I ran in through the glass double doors, out of breath. My shoes thudded awkwardly against the laminate floor as I hurried to my instrument locker. The combination lock opened to reveal my well worn violin case. I hurriedly pulled it into my arms, adjusting the weight onto my shoulder. My mom said that I was going to strain my back with the combination of my violin case and my backpack, but I really couldn't find another way to carry all my things.

My name is Gabrielle Amani. I was your typical violin performance major. Freshman. Perfectionist. Highly independent. 

I made my way to my my teacher's studio. I sat down next to the cluttered buliten board, waiting for my teacher to arrive. I knew I had a few minutes. Despite my rush, I had made it to my weekly lesson with a few minutes to spare. The music of my classmates drifted into the hallways, mixed with the busy footsteps to create a beautiful chaoes.

It wasn't long before I heard the familiar clatter of her teacher's high heals. I stood and gathered my things to go into the small room with her. I tried my hardest to present professionalism, while in reality, I simply indulged my perfectionism. I knew I couldn't be perfect, but I could try, couldn't I?

I could see her through the window. She had left her long dark curls hanging loose today. It was a nice look on her. I zoomed in close on my camera, snapping yet another picture of the girl I loved through the window. I loved watching her while she was playing. Here, she was learning. Improving her already fantastic talents. She was perfection. I had to somehow make her his own.

I got out of my lesson an hour later. It was Wednesday, mid March. The Texas weather was still a bit cool, though spring was peeking out with it's new leafs and vibrant flowers.

The music building where I spent my time was only half a block away from the Baptist Student Ministry, known to all as the BSM. It's spacious rooms hosted Bible studies, game nights... And, right now, lunch.

I had left my violin in my locker and headed out the back door of the music building. The cool breeze played with my hair as I made my way down College St. I took the moment to enjoy the peacefulness of the day. Though the campus swarmed with students, I was, for the moment, alone with my thoughts.

Although Tolkin had once written "The road goes ever on and on...", my road came to a close far too quickly for my taste. My peaceful alone time ended as I opened the glass door and headed inside.

"Hey Elle!" greeted Maria. "Goldfish or Cheese-its?"

I laughed. "Goldfish. For sure." I watched as she wrote my name and my answer on my nametag. It was supposed to kickstart conversations. It mainly made me laugh.

I found an empty corner to stash my backpack.  I turned to find my friends to chat with while we waited for the doors to open so we could go get lunch. I had made good friends, though I often still felt like an outsider. My roommate, LeAnna, was there, chattering about, flitting from person to person. Her shoulder length blonde hair and black framed glasses paired well with the petite figure and her very bubbly personality. As a public communications major, the girl could have an energetic conversation with a tree. And she had. Repeatedly. A pine tree, to be exact. She was clingy to me, which I didn't mind all too much. I mean, yeah, I get really tired of her sometimes because I need space but I do love her.

Keller came in a few minutes later. Standing several inches above me, his dark hair and scruffy beard, as well as his good taste in wearing the clothes his mom sent for him, made him an object of many girl's attention... and yet he had chosen to not have a girlfriend. An junior level engineering major, he's smart, brain, nice... but sometimes bordering on annoying. The king of puns and playful insults, he always seemed to stay one step ahead of you in every conversation. The wit never ends. Also a bit of an ego... but still a good friend. He confused me though. He never seemed real to me. 

I went over to say hi to him. "Goldfish-its", his nametag read. I rolled my eyes. "Really, Keller?"

He grinned, "Of course. What do you expect?"

I had to roll my eyes. Sometimes that dude...

LeAnna spotted me and worked her way over. "So this morning after you left," she bubbled, "Payton called me and asked me if I'd like to meet him for a quick coffee date this afternoon!"

I sighed. A guy named Payton had been showing interest in LeAnna for a few weeks now. I thought they were a very good match, but I was getting annoyed with the constant "Payton this" and "Payton that". I nodded along to her narreration of her entire life, waiting for the doors to open.

I didn't dare enter the building, but I had gotten several good pictures of her while she walked. Her friends made her happy. They were an attractive asset for her photos, though her beauty far surpased theirs. I watched them as they found a table together. She was a quiet one, but her smile lit up the whole room.

Lunch came and went. I didn't talk all that much. I loved to listen to the chatter of my peer's conversation, though. I sat with LeAnna and Keller and a couple other kids. The taco salad bar still had some of us going back for 3rds (and 4ths, I'm sure), but I was back in the lobby gathering my things.

"Have you seen my notebook, Keller?" I asked him.

"You're a notebook." He teased me. I glared at him. As much as I secretly loved his puns and teasing, it drove me insane sometimes.

"Keller."

"Gabby"

I took a deep breath. "Don't call me that." I said, clearly. I hoped my impatience didn't show in my voice. I don't know why I hated being called Gabby. I just did.

Keller laughed. "It's behind the couch." I leaned over and saw it's purple cover just peeking out from it's hiding spot. I shoved it into my notebook.

