Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-27569420-20170404180556

It started simply enough. I was checking out pictures of our High School Farewell Fest. Our Class teacher had posted all the pictures on Facebook.

After getting to know some of the senior’ s placements and how much my classmates had enjoyed, I finally found the pictures of the school band. Man, that was the thing I actually wanted to see.

Not being even close to what you might call a dancer, and, being one of the clumsiest guys in the class, automatically dismissed the choice of participating in the much anticipated group dance, and the alternative, being a part of the function decorations’ crew.

That just left a solitary option for me and my best friend Max: to be the odd slackers. Arrive to the party in the dull school uniform, watch the rest of our classmates enjoy and getting their pictures clicked with the seniors. Finally, the group photograph. While all the others would wear their best smiles for the 'once in a liftime' moment, the two of us would be left dangling at the last row, wearing our best fake smiles<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. We would be the ideal corners to get cropped in the group photo<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. That, would have been the case, had I somehow, not got the great idea of a school band<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">I, for one have been the best vocalist in my entire school, and had a special love for music, Max following my suit<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. While everyone in the class would be busy, racking their brains over the math problem the teacher had given, you would invariably find me and Max, sitting in the last seat, humming a Weeknd song<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Music had distinguished the both of us from the rest of our class<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. So, naturally, one would expect Max to be up for my idea immediately<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">But I had a problem, Max was the last person, right after me, who would like to take any initiative by himself<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. So, I was quite skeptical when I shared my idea with him, to be the one of the founding members of the school band<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. But guess what? That was exactly the thing he wanted to do, if that could ensure the both of us appearing in at least one single picture<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. So far, so good<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">Then I made the dreadful mistake of sharing my plan with Mrs<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Pringle, my class teacher<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. To be fair, we had never really got along well in the first place, and when she immediately vetoed my idea, I was<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin"> n o t<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin"> surprised<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. I thought of her nothing more than a piece of rotting shit, having no other business, but to discourage others<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Yet, there was no stopping us now<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. We had a challenge, to assemble as many volunteers as we could in the limited amount of time, which was a single week<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ve got to admit; we did a great job<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. We managed to convince a guitarist, a drummer, and a synthesizer player to join the band<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Eventually, we even came up with 6 more vocalists, apart from the both of us<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. And the way we practiced that entire week<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Just thinking about the time makes me recall how hard I tried to master the Charlie Puth pitched <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">‘ See You Again<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’, and the sore throat I got just after that<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Yet, however tiring it was, it was fun, not just because I was finally getting to do what I really wanted to<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. It was the first time I was regarded as a leader<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Although not proclaimed, but everyone around was comfortable with me directing them, and organizing the performance, with Max happily doing his job as a second fiddle<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">And now, I couldn<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t help but feel proud for my endeavor, the efforts I had put in to organize a band<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. The first picture was a side view picture, so I could not make out none of the vocalists faces<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Yet, what I could make out was<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">… 7 vocalists? Wait, there were me, Max and 6 other singers<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. That was right, there should have been 8 of us, but I could only make out 7<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Then I thought, oh, come on, it is a side view picture, someone had to be left out<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Sighing, I moved to the next picture<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">Yes, this was a good picture, a front view one<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. And here were we all, Adam, Sid, Taylor, Max, Sophie, Tim, Drew<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">… wait, 7? The only vocalist absent from the picture was me? The leader himself? Hell<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">! Now naturally, I could have thought; OK, maybe I was at the extreme end and that is why I was cropped<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. But that did not explain the complete stage in the picture, with the wings being covered as well<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. There was no way the picture could have been cropped<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">That is when I thought, duh, I have a bad blood with Mrs<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Pringle, and she must have deliberately removed me from the picture<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Typical Shitty behavior, like I mentioned before<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. So, I clicked Taylor<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s (my bandmate) account, certain I would be in one of her pictures<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"> As I scrolled, I was beginning to grow more uncomfortable <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Let alone the band, I was missing from every photo I remember being a part of <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. The picture with the senior science students? <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">  Everybody present, except for me <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. The picture of the band hanging out at the creek? <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">  All the 7 vocalists, plus the instrumentalists, but not me <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">!

<p class="MsoNormal"> Then came the biggest shock <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">: The Grand Class Photograph <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Every student I know in the picture, but no fucking me! I was totally paranoid now, because I remember that particular picture very clearly <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. I remember standing right next to Max, and there was no way THIS could have been cropped, since we were standing right in the middle of the group <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. But, what I see, Max <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s fucking, grinning face, and right next to him, standing in my position, is some other guy <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. It was as if I was never in the group in the first place <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"> I had had enough of this, and messaged Taylor <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Surprisingly, she was not online, and the pictures, posted 3 days ago, were her last posts <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. I say surprising, because she is one of those persons you would expect to find online all 24 hours of the day <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"> At this point, I couldn <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t think of anyone but just one person to call <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. As I dialed Max <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s number, I ignored the scratches and cracks on my screen <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. I had a hell more lot of things to care about at the moment <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. It was some time before he answered <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Hello <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">… who is this? <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ God, who else but fucking me, Max <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. It <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s Sam <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">! “

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Sam <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">… wait, this is not at all funny, OK <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Tell me, who is this? <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ What <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s wrong with you? Don <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t you recognize my voice, it is me, Sam myself <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">!”

