Amara Luciano played the violin with everything she got. Diligent and loyal to the score. But as usual, something was missing. Her heart didn't pound anymore. She sighed and set the instrument down.

It was her dad's birthday and she couldn't mess Wieniawski. She practiced it. She could do it. She would do it.

"Hey, Amara."

She screamed at the sudden voice and grabbed a weapon which unfortunately was her violin bow. It would do. "Who are you? How did you get here?"

"Relax," the boy muttered as he stepped forward. He had a slight accent that she couldn't place.

"Stop it and answer my question!" Amara tightened her hold on the bow. "Or I'll call my dad!"

The boy looked amused instead of scared. It irritated her. Her daddy's name always pulled some kind of awe or fear to people around her. But the boy's only reaction was to sit in front of the piano.

He began playing Chopin's Tristesse.

Amara relaxed as the soft melody swirled in the air. She watched his elegant fingers as they pressed each key. And then the beats went faster. She saw him wince as two keys produced a harsh sound.

She smirked and set her bow aside. Amara took over the piano. She wasn't that good but her music sense helped her finished the piece. Amara eyed the boy beside her. "Not bad."

"Show off," he muttered.

"Are you supposed to be here?"

"No. But adult parties are not fun." He finally smiled that made his intense blue eyes sparkle. He held out a hand. "I'm Primo."

Amara frowned. She wasn't supposed to talk to strangers but someone who played music to get her to trust him didn't sound bad. She accepted his hand. "Amara."

"I know that," he said. "My new dad has been going about you for weeks."

"Your new dad?"

"You know him. Aslan Yusuf-Luchenko."

Amara nodded as her mind worked. She suddenly understood why he chose Chopin's Étude Op. 10 No. 3. The piece that critics had dubbed Tristesse—sadness.

"What? No questions?" Once again, delight lit up his eyes.

"I don't want to be nosy. It's up to you what you want to share with me." Amara crossed her arms as she eyed his gleeful face. "And don't smile like that when the topic is something you don't like."

"Why not? It's my charm."

She cringed at his words. "You think you're charming?"

"I know I am," he replied with a chuckle as her nose wrinkled. "You're fun to tease."

Amara rolled her eyes before she stood up and grabbed her violin. She appreciated Primo's effort for friendship but she didn't have time to fool around with kids. She had to practice. A lot.

And become the best.

"You really gonna do Wieniawski?"

Her head snapped up. "Why not?"

"Why not something your dad and everyone will enjoy?"

Amara frowned. She didn't like being told what to do when it comes to music. "Whatever. I don't want the suggestion of someone who messed up Chopin."

Primo's eyebrow lifted. "Really? My mother told me that pouring your soul into the notes is the most important thing in music. Can you really do that when you're worried if you're gonna make a mistake or not? Not to mention, this isn't a competition. There's no reason to do something as hard as Polonaise Brilliante."

She gaped at his confident words. "Your mother?"

"Sophia Pavlova."

Amara was speechless. She had heard of the Russian pianist's unforeseen demise. It shocked the world because she was just starting to have a name. "I'm...I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" He shrugged in nonchalance as he reached for her sheet music. "Anything else you want to play that won't require you to show off to imaginary judges? Maybe something that you actually like."

Amara stifled the urge to apologize as his conceited demeanor returned. "I like Hikaru Nara."

"From the anime?"

"You watched it? Oh my god! Did you cry?" she questioned despite Primo's obvious discomfort of the topic. He looked much more distraught than when they had talked about his mother.

"Of course not!"

She poked his cheek. "You did!"

He swatted her hand. "Whatever. But if you did watch it then you should know better than to be bound by rules."

Amara grinned at him. His challenge was well-received. "Then, I'll show you something that you've never seen before."

✘✘

i'm not a violin virtouso and everything I know about classical music are from google and anime. feel free to correct me nicely. ;)

hope you like this chapter!

vote and comments are appreciated!