Music of the Night // Skii

[Joseph "Max" Keys]

It was just after dinner and the concert hall was deserted. Well, mostly deserted anyway, for anyone who were to pass by it would hear piano music overflowing out of it, music that filled the room to such an extent that it appeared odd that there was only one person in the room. That one person sat at the grand piano, which sat on stage left and slightly up stage. His fingers floated across the keys and Piano Sonata No. 14 aka "Moonlight Sonata" by Beethoven filled the room. Quite a contrast to his clothing, which consisted of jeans, a blue button down tee shirt thrown over a black tee shirt, and sneakers.

The song became slower and quieter as Max brought it to a close, finally ending in two quiet chords. He sighed, flexed his fingers, then pondered a minute as to what we should play next. He wanted to play something that was still slow, but then also more powerful. As he thought, he tapped his fedora (which sat on the bench beside him), drumming his fingers as he went through the mental list of songs he had learned how to play over the years. It took him a moment, but then he remembered the Phantom of the Opera pieces he had learned a year or so ago. Wondering if he could still play it, he put his fingers back to the keys and started playing The Music of the Night.

As he played on, he realized that he still had this song down perfectly, by memory, despite not having played it in nearly a year. He grinned as he played it, humming along to it. Soon, his humming turned into singing to himself. He hadn't even realized he was singing, it was just something he happened to do. After all, he had played the Phantom in last year's play.

"Night time sharpens, heightens each sensation
Darkness stirs and wakes imagination
Silently the senses
Abandon their defenses"

He could feel the music swelling under his fingers, and although he tried very hard not to play or sing too loudly, he couldn't help it. After all, it was night time. At least it was summer, for if it was during the school year, Max knew he would get in trouble for playing in the concert hall so late at night.

"Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendor
Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender
Turn your face away
From the garish light of day
Turn your thoughts away from cold unfeeling light
And listen to the music of the night."

[Skii Rose Reeve]

Skii began walking towards usual spot in the concert hall. She didn't think that there was to much going on in there so she hoped the stage was clear of dust. She smoothed her shirt feeling so unprofessional. She chose a cream color skirt that hit her mid thigh. With a casual off black tee with a silver neckline. For a burst of color she chose a multi colored bracelet and a pair of pink high heels to match.

She had straitened her hair and pulled part of it back and placed a sparkley butterfly on the to finish off her look. Skii smoothed her shirt wondering why she chose to look so casual today. She laughed to her self knowing that most people would thin this was very un casual.

She dug in her bag to find her Ipod and listen to something maybe Hairspray like. She found her tunes and placed the ear buds in her ears but before she turned on Good Morning Baltimore She heard music coming from the concert hall. It was beautiful. She her self couldn't play instruments. Skii didn't recognize what the song was though... something classical probably.

Skii fallowed the sound onto the stage and saw a boy playing at the piano. She cracked the door open when he started to play another song. This one she knew. It was fro, Phantom. A classic musical. She listened as the boy began to hum. Then his music began to crescendo along with his voice letting the music fill the auditorium.

Skii pulled the ear buds from her ears and placed her Ipod back into her bag. She mumbled along with the lyrics and quietly pulled her notebook and pencils from her bag. She wrote down the words and scrambled in her own with what she was singing. She was good at multi-tasking like that.

She looked at the boy who was playing. She was older and had a fedora sitting next to him on the bench. She bit her lip and kept writing trying not to disturb him. She was so into what she was writing Skii didn't notice her bag begin to slip from her shoulder. Suddenly close to the end of the song. KERPLOP! Her bag dropped to the ground her pencil and pens rolled around her and all over the stage. Her papers fallowed the pens and pencils. Skii was shocked.

