Over the next few weeks, Phoebe and Portia returned to their fighting ways. It was mostly at school, even though they began spending more and more time apart. It wasn’t pushing or shoving, but it still had the attention of both students and faculty. By the end of the month, Mr. Tanner decided it was time to lay down the law.
“Evening practices are mandatory for all choir members. I don’t care if your dog dies. I don’t care if the President invites you to dinner. I might excuse you if you’re at your own funeral. However, none of the ensemble will be excused for visitation hours.”
A mixture of laughs and groans came from the class.
“Alright, you’re excused for funerals, but that’s it. If you miss a practice, you’re not allowed on the field trip. That includes suspensions and detentions.”
Phoebe raised her hand.
“Yes. Phoebe?”
“That’s not really fair, is it?”
“You’re one of the two reasons I’m making this rule.”
Portia clicked her tongue across the top of her mouth.
“And Portia, you’re the other.”
A hushed murmur came over the class until Mr. Tanner settled them down, like a conductor hushing his orchestra.
“I think we’ve talked about this enough and everyone’s on the same page, right? Let’s get back to singing. Portia, can you come front and center?”
Portia cut through the crowd and stepped up to the microphone. It buzzed as she adjusted the stand. Mr. Tanner counted out the meter.
“Here we go, one, two, three, one, two three, and…”
The chorus rose as one voice as Portia waited for her turn to sing. As she joined in, her voice cracked slightly. Her singing was flat. Mr. Tanner waved a hand in the air.
“What’s that?” he said to Portia.
“I’m sorry.”
“Let’s try it again. We’re in C.” He turned on the pitch meter and tapped out the note on the piano. Portia tried matching it, but she was still flat. Mr. Tanner motioned for her to approach the piano. She stood next to the meter and tried matching pitch. The meter oscillated wildly as she intonated. Today, she just could not match pitch.
“Portia, please join chorus today. Let’s try something else.”
Mr. Tanner pointed towards Phoebe. Phoebe perked up.
“Sophie, come up to the microphone, please.”
Phoebe slumped her shoulders. She knew she was the best singer. Everyone knew it, including Portia and Sophie. Why couldn’t Mr. Tanner let her have the solo?
Phoebe did not wait for Portia after school. It didn’t matter much, since Portia had already charted the direction of her evening.
She was headed to the Community College. She got on toe crowded crosstown bus and stood in the aisle, hanging onto one of the handrails overhead. She was anxious enough that she didn’t even want to sit down.
As soon as she neared campus, she jumped off the bus and cut through the simple maze of buildings until she arrived at a very familiar place.
“Hey, you’re back,” said the girl in the admission’s office, “What’s your name again?”
“Portia.”
“My name is Wendy.”.
“I just want to poke around in the directory again.”
“Nonsense,” said Wendy, ‘let’s get you enrolled in some classes.”
“I don’t think I can afford it.”
“The college gives you until two weeks into classes to drop without a fee.”
Wendy showed Portia the way to the admissions computer and helped her fill out all the registration and admission forms. She also gave her booklets full of Financial Aid Forms to look through.
In no time at all, Portia was officially a college student. It was not half as overwhelming as Portia first thought.
She hopped on the crosstown bus and went to Marcus’ place. She hugged her Allegheny Community College folder full of pamphlets, directories, and form letters the whole way to the bus stop near his apartment. Now, she was getting somewhere.
“Hey Darren,” she said as Marcus’ brother greeted her at the door.
“Man, you’re smiling ear-to-ear. What’s up with you?”
“I just enrolled in college Biology 101.”
“Impressive,” said Darren with a nod.
He led her to the living room couch. She plopped down beside him. He watched an old karate flick while Portia read through her materials. Marcus arrived a short time later.
“Oh, hey,” said Marcus as he came in through the front door. Janie, the girl from school, was with him.
“Hey, I know you,” said Janie.
She shook Portia’s hand emphatically and then sat beside her.
“We were going to study,” explained Marcus.
“It’s alright, I have studying to do, too.”
“She’s in college, too,” said Darren.
“What? How?”
“It’s nothing, really,” said Portia, “I just enrolled today.”
“So you’re not going until this fall, right?”
“I’m going Spring Quarter.”
Marcus scoffed.
“I’m going to get Financial Aid,” said Portia as she fanned through the pile of forms and paperwork.
“It takes weeks and months to get Financial Aid.”
“Why are you being so negative on her?” said Darren.
“She just doesn’t realize how hard college is.”
“If anyone can do it, she can.”
Portia watched the two brothers bicker about her – with her standing right between them.
“It doesn’t matter if I can do it or not,” interrupted Portia, “I can only try and see what happens.”
She packed her backpack and went out the front door. Nobody chased after her. She continued walking through the sleet and rain to the bus stop and went home, soggy and wet.
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