Two Delias

Delia woke up in the morning, and it was a day when she felt no anxiety. Waking up with a sense of inner peace, she got out of bed, stretched, feeling her body ready for a new day. Without any of the doubts and fears that had previously forced her to hide in the shadows, she headed to the dining room.

Entering the dining hall, she felt an unusual sense of relief. The morning was quiet, and it seemed that every step she took in this familiar place sounded like a new beginning. Several students were chatting at the tables, but they did not even notice her presence. Delia sat down at the table and calmly began to eat breakfast - not afraid of anyone, neither ridicule nor injections.

She noticed how her own breathing became even and confident. Every spoonful of porridge, every sip of tea seemed to strengthen her inner strength. Even the smell of this food seemed special to her today, a symbol of her life moving to a new level.

After breakfast, Delia felt herself moving through the corridors with ease. There were no longer those heavy gazes and threats in the air that she had sensed before. This was a day when she could be herself.

When she approached the orchestra building, she was met by the bandmaster. He stood in the doorway, grinning and shaking his head.

"Here comes our star!" he said with a slight laugh. "You've brought nervousness into our group again. Look, the whole orchestra is already looking at each other and wondering what's wrong with you."

Delia laughed heartily. She realized that the bandmaster was not insisting on serious criticism, but was merely making fun. She felt lightness in her soul again.

"Sorry, I'm probably just too involved," she replied, smiling encouragingly.

"Well, things will soon be back to normal," he continued, hinting that the musician Delia had been filling in for would soon be back from maternity leave. "Once she's back, things will go back to normal. But for now, let's see how you manage to run this orchestra without her."

Delia nodded, not worrying about the future. It was no longer a source of stress for her. She was now confident in her place in the orchestra, and even if everything went back to the way it had been, she had already found her way.

Delia walked into the rehearsal room, feeling her steps become more confident, and made her way to her place in the orchestra. She sat down on a chair, placing her cymbals next to her, and got into a comfortable position, ready to rehearse. At that moment, her gaze accidentally met the eyes of several musicians, but she noticed that their gazes were more curious than judgmental. Delia felt her heart begin to beat evenly, as if her whole life had found harmony with the music that was about to begin.

The conductor, tall and looking slightly irritated, was pacing the stage, checking the composition of the orchestra. He raised his baton to his lips, and suddenly the hall was filled with silence. All eyes were on him, and as soon as he raised his baton, the sounds of the orchestra began to fill the space.

"Well, let's continue rehearsing Mahler's sixth symphony," he said, not taking his eyes off the score. "There's very little time left until the premiere, so let's not waste any time and start with the first movement."

Delia set up her cymbals and prepared herself. Mahler's Sixth Symphony was majestic and dramatic, and her part was one of the rarest. The cymbals only played a few times throughout the symphony, which gave them a special significance. Sometimes she had to simply wait her turn, quietly watching as the orchestra unfolded its epic lines while she remained in the shadows.

The conductor began, and the orchestra immersed itself in the music. At first, the chords were sharp and furious, conveying the weight of the mood. Delia sat, focused, her fingers curled around the cymbal handles, ready at any moment to create that sound that would add another layer of emotion to the symphony with its important but brief role.

Some time passed, and then finally, her moment. The conductor raised his baton, and as soon as the musicians fell silent, came the very moment when the cymbals were supposed to crash into the general sound. Delia sharply drew her baton on one of them, producing a ringing and powerful sound that seemed to cut through the silence.

In that moment, as that rare and powerful note rang through the air, Delia felt something in her soul resonate with that clear, sharp sound. She was part of something bigger again, bringing more depth and emotion to the world. As brief as her role was, she knew this moment was important. Her cymbals brought that spark that made the symphony whole.

After the conductor announced a break, the orchestra froze and then silence fell over the room. The musicians, one by one, began to leave their seats to relax a little before continuing the rehearsal. Delia, carefully putting the cymbals back in their place, stood up and headed for the doors.

The corridor was already filled with colleagues who, like her, had come for a break between parts of the rehearsal. Some hurried toward the toilet, others, in no hurry, walked along the walls, talking among themselves. The atmosphere in the corridor was free and relaxed, although the conversations and laughter in the background sounded somewhat nervous, as if someone was continuing to talk about something that remained hidden in the air.

Delia slowed her pace, looking around. One of the cellists passed by her, noticing her glance. He frowned slightly, but said nothing, simply walking toward the washbasin. Delia didn't react, her thoughts remaining focused on how she was gradually finding her place among these people. She still felt the ease that her confidence had brought her yesterday, but there was a slight tension in the hallway, as if each of the musicians was still trying to figure out what had changed in this orchestra since her arrival.