"Oh place where Elphaba goes to college!" Skii then began to mumble real curses under her breath as she kicked off her shoes and got down on the ground to start collecting her things. She looked up at the boy at the piano knowing she must have disturbed him.


clothes

[Joseph "Max" Keys]

Max was so wrapped up in his music, he didn't hear the footsteps approaching. He hadn't expected anyone to come to use the concert hall, as usually nobody did during his late night practice sessions. Only once had he been disturbed at night, and that was because he was playing too loudly too late at night. Sometimes, when Max played this late at night, he forgot it was even night time, and started playing louder pieces, like Haydn's Symphony No 94 in G, also known as the Surprise Symphony. It was named so specifically because of its purpose. Haydn had written it just so that once the king and queen he played for were falling asleep from the quiet part, he played a few loud chords to wake them up.

But back to the piece Max was currently playing; The Music of the Night. He was almost to the end when a loud sound interrupted him. Ker-plop! A bag fell to the ground and without even turning around Max could hear the pencils and pens rolling across the stage. Startled, he stopped playing, and turned around to face whoever it was that had come hoping to use the vacant stage only to end up a one person audience to Max's impromptu solo performance.

The girl who now stood in front of him was dressed in what could be called a fashionable business casual, though something told him that to the girl, it was more casual than business. However, based on the color in her accessories and lack there of in her actual clothing, her outfit over all had to be strategically put together. Normally, Max didn't notice what people wore, but at the moment, he was just too surprised by her mere existence in the room to think like he normally did.

She looked young, perhaps Mischa's age, and since she entered from the stage, he assumed she was a theater major. Sure enough, her choice of curse words (Oh place where Elphaba goes to college!) indicated to Max that she was not only a fellow theater major, but a fellow Broadway fan as well.

One pencil, hurried to escape for some unknown reason, had managed to roll all the way across the stage to where Max sat by the piano. He turned around so that he now sat on the bench facing her, picked it up, and walked across the stage to return it to her. He kneeled down, picking up a few more, and handed them to her. "I believe these are yours." he said. He waited until she stood and stood up at the same time. "I take it you're a fellow Theater major?" He quite obviously didn't mind the interruption, on the contrary, he enjoyed meeting new people.

[Skii Rose Reeve]

"I believe this is yours."

Skii gratefully took the pencils from the boy who had been playing at the piano. She felt really bad for interrupting his playing. She shoved the pencil in her bag quickly then looked back at him.

"Thank you... This bag always gets me in trouble..." Skii pushed her hair behind her shoulder and blushed a little. "I think I put to much stuff in it.." She closed her bag and scanned the rest of the stage to make sure all her stuff was all picked up.

"I take it you're a fellow Theater major?" The boy asked her. Was it really that easy to tell. She searched her mind to see if she had any of her show shirts on, but no she knew she wouldn't walk around school with that on.

"Is it really that easy to tell.... Not that i mind or anything that people know. " Skii smiled still feeling bad about interrupting him. "Oh , and i'm sorry about interrupting you and kind of... spying on you too. It's just that I like coming here and usually n one else is hear. I usually have to clean the stage."

Skii knew that probably sounded weird. She knew that to most people cleaning wasn't fun but to Skii it reminded her of her two older sister. She realized that she missed her family a bit. Well, her siblings at least. There were so many secrets she had to keep there.

Skii straightened her skirt and went to put her shoes back on. Skii tried to get her family out of her head but stayed there. Wow, she thought to her self. I've been away for a few weeks and I'm already home sick.

Skii set her bag down where her shoes were making sure nothing decided to roll out. She crossed her arms over her chest as she walked back over to the boy.

"Ya I'm a theater major, I love musical theater but unfortunately I can't dance." She shrugged her shoulders. Skii let her arms fall and began to mess with the bracelet on her wrist. "I'm Skii Rose by the way." She tossed her hair back again. and waited for the boys reply to all of her talking.

[Joseph "Max" Keys]

Thank you... This bag always gets me in trouble... I think I put to much stuff in it..
"That may be it." Max said with a chuckle. He could tell that she was slightly embarrassed. She was a sweet girl, and Max wondered if she knew his sister Mischa. He figured they were the same age, and if she was into theater they had that in common. Mischa was easy to get along with, and this girl seemed to be the same.

Is it really that easy to tell.... Not that i mind or anything that people know.
"Well you are standing on a stage." Max said with a chuckle. "And only a Theater major specifically interested in Broadway would choose curse words related to Wicked." he pointed out. He figured the curse was something she was so used to saying, she didn't think to think about it.

