A Perfect Melody-完美的旋律

APerfectMelody|完美的旋律“Hello.”“Leah,you’llneverguesswhatIjustfoundout!”Leahrecognizedthevoiceofherbestfriend,Joanna.“What’sup,Jo?”“Auditions4forAll-StateBandareintwoweeks.Youhavetotryout!”“Idon’tthinkso,Joanna.I’veneverbeengoodatauditions,andbesides—it’sonlytwoweeksaway.”“Comeon,Leah!You’reanamazingplayer,andyoucouldplayoneofthosegorgeouspiecesyouplayedattherecital5.”“I’llthinkaboutit,”Leahsaid,andwiththattheyhungup.Thatnightatdinner,Leahtoldherparentsabouttheaudition.Theyexchangedafunnylook,andhermomheldupapieceofpaper.“YourdadandIbroughtthishomebecausewethoughtitwouldbeagoodideaforyoutoaudition,”shesaid.Leah’smompassedhertheflyer6.Itwasbluewiththewords“All-StateAuditions:November12th,9:00A.M.atGeorgeWashingtonMiddleSchool”printedonit.“Wethinkitwouldbeagreatexperienceforyou,whetheryougetinornot,”Leah’smomsaid.“Well,ifyouwantmeto,I’llgiveitatry.”Thenextday,Leahpulledoutherrecitalpiecesandpickedherfavorite.Itwasslowandsweet,withlotsofswells7.ForthenexttwoweeksLeahpouredherselfintopracticingthepiece.Then,thedaybeforetheaudition,shebumpedintoRachelJacobs.“So,Leah,IhearyouareauditioningforAll-State.Doyoureallywanttoembarrassyourself?Aftermyaudition,yourswillsoundlikeakindergartenperformance,”Rachelsaidsnottily8.RachelandLeahhadbeenfightingforfirstchairintheschoolbandeversinceLeahhadgottenit.“Rachel,I’mstillfirstchair,”Leahreplied.“Fornow!”Rachelstomped9off.Leahpushedawispofhercurlybrownhairbehindherearandheadedtoband.Whenshegotthere,Mr.Johnson,thebanddirector,stooduptomakeanannouncement.“Kids,”hesaid,“todayRachelJacobswouldliketochallengeLeahFosterforfirstchair.”Leahwasn’tworried;Rachelhadchallengedherfourtimesandnothinghadcomeofit.Rachelwouldpickapieceandtheywouldbothplayit.ThenMr.Johnsonwouldpickwhoeverplayedthesongbetter.IfitwasLeah,shewouldkeepfirstchair;ifitwasRachel,shewouldgainfirstchair.Thesheetmusic10wasplacedinfrontofthemandtheybothbegantoplay.Leahhitthesecondnotewrong.Shecouldn’tkeepaconsistenttempo11,andhersoundwasnotgoodatall.Rachel,ontheotherhand,playedflawlessly12.Leahwasmortified13.Itwasoneofthebandpiecessheshouldhaveknown.Rachelwasgivenfirstchair,andLeahleftthebandroomontheverge14oftears.Shewentthroughtherestofherclassesinahaze15.Atdinner,shepickedatherfood.Thatnight,shetossedandturnedinbed16foralongtimebeforeshefellasleep.“Leah!”calledMrs.Fosterthenextmorning.“Whereisthatgirl?Iwokeherthirtyminutesago,andbreakfastisgettingcold.”Leah’smomsatatthetablewithMr.FosterandLeah’slittlebrother,Jake.WhenLeahwalkedinwearingpajamas17,everyonestared.