December 1970 brought the strangest, most difficult holidays you both had ever known. You were without your families—not that either of you really wanted to be with them. But it still hurt. It hurt knowing they thought they were better off without you, even during Christmas and New Year. They didn't care enough to even tell you in advance, just paid to keep you at school.

Worse yet, you were stuck here with Mr. Hunham, a strict, stern professor you couldn’t stand, and Angus Tully—your rival in everything, thanks to your families' long-standing competition. Even if you were both dealing with the same pain, you still felt the need to outdo each other.. It really was the last place you wanted to be.

The first two and a half weeks were miserable. You and Angus fought constantly, with Mr. Hunham struggling to keep the peace. The weight of abandonment only fueled the tension.

But eventually, after weeks of fighting, exhaustion set in. The constant bickering gave way to a heavy, somber silence, as neither of you knew how to handle your emotions. After a cold, quiet dinner one night, you both went to the large infirmary room to sleep.

Lying in bed, you knew it would be another sleepless night. Forty minutes passed before you heard Angus get up and quietly leave the room. You followed him, careful not to make a sound. He headed to the theater, where he sat at the piano and began playing a few soft notes. You stopped and sat at a distance, watching.

You recognized that look in his eyes. He was struggling, just like you. And for the first time, you realized this was your chance to talk to someone who truly understood.