Oh , and I'm sorry about interrupting you and kind of... spying on you too. It's just that I like coming here and usually no one else is hear. I usually have to clean the stage.
"Oh no worries." Max said. "I was finishing up anyway. I've been here a while." He paused. "Usually nobody else comes here when I'm here, so I just play till I run out of songs or something, but I've been here for some time, so I figure it's time to give someone else a chance to use the stage anyway." he said gesturing toward her when he said 'someone else'.

By the way she spoke about cleaning the stage, he wondered if she as germophobic or something. Which would be weird. A germophobic theater major? Theater would be a germophobe's worst nightmare... wearing clothes other people wore... sharing make up... using the dirty stage... props... he brushed the thought away.

Ya I'm a theater major, I love musical theater but unfortunately I can't dance.
"Well dancing isn't easy. It's not one of my favorite parts about musicals." He scratched the back of his head. "Acting, I'm fine. Memorizing lines, I'm good. Singing, alright. I've even written and directed stuff before. Dancing, though, I'm not as good at. And if there weren't any dancing in Broadway musicals, I probably wouldn't dance at all." Alright, so he was exaggerating a bit. His dancing was passable, though not as good as his acting, memorizing, and singing. And he did dance sometimes, when he went to clubs, but dancing in clubs wasn't really dancing at all, so that hardly counted. Besides, he didn't go to clubs often, and when he did it was only for the music and meeting new people.

I'm Skii Rose by the way.
"I'm Max. Max Keys." He said, bowing his head slightly. "Skii Rose. Pretty name." he said. Two first names. He wondered why Skii, and if it has one or two I's.

[Skii Rose Reeve]

"I'm Max. Max Keys."

Wow Skii though very James Bond-ish. She smiled to her self. She wondered why he was here all alone a guy like him must have lots of friends and other people who would want to hand out... Then again she came here alone all the time so it wasn't really her place to ask.

Skii also figured he was exaggerating his bad dancing. She knew she could almost keep a beat but anything other than a few step touches and maybe a pivot then she look like an awkward turtle...

She had giggled some when he talked about her chosen curse. She figured if she said Shiz it would give people the wrong idea. So, For herself she made it longer. It also made her happy he knew the reference. Wicked it was one of her favorites.

"Skii Rose. Pretty name."

She smiled. Of course it was .... She chose it for her stage name. It just happened to be her real name too.

"Well really my name is Skii-Lynn Rose Reeve. Though Skii Rose is my stage name. Plus Skii is spelled with two "i's" instead of a y. It gives my name a certain look."

Skii walked over to the piano bench where Max had been doing his performance and picked up his fedora he had left there. She crossed her legs and spun the hat around her fingers.

"So, It's pretty obvious I like musicals and so do you, but whats your favorite one? I know hard question seeing there are so many off them. But I'll be nice and give it a strict policy of it had to be ON Broadway and not an OFF Broadway show like the Forbidden Broadway's. Okay?"

Skii liked this talking about musical theater. It was her best subject. She could list off so many musical, Most of the time people had never heard of them. She bit her lip and sat Max's fedora back on the bench beside her. She went to swing herself around but saw that there was a layer of dust on the piano top.

Skii mumbled under her and quickly stood up. She had stashed some cleaning supplies back stage. If this was going to be her regular hang out it had to be clean. Yes it had taken her a week to clean the back stage area by herself but she did it and it made her fell good.

"Hey, ummm Will you help me carry some cleaning stuff up here from the back? Not that you have to clean or anything it's just. I like to clean and ya I know weird. And I know it's an odd request but I hid some of the janitors cleaning stuff in the back so I just want to clean your piano so when your playing it both of you will look good."

Skii smiled hoping he would understand and not run away thinking she was insane. She awaited her answer clicking her heel on the ground.

