“You’re ready to learn the drums?” I hear Milo call out from down the hall. I shook my head and smiled; Milo would always remember everything he had his mind set on.
“I’m not playing the drums,” I answered, folding my arms across my chest. “We have to rehearse; the show is too close to be messing around.”
“We have time to have some fun,” Milo insisted, opening one of the rehearsal rooms in the West Wing. Most people tend to reserve rehearsal space during lunch period a lot these days; it seems like when there’s a show of some sort coming up, all the rooms are reserved.
“One drum solo isn’t going to hurt,” Milo teased, finally reaching up to me. “You already have the piece memorized and perfected; what more do you need to rehearse?” I rolled my eyes, listening to Milo talk. For someone who focuses on two majors at once, he was always so laid back about rehearsal time. Sure, he knew his music, but I felt like he didn’t take it as serious as I did. Milo doesn’t have to constantly prove himself and his talents; his status already does that. For me, I needed to constantly prove myself being in the section that was looked as a major joke at Waverly High.
“You can’t hurt getting more practice,” I simply said, walking into the rehearsal space. Milo walked in after me, setting his bookbag down on the ground and sitting on the chair next to it. I looked at him, wondering why he’s acting so… relaxed. “Are you going to practice?”
“I’m so over this piece,” Milo sighed as he said. “I just wanted to hang out with you, help you if you need it.” I scrunched my eyebrows, feeling a little bothered at Milo’s attitude.
“I’m fine,” I answered, taking out my violin from its case. I was glad that Milo had his dual major status back, but something definitely changed in Milo when he did. He still did his work and would go to all of the rehearsals needed, but the way he would act when in those rehearsals felt as if he was better than everyone else.
“Do you need me to count you into your section?” Milo asked. I looked at him, visibly looking annoyed at the situation. He definitely took notice of it. “What?”
“I said I’m fine, Milo,” I snapped back, looking down at my sheet music and placing the violin on my shoulder. I hear Milo sigh and get up from his seat.
“I really just wanted to hang out with you, Scout,” Milo admitted. “Like yeah, we hang out, but we only ever rehearse and practice for class and… I just don’t feel like doing that today.” Before I can say anything back, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I take it out quickly to see it’s my mum. I ignore the call to look back at Milo.
“Milo, we can literally be written up if we’re casually hanging out in a rehearsal room,” I began to say. “Just because you’re not in the mood to practice for the show, doesn’t mean I have that same luxury.”
“Luxury?” Milo reacted. “You think I have a luxury?” Once again, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket; it’s my mum once again calling me during school hours. I ignore it, putting the phone back in my pocket.
“Whether or not you practice, your dual major status has its privileges,” I said, upset now. “You’re not in the joker section of band class, so you don’t know how it feels to never feel like to be in my shoes.”
“Are you really listening to what Serrano said?” Milo said, laughing after asking the question. “Since when do you listen to anything that douchebag says?” My phone vibrates in my pocket once more; this time I actually picked up.
“Mum, I’m literally in school right now, what are you–“
“Ya,” my mother said, stern. “I’m in the main office. I’m taking you home.” I scrunched my eyebrows together.
“What? Mum I have a very important rehearsal today for the show, I–“
“I’m taking you home; no if’s, and’s, or but’s,” she said before hanging up. I looked at Milo; he looks more worried now than before. I began to pack my stuff up, which then made Milo start asking a million questions.
“You’re leaving? Why is your mom here?” I don’t answer Milo. I began to shove things in my bag to get out of the room faster. “Sophie?” I don’t answer him; all I can think about is why my mom is pulling me out of school all of sudden. So many things were circulating on my mind and I didn’t have time to be bothered with Milo.
I walked out of the rehearsal room; Milo quickly followed me, walking fast behind me to try to reach me.
“Sophie? Sophie?” I hear Milo continuously say behind me. You don’t have time for this, Sophie. I entered the main office in hopes that he’d get the memo and leave, but I turned around and looked at him opening the door to the main office.
“Milo, what are you–” I began to whisper at Milo, but it wasn’t log that my mother called me out by name; my Korean name.
“Soojin,” my mom said as she got up from her seat. “We have to go.” She spoke to me in Korean, which is something she only ever does when something serious is happening. It’s like she didn’t want the rest of the world to know of her issues, or hear the panic in her voice when she speaks.
“What happened?” I asked back, in Korean to keep the secrecy. My mom doesn’t answer me back, she looks over my shoulder, realizing she is looking at Milo.
“Leave,” my mom said to Milo. I quickly turned around to look at Milo; he looked terrified. He swallowed hard, but he didn’t move.
“Mrs. Lee, is Sophie–“
“Leave,” my mom said louder now, clearly getting angry. I looked back at my mom now, trying to understand what was even going on.
“Mom?” I said; it was all I could say. She grabbed her things and grabbed my hand, escorting me out of the main office, walking past Milo. “Mom! Mom!”
I turned back around to look at Milo. I wanted nothing more than for him to comfort me in this moment.
Letters From Liz. 