1

"Within a week, it will be our long-awaited recital." Jude Callen, the teacher, says. "You are more prepared every day, so I can’t wait for that day to come.”

The heels of Marylin Durant, Jude’s secretary, echo across the wooden floor. Everyone turned to face her, including Jude.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I came to inform you that Friday is the last day for the payment of the recital. Just missing..." Marylin looks at the clipboard in her hand and analyzes it from top to bottom. "two people.”

She faces Davine Baker and Evangeline Atkins. The two scholarship students.

"If they do not make the payment, they will be out!”

Marylin had a superb smile, as if to be happy with the poverty of others. That was the fault of her parents, who never let her make an effort in life. The desk job is just on paper, to mark on top of who won scholarship to class. And she loved doing that, because according to Marylin, who does not strive, does not deserve rewards.

"I am sure that whoever fails to pay, will succeed." Jude says, trying to soften the mood that had stayed. "Anyway, put the violins away and you can go home.”

As Evangeline carefully guarded her instrument in the shabby case she had, Davine slowly approaches her.

"Evie, will you get the money?”

"I think so. And you?”

"I do not know. " she shrugs, and the two begin to walk out of the place. " My parents find it silly to pay, to try to earn something later.”

The entry cost two hundred dollars and the prize for the first place was one thousand. The second and third won only one medal for participation.

"They’re kind of right, but I should do it for recognition. I wonder if anyone comes along to take us on a world tour.”

"You definitely got your head too far, Evangeline. See you tomorrow.”

Evie beckons to her classmate as soon as they reach the sidewalk. The super controlling father Davine had was already parked there, waiting for her. The violinist still needs to walk a little further, until arriving at the subway station.

Evangeline lives in a trailer park in the East Bronx. The school where she got her dream violin bag is in Brooklyn. It takes her almost two hours every day to come and go from class. It was tiring, but it didn’t matter to her, for it was pleasurable to be doing something she loved.

In the morning, the girl attended some classes of the community college of the neighborhood. She liked to say it was just to keep her intellect up to date. That’s what she said and thought people believed.

During the afternoon, Evangeline worked part"time, as a cashier in a grocery store. Although she spent most of her time on the phone, since the movement was rarefied, it was where she took her livelihood.

And the night was dedicated as never, to the violin.

As she leaves the subway, Evie walks quietly to her home. Although there was a gang group on every corner she passed, the girl could almost feel safe with them there. Since those people took over the streets, the number of robberies was almost zero.

Evangeline enters the house, dropping the case next to the door.

"Mother?" She calls. "Are you home?”

Without answers, she turns the small room behind her mother. The two bedrooms and bathroom were empty. Checking that her mother was not there, she comes to the conclusion that she was there, in the house of some man. Or in some alley.

As she goes through the cupboards, behind something to eat, Evie removes her shoes and pushes them near the door. The only thing I had there was a box of cereal and a pound of rice. She takes the box of cereal and shoves her shameless hand up her mouth.

"Evie? Are you home?”

Knocking on the door was Felippa Moore. She was the best friend Evangeline ever had. Evie was already living in the trailer when Felippa’s family arrived with one. They were seven and eight at the time. It had been more than thirteen years of friendship, without a fight. That was an unparalleled friendship.

"Get in there!" Evie says, sitting on a bench at the table.

"Where is your mother?”

The girl shrugs, still eating the cereal.

"Don’t you have anything ready?" she checks the small stove and the empty pots on top of it. "Do you want to go eat there in our trailer?”

"No. I’m fine. In a little while I’ll take a shower and sleep. I’m tired.”

"Did you have class today?”

"Morning in college and now the night in Brooklyn.”

Felippa was very proud of her best friend. Despite being a year younger than Evie, she was always her stronghold. It was to her that Evie went, when she needed to cry because of some fight with her mother.

"In fact... I need to separate the money to take tomorrow. Or I will not attend the recital.”

Evangeline gets up and goes to her room. Felippa follows her and sits on the small, messy bed there.

"Do you know how many invitations you’ll receive?”

"No." Evie responds by taking a box out of a drawer. " Even if it is only one, it is yours.”

Felippa starts chattering about the outfit she would wear, to go see her best friend play. Evie opens the box that had a small lock and feels her heart fail.

In that box, Evangeline kept any savings she had. Each time she received her weekly payment, she put it inside that box, to hide from her light hand mother. But apparently putting the lock on wasn’t enough.

"Evie?" Felippa calls. "What is it?”

"I’m gonna kill Leah!”

In an outbreak, Evie screams and causes the small wooden box to hit the wall of the trailer. The few coins that were still there, spread across the floor of the room. Felippa jumps from the bed and hurries to hug her friend, who collapsed. She cried and screamed at the same time.

All the value that was in the box, was intended for the payment of the recital and the clothes she would wear on the day. Evangeline was sure that some kind of scout would be there and fall in love with his technique. So I would invite her to tour the world the way she wants.