Pieces // H.S

Chapter 29: The Piano

Harry:

I sat up all night, answering question after question that Jane’s Aunt asked me. I didn’t care, though, I couldn’t sleep anyway. Her questions made me think about what I Jane’s reaction might be if I told her that I love her. I couldn’t imagine her replying with ‘I love you too’. She would either burst out laughing, and take it as some sort of joke, or just squint at me, and ask me what I was on. She asked that when someone said something crazy. Perhaps, I could show her slowly. I could ask her out, just an activity you might do with a friend, then maybe she’ll realise or something. I don’t know.

 

She woke up around seven thirty, and came downstairs looking like a model. Her hair was neatly combed, but she had taken the die out in her morning shower. She smiled as she entered the kitchen and sat next to me at the breakfast bar. She took a banana out of the fruit bowl at the side of the counter and began to peel it. Her aunt brought a cup of coffee and placed it on the coaster in front of her.

“Good morning!” she said in a cheerful voice and while stirring the cereal around in the bowl in front of me, I acknowledged her. “You two look shattered.” She expected some explanation but since neither her aunt or I were going to volunteer one she carried on eating. She finished her breakfast quicker than I did and like a child, she asked to leave the table. Her aunt granted her permission and she went through the living room where there was a piano. I could hear her play scale after scale, going through each note on the piano. Then I heard her say “Well, that was boring” to herself and she played one of her own songs. Her songs quickly turned into other songs, like a really long pop mashup interjected with christmas songs and carols. When I finished breakfast, Penny collected up my items and I left the quiet room. I walked into the living room and Jane immediately stopped playing the piano, and looked up at me.

“Sorry, am I being too loud?” she asked with a concerned expression.

“No, of course not. You carry on.” I said, but my replies were limited because of sleep deprivation. I stood over the piano and watched her hands reach and press down each key in perfect rhythm and timing for each song she played. She looked up at a score every so often, but then realised that I was staring at her fingers.

“Are you ok? You look a bit... out of it.”

“Yeah, I am. How can you play so many songs?”

“I have lessons, plus the songs aren’t so hard. I bet you could play some of these.”She continued to play as she spoke, but then stopped when she had an idea. “Can you play anything on the piano?”

“Nope. I sing and thats as far as I go.” She seemed disappointed at my answer as if she was expecting a lot more of me.

“What about Clocks, by Coldplay? I’ll show you.” She took her left hand off the keys and played a few notes. She patted a chair near the piano, and I sat on it. Jane was in a surprisingly good mood.

- - - 

Jane:

I sat patiently playing the same three notes over and over again until Harry finally got them. I had a lot of patience, luckily for him, because I had finally had enough sleep. That was not the only reason though. In the middle of the night, I heard noises downstairs, so I went downstairs to see what was going on. Auntie and Harry were sitting, discussing things. I listened from where they couldn’t see me.

“Harry, are you... how should I say this... in love her?” My auntie asked. I wondered who the girl was, not that it mattered. Well, maybe it did... a bit…

“Yes, but she’s so young and well, there’s nothing I can do. Plus, I don’t want to break Jane’s heart.”

What?!! He must think I fancy him, or something. ‘He fancies himself more than I’ll ever fancy him’ I thought. That was where I stopped listening. I decided to go back to bed and think about everything. I formed a plan in my head. I would play into his trap, be incredibly nice to him, make him think that I’m irrevocably in love with him but then as soon as he tells me that he doesn’t love me, I could finally drop him like a rock, without it being my fault. It would be embarrassing, but it’ll get rid of him forever, rather than invoke that injunction, which would a thoroughly unpleasant thing to do.

The piano lessons and good mood was just part of the act. Felicity always said it was a romantic thing to do, help people with piano, which I personally didn’t see, but I followed her successful advice. I looked deep into his eyes, like I had read online to do and let my sentences trail off. I had to put my hand on his so that he would press the right keys, because I got a bit bored after a while, at least it kept up the image. Finally, he mastered it, so I put in the bass part and it sounded quite good. Auntie came in and stood in the doorway saying that what she could hear was good. I smiled earnestly, with a hint of mystery and auntie said she was going to go for a walk with Reese (I didn’t even realise he was up, I had been so focused on my plot). We were alone for what I thought would be about half an hour.

“So, what music do you like?” He asked, to fill the awkward silence.

“Old stuff. Beatles, Coldplay, The Rolling Stones”

“Really? They’re great bands. You’re making me feel old, we had hits at the same time as Coldplay.”

"Well, maybe not so old stuff then."

There was a moment of silence.

“Harry, who were you talking about last night, with my Aunt?”

“When?” He blushed, I knew he knew exactly what I was talking about. I looked at him blankly. He shuffled around a bit, then started to perspire a little. He was genuinely flustered by my question.

“Last night. You know exactly what I mean.” He could tell I was not impressed. He’s a celebrity, I’m meant to be scared of him. He’s also six years older than me, which therefore should make him invincible to this kind of teenage romance fluff. He’s normally so confident around other people, apparently.

“Err… No... No I don't.”

“Why are you looking so worried? You’re not scared of me, are you?”

“No.” He chuckled awkwardly making this conversation even worse than it already was.

"Oh, well, you know, we're friends... so like, you can talk to me, I guess. Just because I’m kinda famous doesn’t make me any different to any other girl you’ve met before.” This seemed to strike a chord.

“You see, that’s just it. You’re completely different to anyone I’ve met before.”

“Er... Sorry. I don't mean to be weird.”

“You’re just... ugh... I don't know.”

“Oh.” What was I meant to say to that? “In what way am I different, then?”

“I don’t know. You’re just weird in a good way. You’re very friendly and stuff; it’s just you’re weird. You don’t act like most people. You think differently, and I…” His sentence trailed off. Not helpful. I wasn’t planning on unearthing what he was going to say, because if it had mattered, then he would have said it. Well, that’s my way of thinking.

“Well, whatever.” I said.

**Coming Soon: Happy New Year**