Toni and Roddy, sittin' in a tree

Antonio clung tightly to the handle of his guitar case. It was an odd switch. Usually, the guitar had a fantastically calming effect - he played when his parents fought, when people left, whenever he felt sad or angry. Now, all he felt was nervous, so nervous he thought he might be sick. The audition had been easy, probably because it was so informal. His parents had a friend involved in the audition process, a friend who had agreed their boy should be allowed in after hearing Toni play one lazy afternoon.

He'd never played for more than three or four people at a time. He'd never done anything but football in front of this many people, though almost all within a year of his age, 16 at the oldest. Toni took a deep breath and walked into the auditorium.

The band was practicing, and Roderich stood at were the curtains were, straitening his tie. He has been standing there for an awful long time and he hated it. He usually loved playing the piano for people... but also, not this many people. He looked at everyone getting ready, then at his piano, then to the new student walking in. He stared at him. such nice tanned skin and green eyes... He shook his head and held himself higher than he was five seconds ago, and walked towards him.

"Hello, I havnt seen you around here before" he said, looking at him over his glasses. "Did you need any help? you look lost." He smiled, almost smugly, knowing he knew his way around here and the other didnt.

"Hola," Toni smiled. "No, I'm not lost, really. Unless this isn't the All-European Youth Orchestra. What do you play?" His guitar case made him rather obvious, but the other boy didn't have an instrument that he could see.

Hopefully, talking would distract him from the roiling feeling in his stomach. The boy seemed nice enough...a little haughty, but his eyes were such an unusual purple-blue, and maybe he had earned the aloofness. They were, after all, in an elite youth orchestra that most people paid disgusting amounts of money to see. He must have been good at whatever it was he played.

Roderich wiggled his nose, and sneezed into his sleeve. Just after he found it to be a most embarrassing situation, and he gave a awkward smile. "A-ah t-this is!" he took out a handkerchief and sneezed again into it, this time turning away from the other boy. After a few seconds he gave a hesitant smile, then nodded his head. "The piano." he made a gesture towards the grand piano sitting at the side. turning to him he pointed at the guitar. "A guitar?" he asked. "Thats what you play?"

"Piano? Gorgeous!" Toni beamed. "And si, the guitar is my instrument of choice. I learned a little piano when I was much younger, but doesn't everyone know at least something of it? How long have you played, hm?"

Roderih nodded. "hmmm. Ah yes, for about 13 years. I'm pretty good at it, if you ask me." he smirked, getting a little smug, knowing he was better than him. "do you know what your doing? I'm almost a senior in the orchestra, I could help you."

Toni smiled politely. "That's nice...I've only been playing guitar since I was three...I suppose that's 14 years. I have a general idea - is it really so complicated? You sit in a group, play the music they give you, and everyone claps at the end, yesno?" The idea that there might be politics in the orchestra didn't occur to him - surely everyone got along, right? They were all there to make music, how divisive could that possibly be?

"What is there to know?" he asked curiously.

"Eh, mostly who goes were. And to stay away from some of the wind section... They are usually pretty rude."he staded flatly, as if he wasnt paying attention to what the other was saying. "Stick with me alright?" he said again, not bothering to tell him that he had no friends herem and people only liked his piano skills, and not particularly himself.

"Really? I'll be sure to keep an eye out for them. So...where do the guitars go?" he asked earnestly. "Of course I'll stay with you~! You're my first friend here~" he beamed. The idea that meeting someone did not mean they liked you or were friends with you had never really occurred to Toni. If someone was nice to him, or not particularly rude that he noticed, they were his friend. If they were cruel or rude...well, Toni could be cruel and rude, too. But he wasn't supposed to do that anymore, so he usually settled for ignoring anyone he didn't like.