People are coming! Claire needs to hide.

Such hope didn’t last, Claire’ heard people talking from beyond the door, she tried to double back to the dining room, but there was chatter coming from there too. Not again… Where could Claire hide? Behind some of the instruments?

Yeah, right. How could she not get spotted that way if she hid behind a Piano or Violin? …But what about their cases? They seemed like a better solution. Claire opened a cello case and removed the instrument inside.

The naked woman placed her bare feet on the soft felt of the case; she bent down and contorted her limbs into a little ball. It took some twisting to fit inside, but she managed to do so and close the zipper around herself. Claire was left in complete darkness, but at least she wasn’t cold. The enclosed space was proving to be quite warm.

“Argh, we are chasing shadows. I thought we came here to practice!” A girl complained as she entered the room.

“Yeah, but this is more fun, isn’t it?”

“No, it’s not!” Of all the places in the room, the girl went and planted her butt on just the worst one imaginable. Not on the steps to the platform, not on the conductor’s chair, not even the floor. She sat on the Cello’s case. Claire couldn’t believe her luck.

“Hey girls, found anything?”

“Hi Luna, nothing.” Sweat began pouring out of every pore in Claire’s body. Not only out of nerves that her boss’s daughter could soon find her, but because the case was getting hot, and the girl sitting atop of it wasn’t helping in any way.

“Yeah, me neither. I don’t think we are going to find anything by now. Sooooooo, can you help me clean this place up? Pretty please?” Huh, Luna, the spoiled princess, wanted to clean? First time for everything. “My mother texted me that her business trip was cut short, she is coming here right now!” Oh great, now the boss herself was coming home! Claire’s stomach got almost as twisted as she was at the moment.

“So what? Don’t you have a maid to clean the house?”

“Yes, but Claire isn’t here, and she isn’t answering my texts either! By the time she arrives, it will be too late. I’m afraid is up to us.”

“I still don’t see why that’s our problem? Just wait ‘til your maid gets here.” The girl stood up from the case, giving Claire a small respite.

“We can’t. If mom arrives and sees this mess, she will blame me! She’ll never let us practice here again!”

“Yeah, cause we are doing so much practice right now.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. Honestly Luna I can´t believe that you...”

Oh for crying out loud, shut up! Why did they pick this exact moment to start getting catty with each other? Claire’s back was still killing her, and her limbs were on her way to becoming wet noodles. The naked woman had half a mind to go out that moment regardless of the consequences.

“I’m sorry, Lu…”

“No, I’m sorry Ev.” They yell at each other one minute, and then they hug it out the next? Claire could never understand these rich girls… even if they were the same age as her. “Please help me gather the other girls so that we can start cleaning the house.”

“Sure!” Claire heard Luna and the other girl walk away. Finally! She could soon leave her cramped, self-imposed prison. The naked maid dared to be optimistic. “Blabla, Sorry Ev, bah. I’m not a maid! I’m taking my Cello and going home.” Uh-oh, that didn’t sound good. Maybe this wasn’t so bad? Maybe the girl would carry Claire to the entrance?