The Barefoot Violinist

Truth or Dare

After some time of working together, Cory sat on his bed in confusion. He had never felt like this. He had lost his appetite, he felt slightly nervous and on edge the whole time and he couldn't seem to catch his breath when he saw Bennett at school. How can one kid have him questioning his whole life and all the choices he'd made? Falling back on his back, he let out a heavy sigh, one arm covering his face.

How did this start. When?!! What am I going to do about it? Should I do anything? Why won't those sad blue eyes leave? His thoughts ran away with him while he lay in the dark. Sitting up again, he stared blindly at the wall. Why can't I just ask him out or at least try to. The worse he can do is call me dumb and say no, he reasoned with himself. Having come to that conclusion, his heart seemed to race even faster, making him smile as he fell exhausted back on his bed.

He had checked out Bennett's schedule and made sure that he was near the music room when he had a free class, to listen to him play. Sometimes Bennett's friends would join him  during lunch. Fooling around and joking with him before he started playing. For some reason Cory felt jealous that he could not share in their fun. 

In the beginning he only sat outside the room, his eyes closed, listening to the music that seemed to swell inside him, filling the empty space that he had always felt. It felt good. Now, he would stare at Bennett through the small glass window. Watched as he played. That beautiful smile that took over his face. It must be magic, he wanted to convince himself, not ready for what seemed to be lurking just out of reach.

He cursed under his breath when he noticed Bennett's eyes trained on him. Biting the bullet, he opened the door and sauntered in confidently. Or at least he hoped that it was confident, because at the moment he didn't feel it.

"Em... hi... I didn't want to disturb you, so I waited outside." he said uncomfortably, hoping that Bennett would believe him. "You...eh you play really well. Like really, reeeally well!" Well that was lame, he berated himself.

"Was there something you needed? We're only meeting this evening, isn't it?" he asked, ignoring the compliment, clearly confused by Cory's presence.

"I... er, yeah we are, we are." he said almost to himself. But his head bobbed up and he smiled at Bennett. "Just checking to make sure you don't drop me."

"That's an asshole thing that you would do." he countered. 

Cory smiled even wider, hearing him cuss. Obviously the redhead was rubbing off on him. With a lazy wave he left the music room.

What the heck was that all about? Bennett thought to himself as the door closed behind Cory. This must be some sort of Stranger Things show where everything is messed up and upside down, I suppose, he wondered, trying to make sense of what just happened.

That evening Cory arrived at five on the dot. He seemed to be more comfortable at Bennett's these days, but this was the first time he'd meet his mother. Cory felt strangely nervous, on the one hand not knowing what Bennett had told his mum about him, on the other needing the woman's approval, for whatever reason. He rang the doorbell and heard shouting from inside. Bennett opened the door with a flushed face and slightly out of breath, which made Cory grin at him. Standing aside, he let Cory into the house. A small framed woman came walking toward him, wiping her hands on a dish cloth. Cory smiled at her,

"Good evening Mrs. Cane, I'm Cory. It's very nice of you to have me over like this." he held his hand out to her, while Bennett mimed putting his finger down his throat, gagging. Cory almost lost it, never having seen him even act in that way.

"Oh that's so sweet of you my dear! But call me Chrissie, everybody does." she beamed up at him. "I hope you don't mind eating in the kitchen," she smiled.