L U C A

"... and I expect an essay on the influence of Shakespeare's works on modern literature, due next Monday," said Professor Johnson at the end of the class that day, a murmur of dismay raising from the students in return. But they all groaned when he added, "You will also compose an original poem of your own for three weeks from now. Have a good day." The professor then grabbed his briefcase and left the classroom before anyone could complain.

Ever since the death of Nancy Green, most of the professors, including professor Johnson, had been deep within their grief. Nancy did not have many friends, but she was certainly one of the brightest students in every class, and a favorite to all the professors.

"So, what are your plans for today?" Nicholas asked Luca and Shawn as everyone began to get up from their seats.

"I have rugby practice in an hour," said Shawn. "I've got my first game coming up."

"Really? When?" Nicholas asked excitedly.

"Third of October. St. George university's team is coming all the way here for the game."

"Are you nervous?"

Shawn scoffed arrogantly. "Never."

Nicholas smiled before turning to face Luca, who was neatly placing his textbooks inside his bag. "How about you, Luca?"

"I have a music lesson right now," said Luca, smiling at him apologetically. "I'll see you guys at lunch."

After bidding his friends goodbye, Luca walked his way up to the music room on the fifth floor of the Berrington Hall. When he entered the large circular room, he found that most of the students were already present, but Mr. Carter, their music teacher, had yet to arrive.

Luca headed straight for the piano after greeting the others, though it lacked the smiles that were usually exchanged between them. This was their first gathering here after Nancy's death. She had been one of them, after all, and it felt as though a light had gone out among them.

The room felt quieter than ever somehow as the minutes passed by, until the door opened and they saw Mr. Carter walk inside. He had dark bags underneath his eyes, and he looked as though he had forgotten how to smile, or as if he had never known how to laugh. Nancy had always been one of the most talented students in his class, and her death was a loss to him, too, after all.

There was no music in the instruments that day as they tried to play in harmony, each note sounding strident; the cellos were earsplitting and the violins shrill, and Luca found himself unable to focus on playing the piano, making numerous mistakes that Mr. Carter felt too weary to correct.

After he dismissed the class, the students left the room one by one, but Luca came to a stop when Mr. Carter called up to him from where he sat behind his desk.

"Luca, can I talk to you for a moment?" said Mr. Carter, his voice drowning in exhaustion.

Confused, Luca walked up to his desk as the last student left the music room, leaving the two of them alone. "Yes?"

"I took a look at your sheet music," he said, placing the papers on his desk. "I actually wanted to give it back to you last week, but because of the recent circumstances..." Mr. Carter's voice faded out. A blight seemed to have descended on him as he went pale with grief.

"And what did you think of it?" Luca asked hesitantly, trying to drag Mr. Carter out of his dark train of thoughts.

He looked up at Luca, blinking a few times as though trying to bring himself back to reality. "Oh, it was absolutely brilliant. I still can't believe you composed all that on your own."

Luca's cheeks turned pink, his face brightening up. "You think so?"

"Yes, definitely." Mr. Carted nodded solemnly. "You are very talented, Luca. I've always thought so. But after seeing this... it amazed me."

Luca's happy grin widened and the rosy color of his cheeks deepened. "Thank you."

With a proud smile, Mr. Carter picked up the hand-written music sheets from his desk and handed them to Luca, but the boy didn't leave. He lingered on the spot, the words burning on his lips as he tried to muster enough confidence to speak them out loud.

"Mr. Carter," Luca started, fumbling with the papers in his hands as he spoke, "there — there's a small concert taking place during the two first weeks of April, at the Wigmore Hall in London. The auditions are in November, and I was thinking about participating in it."

"That's a wonderful idea!" Mr. Carter exclaimed encouragingly, smiling. "I have full faith in you, Luca. I'm sure you'll make it."

"Thank you," said Luca as he looked down at his shoes, though this wasn't the part he wanted to say. He forced himself to go on, "Actually, sir... I — I wanted to ask you if you would like to come to the concert as my guest — if I get in."

"Oh..." Mr. Carter's face fell, and his smile was replaced by an apologetic look in his eyes. "I would've loved to come, but as it so happens, I'm getting married at the beginning of April this year, and I'll be on my honeymoon for the entire break."

"Oh! That's great! Congratulations!" Luca said brightly. "When did you get engaged?"

"In August. She's a wonderful woman. And from a great family."

Luca was happy for his teacher, though a part of him felt disappointed. He was way too familiar with that feeling. And just like that, the memory of years ago flashed before his eyes in a single moment that stretched on and on, as though it was frozen in time.

Luca could remember that day vividly, the details still alive in his mind; the gentle sound of raindrops against the theatre's windows, the strong scent of wood in the backstage, the light chatter coming from the audience over the stage's long, red curtains. He had been a boy of nine back then; younger than any other student in his piano class, yet more talented than all of them combined.

"Now, kids, as planned, first we'll have Sam on the stage, then Luca, then James, Harold, Glenn, Jimmie, Gordon, Douglas, and at last Robert. You will each play your piece individually. After you're done playing, stand up and bow your head to the audience just like we practiced, and then come backstage again so the next person can go on stage. All right?" Miss Bradley said, and the kids nodded their heads in understanding.

     They all looked extremely nervous, even though the audience only consisted of their parents and families.

Luca's father had hired Miss Bradley as Luca's private piano tutor around two years ago, though she had insisted that Luca should take place in the students' concerts. This was Luca's first ever piano concert, and he couldn't have been more anxious.

