The Problem with Blue (#opennovellacontest)

Chapter 2

Today didn't go well. I need to double check my notes, but my test this morning went so badly that I'm wondering if I even studied the right chapters. I lean up against my locker and try to decide what to do. Alex is at football practice, Kate is in German Club, and Miles is in the library for tutoring, so my choices are to walk home or fill the time for the next half an hour until they're ready to go.

"Hey. Have a good day?"

"Nope." I glance over at Lilly who leans against the locker next to me.

"I'm sorry," she frowns, scooting a little closer and looping her arm around my waist. I give her a halfhearted smile, but my heart isn't in it. What I want right now is to be alone.

"Come on, let's walk home. Nobody's at your house now, right?"

"I think I'm going to stick around and wait until Kate can drive me back." I can feel Lilly sigh against me before she stands on her toes and softly plants a kiss on the side of my neck.

"Are you sure? Like really, really sure?" she asks. I smile and look into her big brown eyes, knowing what's she's trying to not so subtly suggest.

"Yeah, I'm going to go see if the band room is empty. Come over later for dinner?" I don't miss the look of disappointment that passes over her face before she agrees and leans in for another quick kiss. Before I head towards the band room, I watch as she walks down the hallway and quickly joins up with a group of her friends.

Lilly and her family have been our neighbors since she and I were six years old. She is my best friend and literally the proverbial girl next door. We spent most of our time as kids running back and forth between our houses and playing sports in the yard, causing a trail of destruction wherever we went. That also included spending nights together, usually in one of our bedrooms or in a tent while camping in someone's backyard. Our parents put a stop to the bed sharing when we were about 12. I remember being furious when that rule was put into action, assuming it was just another way for them to ruin my life. I guess I was a late bloomer because it never even occurred to me that we might be doing something in bed other than sleeping. In the end, Alex finally pulled me aside and explained why allowing a pre-teen boy and girl to share a bed was inappropriate. Even then, I was still skeptical all the way up until the time when we were 14 and she pinned me against the house and kissed me one day after school. Then I understood.

I push open the band room door and peek inside. Empty. Relieved, I walk across the room to the piano, dropping my backpack with a thud on the floor. I run my fingers lightly over the keys, playing a few tentative notes. Taking a deep breath, I start to pick out the melody to Space Oddity. I botch a few chords right away, so I pause and start over, getting them correct on the second try. It's been a few days since I last had the opportunity to come in here and play, so I sound a bit rough. My pacing is bad since I still have to struggle to find the right keys, but each time I play, it seems a bit more recognizable. After only ten minutes at the piano, I can already feel the tension drain out of my body.

"That's a good song. I like David Bowie, too."

I jump and let out a little shout of surprise at the sudden voice, my heart pounding. "Oh! Sorry. I didn't think anybody was here!" I look up to see a lanky boy with black hair and glasses standing on the opposite side of the room. I get up to leave, feeling like I got caught doing something I shouldn't.

"No, it's ok. I'm just getting my things," he says. "I've heard you playing in here before. You're getting better," he adds.

"Thanks. I think," I laugh as he ventures over closer to the piano.