[Joseph "Max" Keys]

Well really my name is Skii-Lynn Rose Reeve. Though Skii Rose is my stage name. Plus Skii is spelled with two "i's" instead of a y. It gives my name a certain look.
Max nodded. "Makes sense. And hmm, yeah, that would give your name a nice look, wouldn't it?" he said, picturing the way her name was spelled in his mind. "Actually, my real name is Joseph Keys, but I go by Max... though I've never really thought of it as a stage name before." Really, Max had always thought of the name Max as a nickname, like how most guys named Joseph went by Joe, only Max and Joseph had none of the same letters.

So, It's pretty obvious I like musicals and so do you, but whats your favorite one? I know hard question seeing there are so many off them. But I'll be nice and give it a strict policy of it had to be ON Broadway and not an OFF Broadway show like the Forbidden Broadway's. Okay?
Max chuckled, turning to watch Skii walk over and sit down on the piano bench, playing with his fedora. Once she sat, he walked over so he stood in front of her. "Hmm... that is a tough one." he said, biting his lip and pacing a little before taking a seat beside her. "Phantom of the Opera is definitely up there, but I unfortunately haven't seen the musical, only the movie. So I'll say that one doesn't count." He paused. "Wicked and Hair are definitely up there... oh and RENT..." he sighed. "It's a close call, but I'd probably have to say RENT." he finally chose. "Though sadly, I have never taken a part in either RENT or Hair... I would like to, even though" he chuckled "I'm not sure I'd make a very good hippie." he said, speaking of Hair.

Hey, ummm Will you help me carry some cleaning stuff up here from the back? Not that you have to clean or anything it's just. I like to clean and ya I know weird. And I know it's an odd request but I hid some of the janitors cleaning stuff in the back so I just want to clean your piano so when your playing it both of you will look good.
"Sure." Max said, standing up. "And it may be an odd request, but it is somewhat understandable... I mean, I'd imagine cleaning is a good energy release, just like any sport or art." he shrugged. "It just depends on how you look at it. Most people view it as work. Some people view writing as work, though I think it's fun."

[Skii Rose Reeve]

"Sure. And it may be an odd request, but it is somewhat understandable... I mean, I'd imagine cleaning is a good energy release, just like any sport or art. "

Skii was grateful for him not thinking she was crazy. She started walking back to behind stage. She stopped and looked at her shoes and fiddled with her bracelet wondering if she should take them off. She really didn't like shoe that much anyways..

"It just depends on how you look at it. Most people view it as work. Some people view writing as work, though I think it's fun."

"Oh thank you here. The stuff is over here... Just don't tell the Janitor." Skii kicked off her shoes near where she had sown him where the cleaning stuff was. She went over and got down on her hands and knees to get the cleaning supplies she had hidden. She moves some paint cans left over from the last performance and starts handing Max them.

"Don't start about writing... I love it. You know its pretty easy to tell since you had to collect all those pencils for me when I dropped my bag. But besides acting... That's all I do. I'm writing two musical... But I don't know how well they are going. I never can finish anything except short stories and poems... I think thats good."

Skii collected three out of the six containers she had pulled out and the dust rag leaving three for Max. She left her shoes in the back as she walked up front.

"Sorry about my monologues.. Ya that was meant to be humorous." Skii smiled putting her stuff on the piano bench that she realized needed cleaning also. "But I kind of just ramble sometimes... And I like Rent too. Wicked is my favorite and Annie Get Your Gun... I've never seen Hair because of the naked part." She looks at where Max is standing. and wonders if she even has the right spray for a piano...

"Your right," She smiles u at him. "You don't look like a hippie. But I could see you as a Mark If you got a little geekier looking. But for Wicked you'd be a definite Fiyero."

Skii sits next to the piano leg on her knees with the polish and dusting spray around her. She leans to get the dusting spray but her hair falls in front of her face.and she pushes it back.

[Joseph "Max" Keys]

Max chuckled when she said not to tell the Janitor. "Of course not." he said, helping her move aside the pain cans. "Wow, there sure is a lot of cleaning stuff back here." he said. "Now I know why the stage area is always so clean." he joked, lifting the three containers and following Skii out toward the piano.