<p class="MsoNormal"> Max seems to be pretty shaken up that this point, just God Knows why <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Stop it <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">! Look, whoever you are, just leave me alone <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Why have you called me? <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Dude <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">…. OK, Fine <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">! You Just answer me <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. You attended Somerfield High School <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s Farewell Fest, and got many pictures clicked, right? <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal"> Breathing heavily, he answers, <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Yes <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Then how is it that I haven <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">’ t appeared in a single picture? Half of the time I stuck around with you, and yet there is not a single photo in which I have appeared <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">! Yet, you are there in each and every photo <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Initially, I thought it was Mrs <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Pringle messing with me, but then, I checked Taylor <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s pictures, and it was all he same <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Mrs <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Pringle <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">… Taylor <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">… Oh My God <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">… Sam <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">… you did that to them <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">… No, Sam, please leave me alone <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. You don <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t belong here anymore <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Please, don <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t do the same with me <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">… please, leave me <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">!”

<p class="MsoNormal"> There was an urgency in his voice which I could not fathom <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Dude <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">… seriously, tell me, what have you been smoking <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. And what have I got to do with whom? Please Max, just tell me, why am I not in any of the pictures? <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Just <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">… just check your Guitar <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Oh fuck! Shouldn <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t have told you that <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Please Sam, we used to be best friends <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">… please, don <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t harm me <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.” Click <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"> I did not get a word of what he said <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Pringle and Taylor? I did not belong here? Harm him? He must have been really high <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Still, I thought about the Guitar <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. In all of this, what had my Martin  got to do? Nonetheless, I decided to check out my Martin <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"> It had been quite some time since I last played my fingers on my once beloved Guitar <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Now, it was just resting in the pile of junk I planned to sell <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. As I ran my fingers through the wood, I felt something wet rubbing against my fingertips <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Rubbing further, I had no doubts to the fact that it was dried blood <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Naturally,  I thought, <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Why is my guitar stained with blood? <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”.

<p class="MsoNormal"> That thought was the jolt which brought me back to reality <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. All of a sudden, everything made sense <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"> On the day of our performance, just 15 minutes before the commencement of the band <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s performance, our guitarist, Kevin, broke his guitar <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">’ s D <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- string <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. We checked the music room for some spares, but to no avail <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. All we could have done, was to perform the song without the guitar, and have Kevin faking the instrument <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"> But me, being the fine perfectionist, could not accept the slightest hindrance to our performance <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. So I decided to make a run for my house, and get my guitar <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"> The five <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- minute sprint to my house took 2 minutes lesser, thanks to the sparse New Year Traffic <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. But, finding the guitar in the junk alone cost me some good 10 minutes <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. As I was walking back to the school premises, I could hear the host announcing the commencement of the band performance <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Panicked, by the lack of time, and excited, by the roar of the audience, I made a run for the school, just failing to anticipate a speeding car <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"> I landed few feet away from the car, my thigh bone broken, and blood gushing out rapidly <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. The driver, high and panicked, could not make the right decision, and sped off, leaving me alone to bleed to death <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"> But all this time, I could feel my dream of the big day shattering <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. All my efforts in the past week, were about to be vain <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. No, the pain of the impact was nothing compared to the pain of feeling like a complete failure <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Perhaps, it was this pain which lifted me away from my body, and brought me to stage, for my final performance <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. It had to end with my performance.

<p class="MsoNormal"> I was the uncredited performer <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. But Hey, I had no hard feelings <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. I remember performing, enjoying, having a great night like everyone else did <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. I remember joining each group in their photos <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. After all, I deserved to enjoy, did I not? So, would I not be surprised, or rather annoyed, if I did not find myself in any of the photos? That is exactly what I texted to Mrs <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Pringle and Taylor, who began to say all non <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">- sense things, that I was a ghost, I did not belong here, and how they would reveal my story to the entire world <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. All that stuff. And did that not annoy me? I mean, how could I be dead, if I had attended that party? They had provoked me.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Well, looking back, maybe I should have given them another chance <span lang="BN" style="line-height:107%;font-family:Vrinda,sans-serif;">. After all, Pringle was my teacher <span lang="BN" style="line-height:107%;font-family:Vrinda,sans-serif;">. How rude I was, to have banged her on the head 10 times with my guitar? And Taylor? She had such a sweet voice! <span lang="BN" style="line-height:107%;font-family:Vrinda,sans-serif;">  I should have thought twice before choking her neck, with my least favorite D <span lang="BN" style="line-height:107%;font-family:Vrinda,sans-serif;">- string <span lang="BN" style="line-height:107%;font-family:Vrinda,sans-serif;">. My bad <span lang="BN" style="line-height:107%;font-family:Vrinda,sans-serif;">.

<p class="MsoNormal"> But, now two more people know my story <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">: Max, and you, the reader <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. But I know Max <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Being a true friend, he would never mind, when I visit him tonight and whistle his favorite song, 'Moves Like Jagger' <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. He must be careful, though, that he doesn <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t annoy me, by screaming, and calling me a ghost. That way,  things won <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t end up nice for him <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"> But what about you? I don <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t even know your name <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">! How will I know if you, like Taylor and Pringle, believe I <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ m a ghost, and go ahead, spreading my truth to the rest of the world? Wait, I have a great idea <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. How about I visit you tonight, and play <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">‘ Stairway to Heaven <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ just before you go to sleep? Oh don <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t worry, I play the guitar  fine <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. But most importantly, please, don't panic. For if you do so, I will have a reason to believe that you are afraid of me. But, why would you be scared of me? After all, I am just a performer. Am I a ghost?

<p class="MsoNormal">The last time someone thought that, had a string choking her neck.

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<p class="MsoNormal">   <ac_metadata title="Why am I not in the Picture"> </ac_metadata>