The Art Class

10. Date ?

From the moment Eddy was able to feel the squeeze that Brett applied to his fingertip, all Eddy wanted to do once he returned to art class was to keep feeling that sensation over and over again.

For the rest of the class, Eddy kept pinching his left fingertips with his right hand.

His pencil lay on a blank page of his sketchbook when he was meant to be sketching some objects in front of him. A light bulb, a small teddy bear and a mobile phone.

Eventually, Brett whispered to Eddy.

"Eddy.. I got this. You should draw."

Brett reached his left hand out from across the table and held the tip of Eddy's index finger, as he had done before. Eddy looked up.

"Eddy, you should draw. I got this."

Eddy gave a shy nod and picked up his pencil and started to sketch.

Brett also went back to sketching the objects on the table while his left hand kept busy squeezing Eddy's fingertips. After a while he developed a pattern of squeezing down onto the fingernail 8 times, followed by clamping Eddy's fingernail from the sides and squeezing, again 8 times before he moved on to the next finger. Brett noticed that Eddy's eyes would shoot up away from his sketchbook as soon as Brett squeezed the index finger, to which Brett would meet his eyes and smile.

So it seemed Eddy had yet felt anything on his other fingers and thumb, but Brett kept at it anyway, hoping it would make a difference.

While the students were sketching, their elderly art teacher said to the class;

"Art shops are very interesting. There is a lovely one in the city that is my favourite, I could spend a whole day there."

It was lunchtime.

Brett and Eddy found a small picnic table in a quiet area on the art school campus and they sat facing each other as Eddy placed his backpack on the centre of the table. Brett reached out and held down the backpack as Eddy zipped it open and took out his lunchbox and bottle of water. Brett zipped up the backpack and Eddy placed it next to himself on the bench. Brett then held down the lunchbox container as Eddy opened it, Brett then proceeded to get his food ready as Eddy placed his left hand on the centre of the table. Once Brett started munching on his sandwich, he reached his left hand out to the middle of the table and started squeezing Eddy's fingertips. It was the beginning of their special ritual and already its execution was seamlessly smooth.

"Hey Eddy..?"

"Yeah?"

"Y'know how our art teacher said it would be fascinating to go to an art supply store to check out some of the products they sell?"

"Yeah...?"

"Um.. So Eddy, I was wondering if you would like to go and check it out together sometime? Either after art school or on the weekend?"

"Um.. yeah...?"

"I just thought it would be similar to a musician going to a music store.. I mean I know we're no visual artists but I suppose it might be an interesting experience? But if either of us doesn't like it and think it's boring we could always go somewhere else..."

"Like where Brett?"

"Well.. I kinda like bubble tea..."

Eddy's face lit up.

"Yeah? Me too!!"

"Great! What else do you like, Eddy?"

"Um.. I like computer games, manga, anime.."

"Okay, are there any shops that you enjoy browsing for that sort of stuff?"

"Hmm... well there is a large bookstore in the city that has an enormous stock of manga which I find rather interesting.. and I don't get to check it out that often.."

"Sounds good Eddy. We could go check that place out."

"Yeah but you do know where you and I would probably have the most fun, right?"

Brett grinned.

"..A music store?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh yeah, Eddy, definitely. Especially if it specialises in string instruments, as in violins.."

Eddy grinned back.

"Oh? C'mon Brett, don't you wanna go check out some electric guitars?"

Brett rolled his eyes.

"Yeah maybe when hell freezes over. I don't think I ever want to own an electric musical instrument if I could help it."

Eddy smirked.

"Are you sure about that? I wouldn't mind trying out one of those electrical violins.."

Brett pretended to recoil in horror.

"Oh for goodness sakes, you have got to be kidding me, Eddy."

Eddy looked at Brett who was trying so hard not to burst out laughing.

Eddy whispered;

"Look Brett, no one needs to know. It could be our little secret."

"Huh?"

"Let go check out the electric violins. I want to hear you play it. I also want to have a go if you'd let me play 2 boys 1 violin style. And I promise I won't tell anyone what we did if you promise you won't tell on me, too."

"Oh my god Eddy, that is so sAcRiLeGiOuS!! How could I possibly say no to that!!"

Brett gave back the most evil-looking grin Eddy had ever seen and the next moment they both burst out laughing.