Metronome (FOB FanFic ft. Tyler Joseph)

Chapter 4

I was sitting in the University's library, tapping my pencil on my textbook as I hummed the G major scale. It was still playing over and over again in my head, even with the music blasting in my ears.

Just then, the chair across from me was pulled out and someone sat down in it. I glanced up over the rim of my big, black, thick-rimmed glasses and my eyebrows furrowed together. I plucked my earbuds out and draped them around my neck.

The person's lip curled up into a smirk, "Hello, Evelyn."

"What are you doing here, Patrick?"

"Don't you want to learn how to play the piano?" He retorted, folding his hands on the table.

"Well, yeah. But I'm kind of in the middle of doing something right now."

He chuckled, "Oh, you're so cute. You think I actually give a shit about what you do on your own time. But if you want me to teach you to play piano, we do this on my time. And right now, I don't have a class for another hour. So it looks like you better pack your things up and follow me, or you can kiss your chances of moving onto the next major scale goodbye."

I crossed my arms, asking him, "Are you ever going to not be an asshole?"

He shrugged, averting his gaze to the side as if he was drifting off into deep thought, "I don't know, it's possible. But I wouldn't get your hopes up."

I rolled my eyes and closed my textbook, sliding it into my backpack with my notebook and pens. I stood up and slung my bag over my shoulder, "Well, let's go. Time's not waiting for us ."

Patrick rose to his feet and joined my side, grinning, "Now, if you keep doing as I say, I might not be an asshole sooner than expected."

I shook my head and started walking towards the door, Patrick jogging to catch up to me.

*****

I was sitting on the piano bench, Patrick sitting beside me. "Play me an A major."

I looked over at him, my eyebrow raised.

He met my gaze and said, "What? Did you not hear me? Because I still can't tell if you're deaf or just stupid."

My eyes narrowed, "And I still can't tell why Joe - or anyone, for that matter - would ever even consider you a nice guy, let alone one of their friends, or their best friend." He crossed his arms over his chest and I sighed, "Look, Patrick, I don't know anything about the piano. So when you tell me to play these scales, I don't know what you're talking about. That's why I want you to teach me. Not just tell me to play all these scales like I already know them. I mean, it's your fucking job now, isn't it? You're a professor, for crying out loud, you-"

"Technically I'm just sitting in until they find a new professor," He corrected me, "I don't have a degree."

"Whatever. Just teach me to play, okay? And stop expecting me to know all this stuff..."

He rolled his eyes, "Fine, I'll teach you. Put your hands here," He instructed as he grabbed my hands with his and placed them on the correct keys. "This is an A major scale. It goes like this." He pushed his fingers down, pushing my fingers down, and moved our entangled hands swiftly, filling the cavernous room made for music with a beautiful sound. But instead of completing the scale, Patrick kind of just began to play, my hands still underneath his.

He began losing himself in the music, and in some weird way, I kind of admired it.

Tears started wavering in his eyes, the more and more he played.

His playing became faster, heavier, more intense. And he was starting to hurt my hands and arms. But I didn't want to stop him.

Seconds later, he jumped to his feet, slamming my hands down into the keys - abruptly ending the mellifluous sounds hanging in the air - and stepping away from the piano. He began pacing back and forth, shaking his head and muttering nonsense to himself under his breath.

I pivoted my torso so that I was looking back at him and inquired softly, "Patrick, what...what was that?"

He stopped pacing and glanced over at the small clock hanging on the wall, running a hand through his hair, "My next class starts in five minutes. You should probably get going, Evelyn."

"But you didn't even-"

"Tomorrow, same time, be prepared," He cut me off, pointing a finger at me. "And since I'm sort of a professor, and you want me to teach you, I have a homework assignment for you. Learn the major scales tonight. All of them. We're having a pop quiz tomorrow. And you better have them perfected, or very close to perfected."

"But-"

"Now get!" He snapped at me, "And don't forget - you perfect those scales, because if you fail, well," He chuckled, "You and I are through."

I swallowed hard before turning on my heel and leaving the room, passing by a few of Patrick's students who were chatting among themselves as they entered his classroom.

"I wonder what he's going to break down about today. His girlfriend or his band."

"That's even if he's here today. Maybe he'll run out like last time."

"Come on, guys, give him a break. He's just a sub."

"A poor one at that. He lets his emotions get the best of him and it prevents him from teaching us right."

"He's not even a teacher. He's a freaking ex-band member with absolutely no teaching credentials. I don't know what the University was thinking hiring him."

"Well I like him, so the two of you can just shut up. He's way better than our last teacher and if I'm being honest, I hope our last teacher never comes back."

I stopped in my tracks and looked back over my shoulder, watching the three students disappear into Patrick's classroom.

What were they talking about?