"Wow, two musicals?" Max raised his eyebrows. "I can only work on one musical at a time, otherwise my muse gets too drained. And it takes me soo long because I keep going back and editing stuff..." he shook his head. "I finish them, it just takes me way too long to do so. So I usually just stick to one acts and short stories." He made a face. "As for poetry, I've written some, but I'm not as good at them. I dunno, it's too different from what I normally do."

Sorry about my monologues
"Hey, no worries. You have a lot to say and I love listening to people." Max said. He shrugged. He was generally good at listening to people. Which was funny, because as an actor, people often assumed he was a huge attention hog, who wanted peoples' eyes on him at all times. He was like that during the rare moments when he was super excited about something, like if the school was going to put on a play he wrote, he would run around telling everybody about it, some people even multiple times, and sometimes interrupting conversations or purposefully steering them in that direction. Lately though, he had nothing of the sort to talk about.

He placed the containers on the piano bench next to where Skii had placed the other three. "I haven't seen Annie Get Your Gun, actually." He frowned. "To be honest, I don't know much about that one at all." he paused. "And yeah, I saw Hair this past spring, actually. A local college was performing it, so I went to watch. I imagine the real thing was way better, but I think you had to be eighteen to see it, and I was seventeen last time they were in town." He shrugged.

Max grinned when she said he could play Mark, if he got a little geekier-looking. "I figured that if I wanted to play any role, it would be Mark. He's one of my favorite characters." he told her. "And I was actually planning on trying out for Fiyero once, but I twisted my ankle the day before the audition." he made a face. "I still got a background role, but I would have liked to play Fiyero... again, a favorite character of mine." He told her.

[Skii Rose Reeve]

"I figured that if I wanted to play any role, it would be Mark. He's one of my favorite characters. And I was actually planning on trying out for Fiyero once, but I twisted my ankle the day before the audition."
Skii looked up at Max sympathetically. She hated when things like that happen to fellow actors. The business was hard enough as it was. Having even a little injury can cause you to loose a lead or even a part.

"I still got a background role, but I would have liked to play Fiyero... again, a favorite character of mine."

Skii sprayed the piano leg closest to her. She took a clean towel and wipes down the leg giving it a shiny finish.
She looks over at Max and sees he would make an excellent Fiyero. He has the physical appeal and it sounded like the voice.

"It kinda has been my dream to be green ya know. I think Elphaba would be a good character for me. I don't know she is just so cool. I've seen Wicked Twice and it was wonderful. I want to try out for it but the show never comes around where I lived at. If not Elphie then I think I would be a Nessa Rose. Though she doesn't get quite as much stage time... but she does get Boq who is a cutey. Oh, and I wouldn't have to dance any seeing she is in a wheel chair..."

Skii moved around and took her cleaning stuff to the other leg of the piano. Spraying it then wiping it down. Smiling as it became all shiny. She loved Wicked it was an amazing musical and very well put together.

"Though I don't see myself as a Galinda. No way. One I think I would look awful with blond hair and two I hate how she does the popular song. It is so odd. Though it is funny. Whatever. And I am a little to young to be a Madam Morrble even with the best stage make-up.You know?"

Skii shrugged getting up to go do the other piano legs. At the mention of Wicked a song popped up in her head. "No one mourns the wicked no one cries they won't return.." The song played in her head and she unknowingly began to humm it.

[Joseph "Max" Keys]

Max kneeled down next to Skii by the piano bench, listening to her speak about the possibility of being Elphaba. "Oh yeah, you'd make a great Elphaba." he said. "Though the thing with Wicked is you need to be able to do stuff like make it look like Elphaba is flying on a broomstick or Galinda is flying in a bubble, and unless the theater has the right technology for that, chances are, they're not gonna be able to do the play at all and will stick with plays that are low-tech. Like The Sound of Music or something." he told her. He was lucky enough to grow up in an area where the city put a lot of money into their arts programs, especially theater, so they had plays like Wicked going on every once in a while.

