My Significant Other?

Chapter 5- Piano

Once Shelby woke up, she knew something exciting was going to happen. She could feel it in her gut. Maybe a new case? Shelby didn't know, but she was excited. She quickly got dressed and sat in the living room, even though it was four in the morning. Shelby just sat and thought. She thought about recent encounters and past encounters. They were pretty good until after an hour passed and the old past came.

"I love you,"

"YOU'RE A MISTAKE!"

Shelby jolted out of her memories. Normally, these didn't haunt her. Her breath was hitched in her throat. She couldn't breathe and didn't want to, but forced herself to exhale and take steady breaths. They came out shaky at first, but she soon got ahold of them. She buried her face in her hands. No tears, please, no tears. July was a long time away, she didn't need this nor did she want this. Why were they coming so soon? A small bit in Shelby's brain clicked. It was him. Sherlock Holmes was the reason. Sherlock was just like him. Shelby wondered if he played the instrument, then he would probably be a living version of him.

"Morning, Shelby," Joan shuffled in, yawning from just waking up. Shelby sat up, trying to look natural as if nothing was on her mind. "I'm still wondering why you haven't even touched the piano ever since we moved in." Joan started to walk to the kitchen. Shelby snorted and chuckled quietly.

"I told you," Shelby started, sitting back in her chair. "It's just a hobby."

"Hobby, sch-mobby, I don't care!" Joan continued to argue. This was the most pointless argument Joan had started. Shelby had brought the piano into their flat, mostly to play while Joan was out of the house, and Joan wanted to hear her play. "If I had brought my flute or continued playing after school, I would be playing it all the time."

"Well, a piano is different. You need sheets of music."

"You could compose." Joan walked in, holding her steaming coffee cup. "Question that's off topic, what time do you normally wake up at?"

"Around 5. Today I woke up earlier because I couldn't sleep." Shelby wanted to continue on the topic of sleep but Joan had other plans.

"Anyways, please. Please play something!" Joan shouted not too loudly due to Mr. Hunter sleeping upstairs. His last name had been Hudson, but he changed it due to a person he knew had the last name. The man ended up doing terrible things and Mr. Hunter didn't want anyone to get him confused with the bugger. Shelby had gotten the flat by making sure his wife gotten into prison. She had been cheating on him for years and he hadn't known. She also decided to become a serial killer. She was smart, but Shelby got to her quickly.

"No. It might wake Mr. Hunter." Shelby shifted in her seat. Though she didn't want to play for Joan, she itched to touch the ivory keys and hear their beautiful sounds come out of the instrument.

"Mr. Hunter wouldn't mind if you played. Besides, he's heard you and said that you play amazingly." Joan looked at Shelby with pleading eyes.

"No."

"What if I make you a deal?" Shelby perked up. Oh, deals.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, if you play a song for me, I will ask John on a date." Shelby desired to say yes. Joan and John were perfect for each other.

"Well, what if John doesn't fancy you? It would be punishment." It didn't even faze Joan. She smiled bigger.

"Fine, if you play a song for me, I will pay the cabbie for three months." Oh this was a pretty even deal.

"Does it have to be now?" Shelby protested. She didn't want to play now, but maybe later.

"No, but it has to be in front of me." Joan stood up, her coffee finished, and stretched. "I'm getting ready." She walked back upstairs to her room, leaving Shelby once again alone. Shelby sighed and stood up. She need to touch the piano. Only play a bit, maybe some scattered notes. She sat down on the polished chair and sighed. The keys gleamed and she smiled at her old friend. She rested her hands on the first set of keys. She just slid her hands, not hitting anything at first, trying to decide what exactly to play, when she thought of the perfect piece. Something small and sweet with no big meaning to it.

(The song she is playing is "Melodie" by Grieg. Look it up!!)

It started low and worked it's way up and then some small chords were played. It was small amounts of movements at first. The piano sounded rich as she continued tapping the keys. The music flowed together. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the music. She moved along with the continuous notes as she played. Shelby smiled. Her long time friend, the piano and her were reunited. She loved it and didn't hear the footsteps coming down the stairs. She continued and poured her small heart into the sounds, soft and then loud. Piano to forte. Oh the music felt cleansing to her soul. The music helped her think of everything at once. Repetition was mostly in this piece and Shelby did not mind. This was her first piece she had picked when she was little and wanted something to learn. As a child, she could play it, but never as well as she could now. She understood everything now. Ah, the music was beautiful. And he had taught her most of her pieces. Shelby grinned wider. She would never forget him. And it finished, with a small note clinging to the air.

She sighed with relief and heard clapping. Shelby turned around and saw Joan, dressed and with a smile on her face.

"That was beautiful! I knew you could do it!" Joan rejoiced, a smile was big on her face. "Where did you learn to play like that?" Joan asked, she came and sat next to Shelby on the piano seat.

"I taught myself mostly. Someone else taught me the basics and I built on that." Shelby responded, a hazy look in her eyes. She remembered going to the piano every morning and playing her heart out. Her sister wouldn't ever care and neither did her parents. She loved the instrument with all her heart.

"You really like to play, don't you?" Joan inquired with a small smile.

"Yeah," Shelby gave a genuine smile. "I really do."

"Then, keep playing. I don't mind." And just as Joan finished, Shelby's phone buzzed. Shelby got up and walked to her phone. She smiled as she saw the message.

"Joan, we have a murder to investigate."