“Leah,whatareyoudoing?”saidherdad.“Youshouldbedressed.We’releavingfortheauditioninfifteenminutes!”“Idon’tfeelwell.Maybenextyear,”saidLeah.Thensheburstintotearsandranfromtheroom.Hermomfollowedherintoherbedroomandsatonthefootofherbed.“Honey,what’swrong?Whydon’tyouwanttogo?”“Itoldyou—I’msick!”Leahreplied.Hermomgaveheraknowinglook.“What’sreallywrong?”“YesterdayIlostfirstchair!”Leahsaid.“NowIknowthatRachelJacobsisgoingtomakethisauditionandI’mgoingdoahorriblejobandhumiliate18myself!”“Oh,Leah.Firstofall,I’veheardyouplayyoursong,andyou’renotgoingtohumiliateyourself.Andbesides,wecan’tdecidenottodothingsjustbecausewe’reafraid—otherwise,nobodywouldeverdoanything.Braveryisn’taboutnotbeingscared—itmeansdoingsomethingdespitethefactthatyou’reafraid.Andifyougooutthereanddoyourbest,we’llbeproudofyou,nomatterwhattheoutcome.”Leah’smomsmiled.“Sowhatdoyousay?Dowehaveanauditiontogoto?”“Yeah,Iguess,”Leahreplied.“Attagirl19.You’dbettergetdressed.Weonlyhavetenminutes.”Leahsatoutsidetheauditionroomnervouslyclutching20herflute.Finally,theycalledhername.Shesteppedintotheauditionroom.Herfirstnotewasclearandloud,andassoonasshehitit,allherworriesfaded.Aftereveryonehadauditioned,thejudgescalledthemusiciansbackintotheroomtoannouncewhowouldbeinvitedtojointheAll-StateBand.Onebyone,people’snameswerecalled,untiltherewasonlyonespotleft.NeitherLeahnorRachelhadmadeitin.Finally,oneofthejudgessaid,“AndourfinalmemberisRachelJacobs.Thankyouallforcoming—everyonedidagreatjob.”Leahsatforaminuteandthought.Thensheknewexactlywhatshehadtodo.ShewalkedovertoRachel.“Congratulations!You’reareallygreatmusician.Youdeserveit,”Leahsaid,stickingoutherhand.“Um,thanks.Thanksalot!”Rachelsaid,slowlyshakingLeah’shand.AsLeahheadedouttothecarwithherfamily,shebreathedinthecrisp21autumnairandadmiredthebeautifulcolorsthattheleaveswereturning.Sheletoutacontentedsigh,knowingthateventhoughshehadn’tgottenaspotintheAll-StateBand,shehadwon.利娅·福斯特按下一首歌的最后一个音符，然后开始擦拭她的长笛。她8岁开始学吹长笛，当时还是借邻居一支不用的笛子。11岁那年的圣诞节，父母给她买了一支长笛。她小心呵护，每天练习。13岁她加入了学校的乐队。几乎是一进乐队，她就担任了主角，如今有一年了，她还坐在第一把交椅上。此刻，她正忙着要把乐谱架子折叠起来，电话响了。爸妈都在干活，所以她只好自己去接。“喂。”“利娅，你绝不会知道我要带给你什么消息！”是乔安娜的声音，利娅听出来了。乔安娜是利娅最要好的朋友。“什么消息，乔？”“全州乐队试听比赛在两周后举行，你可得去参加选拔喔！”“我不想去，乔安娜。我从不擅长试听表演，何况只有两周时间了。”“得了，利娅！你是个了不起的选手，你可以演奏一首你在独奏会上表演过的优美曲目。”“让我想想。”利娅一说完，她们就挂断了电话。当天吃晚饭的时候，利娅对父母讲起试听比赛的事。他们交换了一下古怪的眼神。接着妈妈拿出一张传单。“我和你爸把这个带了回来，因为我们觉得你去参加试听比赛是个不错的想法。”她说。妈妈把那张传单递给利娅。那是一张蓝色的广告纸，上面印着：“全州试听比赛：11月12日上午9时在乔治·华盛顿中学举行。”“我们认为这对你来说是一次非凡的经历，无论你成功与否。”妈妈说。“好吧，既然你们希望我参加，我就去试一试。”第二天，利娅找出她的独奏会曲目单，挑出了她最喜欢的那首曲子。曲子舒缓、甜美，抑扬顿挫。接下来的两个星期，利娅全