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He seerow tall in front of me

And I understood why he didn’t need friends or to be accepted at our shitty racist high school, because he had hiswe had to offer

"You’re a genius," I said when he exited the auditorium

Baback just blinked the same way he did when he’d been struck between the eyes with the orange hockey ball "Were you spying on me?"

"How did you learn to play like that?"

"I don’t want any trouble," he said, and then walked away

The next day I made sure to be there when the janitor let Baback in

Baback said, "I need to practice"

"I just want to listen I’ll sit in the back and won’t interrupt"

Baback sighed, took the stage, and began to play

I sat in the last row, closed h school and into a new, better place

When the music stopped, I opened my eyes and across the tops of so many rows of seats, I yelled, "Did you write that anini The violin concertos Bits of the solos that I can’t get right--ever"

"They were perfect! I love it This is the greatest secret Soh school, and I’m the only student who knows about it"

"Don’t tell anyone, please!" Baback yelled back "Aboutthe auditoriu for permission If other students ask to use the auditorium, I won’t be allowed to practice in here alone anymore Please!"

I could tell that he was really worried about this, so I walked down the aisle and when I reached him I said, "Let me listen and I won’t tell a soul I promise Nor will I ever interrupt you I’d never want to alter what happens here Never Think of host"

He nodded reluctantly

And for the rest of the school year, I listened to him play

It was kind of weird, because we never talked

He didn’t seem interested in me at all

I could tell he didn’t really want to be my friend--that he just wanted to be left alone with his music, and I respected that

I e space and were alone together, if that makes any sense at all

But on the last day of our sopho ovation, and yelled, "Bravo!" when he finished playing

He sain, maestro!" I yelled down over a sea of ean our junior year, Baback was changed

He returned five inches taller and was ripped with so rown out his thick black hair and began keeping it in a ponytail And he had these fantastic cheekbones that all of the girls noticed He no longer looked like a kid to pick on or pity

When I went to the auditoriu, "I’ve been thinking about you, Leonard Why do you co that happens at this school on a daily basis I wouldn’t miss it"

"You should pay to listen," he said "I’ a service for you Artists need to be coive it away for free, people stop appreciating art It loses its value"

"What happened to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You look different You talk now You seehed and said, "I spent the suuess Literally and e of listening toto leave"

"How gested he was expectingI’ for free anymore"

"Why don’t you leave your violin case open and I’ll put so in it every day I come listen? I’ve seen musicians do that on the streets of Philly"

"Okay," he said, and then began to play