"Elle, you're still playing with us on Friday night, right?" I heard a voice say. I turned around to see Clint, the lead singer and guitar player for the student worship team. They had asked me to play for our campus-wide worship service a few times already this semester, and I was scheduled to play again the next night.

"Yeah, I'll be there." I responded. It was on my color-coded agenda. I would be there, ready to lead my friends in worship.

"Friday? I'll be there too." I said under my breath. I knew where she would be, the route she would take too and from her dorm. After weeks of following her, I knew her better than she knew herself. A weekend would be the perfect time to make her fall in love with me.

Evening fell as I walked back to my dorm. Of all the dorms on campus, the one LeAnna and I stayed on would have to be the most well known. Famous for it's twin 10 story round towers and infamous for showing up in the campus crime logs more often than not, Greer Hall was an interesting place to call my home away from home. I headed up to the 7th floor of the girl's tower, careful not to touch the grimy walls of the elevator. 

I managed to grab my keys out of my backpack as I reached room 715. Our door was notorious for sticking, and today was no exception. I turned the nob while leaning my body weight on the obviously outdated wood paneled door.

Suddenly, I fell as the door opened. I stumbled into LeAnna.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I was trying to open it for you!" She exclaimed, worried.

"Hey, no worries. I'm okay." I assured her as I gathered my fallen possetions. I quickly put them back in their standard spots. LeAnna helped me, obviously ready for me to finish so she could spill her news. 

I set my agenda on my desk. "So, go ahead and tell me..."

LeAnna grinned. "Payton asked if we could officially proceed with a relationship! He's gonna go home with me this weekend to meet my parents and ask my dad!"

I blinked. "So quickly?"

She just laughed. "Yeah! I'm excited!"

I smiled at her enthusiasm. I would stay in town this weekend. The hour and a half drive home was managable, but this weekend I would stay here. Clean my dorm. Practice. It would be a nice quiet weekend.

It was hard to follow her up to the 7th floor, but I had my methods. I sat down in the lobby, listening in on their conversation through my phone. The tiny microphone hidden in their air vent didn't produce the quality sound I would have liked, but it was good enough for the purpose. Friday would come, and there would be no one to keep me from making my beloved learn to love me back.

I looked at the clock. 5:30 pm. My Friday had came and went quickly. I threw away my to-go box from the cafeteria, the leftovers of my attempt at a balenced meal with it. I gathered my violin and microphone, along with my purse and thus my cell phone. 

"LeAnna, I'm heading over." I announced as I found my keys.

LeAnna nodded, distracted my her homework. "I'll be there in a little bit".

I hurried out. Kennedy Auditorium was pretty much on the opposite side of the campus. It was really just a big lecture hall, but it worked well for our purpose as well.

Keller winked at me from the sound booth. I had to smile back. As much as he annoyed me, he was a nice friend.

I headed to the front, quickly unpacking my instrument and hooking up my sound equipment. I glanced over the chord charts they gave me, not worrying to much. I would simply play from my heart. Nothing less would do, and nothing more could be offered. 

I waited for the crowd to come so I could join my darling in the auditorium. I would try to sneak some photos if I could. I would record an audio for sure. I needed these moments. I needed to learn everything about her. Tonight she would become mine.

The crowd began to shuffle in. I saw LeAnna with a group of our friends. Keller was up making last minute adjustments to the soundboard. The timer had only a moment left. It was showtime.

The drums kicked us in. I let the notes begin to soar. The vocals entered, and I found that my fingers knew what to do more than I did, so I just sat back and let the music go where it willed. This was who I was. This was music. The notes were dancing around me, and all I could do was dance along. 

Songs came and songs went. The music danced along as my peers worshiped. Oh how blessed to be a leader of worship through song!

Soon the service came to the end. The time for closing prayer came, and I stepped up to play the solo I had written. The lone violin melody rang out through the auditorium.

It was a call of a bird, flying freely through the trees. It lifted my heart, and I play it with emotion unlike any other piece. I played, and all was still as my bird began to fly. It soared. It traveled around the room, searching for a way to escape, than flew out the window into the world, where it soared high into the sky. I felt it as it rose above the trees, to the clouds. I felt free. I felt like my song, rising into the air. Slowly, gradually... I was happy. I was content. My life was pretty amazing. My song ended but neither the bird nor my spirit came back down. I felt so alive and free. 

I opened my eyes as the last not sang through the hall. My friends were gathered in their groups, praying for one another. I saw tears and laughter, hope and helplessness. I smiled as I watched them begin to trickle out, renewed for another day of studies.

LeAnna made her way through the crowd to hug me. "That was gorgeous, Ellie!", she squealed.

I smiled. "Thanks. Are you heading back?"

She nodded. "I need to finish packing so I can head out early tomorrow morning."

"I need to help pack up the sound equipment. Could you take my violin with you?"

LeAnna smiled. "Of course. I'll see you in a bit." With that, she took my violin and headed back across campus.

She had played brilliantly. I hurried to slip out before I was noticed. I slipped down the path a ways, finding a good spot to wait for my Gabrielle Amani to fall into my arms. Tonight, I would have my sweetheart.