No Way Out

Chapter 9 - White

Am I not just oh-so awesome? I uploaded just the next day! I haven't done something like that since I started the book, LOL! So enjoy and I'm working on chapter 10 as you read this.

Chapter 9

As we stepped off the elevator, I finally spoke up - positive that Jace was far, far away, like over ten floors away.

"So, do you care to explain why you gave two people, to answers in less than twenty minutes?" I asked, confused and raising an eyebrow. Honestly, it's slightly amusing but I'm not going to let Sebb know that.

Sebb started blushing furiously. He looked away and didn't dare look me in the eye. He seemed embarrassed for some reason.

He looked down and shoved his hands in his pockets as I unlocked the elevator with the my swipe and punched in the code with the elevator numbers to enter my apartment. The door opened to the lounge as I left it this morning: untouched.

Fine, if he doesn't want to answer then alright. I'll drop it.

"Do you want anything to drink?" I said, dumping my bag, keys and setting the Chang-Fen down on the counter/kitchen island as I walk into the kitchen. I open the fridge and contemplated whether to scare him off by showing the true me and ask him if he'd like a beer or some other alcoholic drink, or maybe be lame and just offer water.

Going for the former option since I wanted him to know me for the real me, hey; take it or leave it, I looked up from the fridge, about to ask him a question, only to see him sitting on the piano, his eyes distant, telling one he's thinking about something deeply, something he hadn't thought of for a long time. As if trying to push it to the back of his mind.

I poured myself a small glass of whiskey and another glass full of water, left the kitchen and sat beside him on the edge of the piano stool.

I nudged him slightly. He shook, as if he was just brought back to reality from his distant thoughts and dream. He looked at me before looking down, smiling lightly, at the white keys, that were glowing from the light that reflected off from the buildings, cars and streetlights outside from the floor to ceiling windows.

"You play?" I whispered, afraid to break the tranquil atmosphere.

He was about to nod and open his mouth but then he changed his mind, shaking his head, before nodding it side to side, not sure even himself. I nudged him and nodded towards the piano.

"Play," I said, urging him. One should not give up an instrument forever, unless they truly hated it. Sebb didn't seem the type to hate music really. He seemed like the type that would be pretty good at it actually. My judgement wasn't wrong.

He hesitated, barely putting his hands on the keys before taking them back, afraid. That's when my eyes focused on his hands, when I noticed slit like faded marks on the top. He put his hands on the gleaming, ivory keys, trying once more.

Once he started, it was beautiful. I recognized it as Richard Clayderman's version of Pachabel's 'Canon in D'. I closed my eyes, he was a tiny bit faulty but you couldn't blame a person that hadn't seemed to have practiced in a while. Even if I stopped practicing or just playing random notes for a while, I'd forget how to play the song completely. This was really good, amazing in fact.

I stared in awe and amazement as his long fingers glided over the piano keys with such grace and beauty. All too soon the piece was over and I just wanted to hear him play me more. Play it again and again. I never wanted him to stop, because I swear, I think this is the only thing that would have even a small chance at lulling me to sleep.

Sebb removed his hands from the keyboard and rested it on his lap. It was then I realized I let out a breath that I had been holding and so did he. A smile reached my lips without me even realizing it was there. My eyes stayed still on the piano keys, never moving away yet I didn't see them there. My eyes were distant.