Impulse - Phan (discontinued)

chapter eight - dan

chapter eight - dan

"Do you even know what a geiger counter is?" I turn to Phil. We're eating lunch in the music room. Phil sits at the piano. I'm referring to the previous night's, well earlier this morning's text conversation. 

"If I say yes will you skip over the explanation?" He's playing a note over and over again. 

"Sure." I pick up my sandwich and take a bite out of it. He's trying to demonstrate a chord progression for me. I played piano for a year and a half, I know how to, but I'm letting him have his fun. I don't know how it would affect mood though, I'm too sciencey and awkward to figure it out.

"Yes." He plays c major. He attempts to play c minor but ends up playing d minor. 

"No you don't. It's an instrument used to count ionizing radiation." I put my sandwich back in my container, getting up and brushing crumbs off my hands. I approach the piano and he shoots me a glance. 

"Well you can't play piano." I place my hands on the keys, playing c major and then c minor. Immediately afterwards I throw my chin up, glaring at the piano after my chin rests at a regular position. 

"I can, thank you, but you can't either." He stares at me in disbelief. 

"You can play piano?" He scoots over on the piano bench, patting it for me to sit down, I roll my eyes and snap four times before sitting next to him.

"Rather badly, but I guess, yes. Yes, I guess I can." That was the worst sentence I've ever said. Make up your mind Howell. Can you or can't you. I take a deep breath, silencing the feud in my brain. 

"Play something." It's my turn to look at him with disbelief. I grimace. 

"What? I can't play things on cue. I-I need music or something-" He shakes his head. 

"Just play something you used to play." I glance at him again, then place my fingers on the keys. I play the introduction to Moonlight Sonata. 

"There." I throw my chin up again. 

"Why did you stop lessons? You're amazing!" I smile grimly, my chin bouncing up again. 

"Well, maybe it's-" I clap five times in the middle of the sentence. I continue like nothing happened, because barely anything did. "-the Tourette's?" I shrug, getting up returning to my lunch. I take another bite of sandwich. 

"Yeah." He says. He stands from the piano bench, he walks back to his lunch. We eat quietly not really talking, I hum a few times, but for one of the first times in my life, it's not uncomfortable, and though he looks at me, I don't feel like shrinking away. 

Phil gets out his phone and searches something. I put away my sandwich box and take out a bag of crisps. I click my tongue three times as he sighs, scrolling madly through something. He grumbles about something then goes back to type things. I eat the crisps, staring at him intently.

His hair is black, lighter in some places because of the lights above. His blue eyes sparkle as he reads through whatever he's doing. He's biting the edge of his lip, he squints in anger at the screen. He rolls his eyes and brushes his hair off his forehead. He looks up and I quickly look away.

"Why is The Lion King basically Hamlet but with lions?" I look at him confused. 

"What are you on about?" I ask, placing the bag of crisps back in my lunchbox. 

"Musicals." He shakes his head, going back to his phone. He smiles broadly and opens a song. There's an oboe and string instruments. It sounds uplifting and happy. He mouths the words as a boy sings:

"I have sailed the world beheld its wonders, from the dardanelles to the mountains of Peru, but there's place like London." Then a more menacing voice comes in saying: "There's no place like London," He pauses it looking up at me.

"That's Sweeney Todd, I was going to play How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, but I couldn't find the song I was looking for." He gestures to his phone. "I wanted to then play something from Les Mis, but I decided against it. Then I thought, The Music Man." He looks up at me. "Have you ever heard of Into the Woods?" I stare at him. 

"W-Wh-" 

"Have I stunned the un-stunnable Dan Howell into speechlessness?" 

"N-No. I just..." 

"I have haven't I?" He smiles broadly and crosses his arms.

"No. I was just trying to figure out how to call you a nerd lightly." I roll my neck around clockwise. 

"Yeah right." He uncrosses his arms. "If you're so smart, quote a musical." I stare at him, what musicals have I ever seen? Have I even seen any? I might have watched The Sound of Music, but that was ages ago. Phil was quoting The Music Man...

"We're as cold as the falling temperature in December if you ask about our weather in July." Phil starts to sing. "And we're so by gone stubborn we can stand touching noses for a week at a time and never see eye to eye!" He gets up and dances around the room. "But what the heck, you're welcome, join us at the picnic! You can have a share of all the food you bring yourself!" He stops dancing slowly then returns to his seat. "You oughta give Iowa a try!" 

I stare at him. 

"You've memorized it?" He nods. "In one night?" He nods again. "What?" 

"Well, you memorize science stuff, and this has a tune to it!" He smiles, shimmying in his seat. 

"You are such a nerd." 

"Marian, Madam Librarian. Oh what can I do, my dear, to catch your ear, I love you madly madly madly Madam librarian." 

"Did I just hear some Music Man?" I turn to the door where the music teacher stands. I roll my shoulder as Phil jumps up happily.

"Yes, Mr. Richards." Mr. Richards smiles walking closer. 

"Well, would you be interested in auditioning for the lead?" Phil's face blooms with excitement. 

"We're doing The Music Man?" He asks smiling brighter still. 

"Yes sir, and I think you could be Professor Harold Hill," Mr. Richards looks up and down Phil and nods. "Can you sing another bit possible?" Phil nods looking around for a few moments. 

"Now in the moonlight, a man could sing it in the moonlight. And a fellow would know that his darling Had hear every word of his song with the moonlight helping along." He sings this and the next verse, but I zone out. Phil? A lead in a musical? It's called The Music Man? I need to watch it. Mr.Richards claps.

"That was amazing, Lester. I see how you connect with Harold Hill, if you can perform that well in auditions next month, you might just land yourself the lead!" Phil's smile is so bright and wide, I can't help but think it must hurt.

"Thank you so much Mr. Richards." Mr. Richards nods at him and retreats to his office.

"You did amazing Phil." I say smiling. 

"Thank you! Have you ever seen it?" I shake my head. "Come to my house, we can watch it." 

"O-Okay." The bell will ring soon. "Tonight or-"

"Yeah! We can watch it in my room because I have a television and I can ask my mum to buy popcorn!" He looks so excited. I smile, this will be fun. I'll get to see a musical Phil will star in and it will be amazing. I gather up my lunchbox and place it into my backpack, slinging it over my shoulder. 

"I can't wait!" The bell rings and I follow Phil out the door. 

A/N

This took me while to write, I don't know why. I don't have much to say, enjoy it! 

(Happy Birthday tomorrow Liv!) 

1/30/16

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