He laughed when she mentioned playing Nessarose and how she wouldn't have to dance. "That's true, though she does finally stand up much later... she only gets to stand briefly in the show before she gets the house dropped on her." he brought up. "But hmm yeah, I could definitely see you as either role. Though you're still young. You have plenty of time." he said of her wanting to act in it. She was about his sister's age, and since Elphaba and Nessarose were at college age in the play, he figured she had some growing up to do before acting in it. Though come to think of it, Max had only been a little older than Skii when he had tried out for Fiyero...

He laughed again when she said she wouldn't make a good Galinda. "Yeah, a Galinda without blonde hair just wouldn't be Galinda, you know? Plus, I don't know... I couldn't see you acting all ditzy and superficial like Galinda is supposed to be. Granted, I've only known you for a few minutes... but you seem more down to earth than that." he said. "Another reason why you'd be way better at Elphaba or Nessarose." He agreed that she was way too young to be Madam Morrible. If she had some growing to do before being Elphaba (though, he realized, since Nessarose was younger, she'd probably make a good Nessarose already), she would have even more to do before playing the role of Madam Morrible.

He smiled to himself, watching her clean as he listened to her hum to herself. "From what I can tell, you have a nice voice too." he added for good measure. Compliments came naturally to him. He was a good natured person and was generally very good at noticing a person's strengths, often making whoever he spent time around feel good about themself. Some people found it odd how much he spoke well of others, considering he nearly never spoke ill of others, though some found it more nice and even refreshing.

[Skii Rose Reeve]

"From what I can tell, you have a nice voice too." Skii was almost done with the piano legs and was going to start on the body. She felt so goo d cleaning the piano she just might have to clean the rest of the stage. She laughed wondering why she just didn't clean for a living.

She nodded her head to everything Max had told. Why not he agreed with her and gave her compliments that would almost make her blush. Saying she would make a goo Elphaba and was to down to earth for Glinda (Well she could play ditzy but that was besides the point) But she didn't like all the compliments in a row. She shook the thought away knowing he was just trying to be nice.

"You know you don't know that I could be awful." Skii smiled at him playfully. "I could just be a wanna be and you wouldn't even know it. You at least can play the piano and sing decently you've proved that but me I could totally stink and you wouldn't even know."

Skii laughed to her self. It was true he had given her a performance and she hadn't given him a thing. Not that She was bad. She was a great singer and an even Better Actress but he didn't know not yet at least.

Skii picked up her stuff and put them on top of the piano . She stood up fixing her skirt then tugging on her bracelets. She sat down next to max on the piano bench then swung her shoe less feet around to the piano keys. She looked at the white and black keys and ran her fingers over them just to feel them and not to make a sound.

"Your already a step up from me my knowledge of instruments is very restrictive. I know 'D' is in the dog house," Skii placed her finger between to black keys and played the 'D' note. "And that the notes go up and down from there. Thats all my voice lesson teacher taught me. Though he wasn't the best teacher any way he was always drunk."

Skii kept her hands on the piano key. She smiled and began to play..... Hot cross buns! That was all she new how to play. It was simple and easy . she poked at the notes with her finger. She ended the so called song by hitting the three notes all together. She smiled and looked over at Max.

"Wasn't that brilliant!" Skii laughed a little. but then bit her lip a little embarrassed about how bad she was, especially compared to him.

[Joseph "Max" Keys]

Max sat and thought about what she had said for a moment. It was true, he had no way of knowing how good at acting she really was. As for the singing, he had reached the point where he could often tell from a person's voice, the way they spoke and even hummed, if they would make a good singer, and Skii's voice told him that she was an excellent singer.

He then came up with something. "If you were truly awful, I don't think you would have said that." he told her. "You would have probably blushed, and generally acted much less confidently." he said. "And given the amount of experience it sounds like you have, if you were awful, you would know it." He gave a small smile. "As for the singing, I can tell by your voice alone that you're a good singer. I've been to enough tryouts to be able to figure that out." he added with a chuckle. He didn't have to hear her sing to know she was good at it. However, now that she had brought it up, he was curious to hear what exactly she sounded like and whether his guesses at what type of voice she had were right.

