is only at a half past four, you would think she would want to be there about fifteen minutes before but NO, half an hour!

Well, I’m super-excited about music, to be quite frank. Let’s see where this takes me! =D

~Maya~

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About three hours later

Dear Diary,

I’m SO incredibly mad at Irena. I mean, I know that it’s not entirely her fault that I got home too late, but really! “Oh Maya, I have to wait for him!” But him, who? I came to find out later that it was one of the percussionists, Peter. Apparently, he was the one teaching Irena.

So we waited and by the time I got home it was a half past SIX! I was ready to throttle Irena, especially because my mom called me super-angry when I was getting home asking me just when the hell I was getting there!

I hate to disappoint my mom, and that’s exactly how I felt I did. I had disappointed her. She had trusted me – she always told me to not get home late – and I… I disappointed her. Simply because Irena was too involved in her lesson to pay attention to the time.

Well, I swear – one of these days I’m so going to stay later in lessons. Seriously. I’ll say that “we were having a really important lesson and I couldn’t just interrupt it.” You know, exactly like she said. Throwing her words right back at her. It’ll be fun, undoubtedly.

Yes, I’m having this really mean streak in me showing up but hey, that’s just me.

So, tests are starting next week and I haven’t studied a thing yet. I’ll have to start on Friday, so I’ll study Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday for the Mathematics test. I’ll need it, really.

So that’s it.

Bye-bye!
Maya

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“So tell me Maya, how would you describe that image?”

Maya heard the question directed at her and blanched. What does she mean?

“Umm…it’s a horse,” she said in a matter-of-fact voice, as if implying it was so obviously obvious.

“Yes, yes, but what is it doing?” her Sciences teacher pressured.

“It’s called eating, professor,” Maya said, while hearing the laughs from all around the class. “You know, everyone needs it?”

Sighing heavily, her Sciences teacher shook her head and moved on to another student.

“Tell me Richard, how would you describe that image?”

Rolling her eyes, Maya leaned back on the chair and closed her eyes, sighing. She hated Sciences. I guess it’s obvious I’m going for Social and Humanistic Sciences. She couldn’t wait until next year – she’d be studying things she liked, and not things like Sciences, Physics, Chemistry or even Biology. Pure heaven, to be truthful.

“Sleeping is not allowed in class,” said a serious voice next to her.

Opening her eyes quickly, Maya looked to her left to find her Sciences teacher standing there, looking at her gravely.

“I wasn’t sleeping,” she said matter-of-factly. “I was resting from studies.”

“School isn’t meant to rest in.”

“I know – but it was just for a few seconds and-“

“It doesn’t matter,” her teacher snapped. “No resting or sleeping is allowed in this class!”

Maya rolled her eyes and sat down normally again, this time with her eyes open and paying attention to the professor. Maybe I should take notes, she thought vaguely. Since I’m always taking notes in History class, I should try to take notes here too.

As she started to take notes, she noticed Irena, who was sitting in the desk in front of her, turning around to face her.

“Hey,” she whispered. “Are you going to the band today?”

“What for?” Maya whispered back. “It’s [i]Friday[/i].”

“Yeah – and I have lesson!”

“But I don’t.”

“…oh.”

Irena turned back around and didn’t talk to her for the rest of the class.

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Friday, 19th October 2007

Dear Diary,

I think Irena is taking this sulking thing a little too far. I mean, really… We were in Sciences class today and she turns around and asks if I’m going to band today. I, obviously, said NO. I mean, it’s Friday – what am I going there for?

But she was obviously only concerned about herself because she said immediately that she had lesson. And I said, of course, that I didn’t. Then she said “oh” and turned back around. Like…huh? And then she didn’t say anything else for the rest of the class.

Then in Physics and Chemistry? She barely said anything to me – she’s becoming hideous, really. All this “being good” thing is getting to her head – for real. She’d better start noticing all that she’s been doing, because I’m not going to stand for this much more. Seriously.

Well, that’s it for today. Wow, short. Heh… What else can I say?

How about Denise’s behaviour? I swear, she’s getting on my nerves! She was all nice and kind to me during the Summer – she commented lots of times on my MySpace, we even went out together during some afternoons…

And then she starts ignoring me. Totally. I could barely believe it. I mean, who is she? Also, am I the only one who’s been noticing that? Because she’s still friendly with all the others. Well, let’s see.

Uh! Speak of the devil and here she comes! Denise just got online. Wonderful. Oh and she’s talking to me. Double wonderful! Well, I have to go.

Time to endure the Devil.
Maya