At Miss Bradley's signal, they pulled aside the curtains of the stage. The chatter in the audience died down as the sound of clapping replaced it. Miss Bradley then nudged Sam forward. He walked onto the stage nervously, but all his stress vanished at the sight of his family in the audience, cheering him on the loudest. He then sat behind the piano, which was the only object on the stage, and began to play.

With his heart throbbing in his chest, Luca stole a glance at the audience from backstage. There was only one empty chair in the audience. It was on the second row, where his father was supposed to be sitting.

He's probably sitting in the wrong place, Luca thought to himself, eyes scanning the small theatre, but he couldn't find his father.

"Luca," Miss Bradley came up behind him, whispering softly, "you're next. Be ready in a minute."

Worry filled Luca up. He turned to look up at her with pleading eyes. "Can I go after Glenn? My father hasn't arrived yet. He — he's just running a bit late. I don't want him to miss my part."

"All right." Miss Bradley sighed and then nodded after considering it, walking up to James to tell him that he had to go next instead.

Luca remained standing on the spot in the backstage, his eyes fixed on the entrance doors at the end of the theatre, waiting. Any moment now, he thought desperately, clinging onto the hope.

The moments turned into minutes. The other boys performed their songs one by one, and yet, there was still no sign of his father. The doors remained closed.

"Luca, sweetheart," Miss Bradley gently placed a hand on his tiny shoulder, "Robert's performance is almost ending. He's the last one. You'll have to go next."

Luca didn't move, eyes still fixed on the door. Any moment now.

A clap from the audience announced the end of Robert's part. The young boy bowed gleefully at the audience before walking backstage.

Luca held his breath in, his mind trembling with worry. Knowing that he could wait no longer, he let out a shaky breath and walked on stage. He sat behind the piano and placed his fingers on the keys.

     He looked up at the sheet music before him, but his vision had become blurry. He could no longer see as tears blocked his sight, so he just closed his eyes and played from memory.

It was Für Elise by Beethoven; one of his parents' old favorites.

When it finally came to an end, Luca stood up and bowed his head to the clapping crowd. He dared to look up one more time at the audience, allowing himself one last glint of hope, thinking that his dad might've shown up while he was playing. But his seat remained empty.

After the kids' concert was over, they all ran to their families who congratulated them and took their children into their warm embrace, before leaving the theatre one by one to go home. The hall was now empty and the caretaker had begun to clean the area. The rain was still pouring as Luca left through the theater's entrance doors, sitting down on the porch's stair, waiting.

There was a ceiling above his head that sheltered him from the rain. His coat was made of the most expensive fabric there was, and yet he still felt cold, his little nose and fingertips feeling frozen.

"Luca? What are you still doing here?" Miss Bradley's voice came from behind him. Luca quickly wiped his tear-stained cheeks with his coat's sleeve so she wouldn't see them. "Has no one come to fetch you?"

He didn't answer. All he could manage was a small shake of his head as he sniffed.

Miss Bradley sighed, looking up and down the street, before finally holding out her hand for Luca to take. "Come with me, sweetheart. I'll take you home."

Grabbing onto her hand, Luca let out another sniff as he stood up, and so, under the shelter of her umbrella, they walked toward the crowded street to find a cab. Once they got into the black car, Miss Bradley shut the door behind her and then with a great lurch, the cab rambled its way up the road.

Half an hour extended until they at last neared Luca's home. Even though they were within a reasonably long distance of the manor-house, it could still be sighted from the car's windows. They entered the estate through magnificent iron gates between granite pillars, and the cab came to a stop as it reached the black front doors of the building.

Miss Bradley paid the driver and got out of the car with Luca, opening her umbrella once again as they walked up to the house's grand black doors. After knocking, they only had to wait for a few seconds until a butler in a neat tuxedo opened the door. It was Stanley.

"Luca! I thought you were with your father tonight!" Stanley exclaimed in surprise, looking between the little boy and the woman in confusion. But Luca didn't even glance up at him, his hand still holding tightly onto Miss Bradley's.

"His father didn't show up at his concert tonight," Miss Bradley said in a cold and firm voice, glaring daggers at the tall man.

"Mr. Miller did mention that he had an important meeting tonight, but I assumed the meeting would be over sooner," said Stanley.

Letting out a sigh, Miss Bradley kneeled on one knee as she turned to face Luca, so that she was now the same height as him. "How about you go upstairs to your room, sweetheart? Change your clothes into something warm, eat your dinner, and get some sleep. You must be tired after the amazing performance you had tonight."

With a small nod of his head, Luca bade her goodbye and walked inside the house. But as he was walking toward the staircase, he could still hear them talking, their voices sounding faded over the rain.

"...he was the only parent who didn't show up tonight."

"I'm sure Mr. Miller had his reasons —"

"He forgot his own child! The boy needs a father! He needs a proper family..." Their voices fainted into nothingness as Luca finally walked up the stairs, shutting himself up in his room.

He changed into his pajamas and went straight to bed even though it was only six-thirty. He wasn't hungry, nor tired. He just pulled the silken bed sheets on top of his head, wishing for the night to end.

He didn't know what time it was, but after what felt like two hours, the door to his bedroom swung open gently. Someone walked inside.

"Luca? Are you awake?" It was his father's voice, but Luca didn't answer. He then heard footsteps approaching him and felt his father sitting at the edge of his bed. "Luca... I'm really sorry I couldn't come tonight. I — I promise to make it up to you. Okay?"

When Luca remained silent and motionless, Mr. Miller leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the top of his head before getting up and leaving the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

The next morning, Luca woke up to a new and shiny bicycle in his room. Suddenly all his sadness from the previous night disappeared. With a broad smile, the little boy ran downstairs to thank his father and to ask him if he could teach him how to ride it, but his father wasn't home.

He had left once more.