Marley didn’t know how she had gotten the courage to even be standing outside of the classroom right now. Reeling from last night, the tiny brunette wasn’t even sure how she wound up getting out of bed. She texted her professor, her music professor late yesterday afternoon and wound up reconnecting with the person who had shaped the better part of her life. Savannah, Dani’s younger sister was Marley’s best friend, from cradle to grave, fast friends in preschool, the pair shared an unbreakable bond. From kindergarten to college, to every moment in between, they were never apart. And wherever Savannah was, Dani was always there with a warm but critical eye, always looking out for the pair, especially Marley. Dani always made sure that Marley and her mom were taken care of, whether it was help with math homework or babysitting Marley after school, to leaving groceries on the front stoop For Marley, growing up in a single parent, low income household, Savannah was her sister, the Harpers, her family and Dani, her biggest supporter. When the Harpers disowned Dani, Marley, who was fourteen and a half at the time, cried for a month and stopped coming over. Not because Dani of course, but in silent protest to in support of the Harpers’ treatment. Savannah agreed and came over and that’s how it went. Marley moved away, Savannah did too and with their weekly FaceTime calls and visits for the holidays, not much had changed between them. But Marley had changed, the shy and awkward teenager was now a taller, slightly less awkward and shy, talented musician. She studied composition specifically, wrote her own songs and found solace in the notes and lyrics when words were hard. And she never stopped thinking about Dani. Savannah would tease you about how much you talked, wondered that you stoped And those thoughts, whether Marley was willing to acknowledge it or not, meant something; in the reasons why she had given herself a once over in the mirror or was now fidgeting awkwardly in the door jam of Dani’s classroom, waiting for the other to notice her, or not. “Um, hi.” she nearly squeaked, almost too stunned to make eye contact.