She sat down next to him on the piano bench and he watched her run her fingers up and down the keys. It was always interesting to see how people who weren't pianists acted around pianos. Either they'd play the one song they know (usually Chopsticks) or hit random keys and try to make something that sounded good. Skii, it seemed, was of the former type.

He laughed when she mentioned 'D is in the doghouse' and the notes go up and down from there. "Well, that's a start." he said. She then began to play... hot cross buns! He laughed and applauded a little when she was done.

"Hmm, I have an idea..." He said. He put one of his hands where she had been playing hot cross buns. "Can you try this?" He then played the harmony for Heart and Soul. C C E E, A A C C, F F A A, G G B B... "It's one part of a duet. That part just repeats over and over." he told her. If Skii was a fast enough learner, maybe they could play the duet. It had been a while since Max had played Heart and Soul (a piece he used to play with one hand doing each part) but it was simple enough piece. Easy to learn, easy to remember once you had learned it. "That's the basic part, but sometimes people jazz it up a little with a bunch of chords." he told her.

[Skii Rose Reeve]

"Hmm, I have an idea..." Skii bit her lip and looked over a Max. She had already made a fool of her self and she was itching to clean the rest of the piano. She smoothed her outfit and flipped back her hair. She watched Max place his hands on the piano.

"Can you try this?" Max started to play some notes. They seemed easy enough but... she chewed on the inside of her mouth and watched him play some more. She had heard this song before. Everyone who ever sat at the piano played this song.

She counted the notes from D... It looked like CC. She placed her hand on the piano and played the notes. Then she played EE... It took her a moment to find the correct A note then continued AA CC FF. b.

"I'm Sorry I counted wrong. See It took me forever to learn Hot cross buns. I have very few talents..." Skii let out a breath and tried again. Her fingers skimmed the top of the keys in front of her and she played CC EE AA CC FF AA . She hesitated for a moment trying to remember the next set of notes.

"G" She mummbled under her breath and picked out GG BB.

Skii shook her head very disappointed. "See you can't give me too much credit for what I say I can do. That was absolutely horrid." Skii nervously played with the bracelets on her wrist. She chewed on the inside of her cheek.

"I was never very good at instruments really. Your wonderful though. I just... Sorry." Skii placed her hands back on the keys and ready to attempt to try again.

"But I might get it." She played the notes again Much better this time. They were still imperfect and bothered her. She looked over at Max to see what he was thinking.

"I just... I get frustrated when I can't get stuff. But that was better." She smiled half heartily and played the notes again. She cursed under breath knowing this was a very easy song.

[Joseph "Max" Keys]

Max watched as Skii tried to figure out the notes. It took her a while, but she got it.
I'm Sorry I counted wrong. See It took me forever to learn Hot cross buns. I have very few talents...
"Well you don't take lessons or anything, so really, you caught on pretty quickly." he said. "And people tend to have more talents than they know." Max found that most people didn't feel there talents as anything special. Even Max himself didn't see his ability to play the piano as anything special. Everyone and their brother could play the piano. But there were some talents that were rarer, and those he appreciated. Very few people could, for example, play the ukulele.

See you can't give me too much credit for what I say I can do. That was absolutely horrid.
Max chuckled. "No, that was good, really. When I first started learning, it took me forever to even grasp the concept of there being multiple C's on the same piano." he said.
I was never very good at instruments really. Your wonderful though. I just... Sorry. But I might get it.
"These things take practice. That's what you don't see, how much practice goes into it. You've only tried playing this bit what, three times so far? Both songs I was playing earlier were learned over the course of a number of months, and even so I had to learn one page at a time, one hand at a time. Even with longer songs, no matter how talented you are, you can't learn a whole song in a day." he told her. He listened to her play. It was much better this time. "See? You are already improving." He added with a smile.

I just... I get frustrated when I can't get stuff. But that was better.
"Don't we all?" Max said. "Like I said, it just needs practice." He thought back to when he first learned Heart and Soul. His uncle had taught it to him one day when he had come to visit the family. Max's parents had told Max to perform something for his uncle when his uncle requested that song. Max said that regrettably, he wasn't familiar with it, upon which his uncle decided to teach it to him.