Love of Stars

[Chapter 8 - Au Clair de la Lune]

Harmony is something I don't usually have in my life so when I heard the sound of music wafting through the lobby, I was immediately surprised by the jolly tones of the harmonica. It's not anything like the pop or rap music we played over the surround sound speakers, but it was a soothing sound and almost made me smile. That is, until I saw the redheaded dork come around the corner with this metal doohickey placed on his lips. He was jamming out to Au Clair de la Lune, fingers moving and fluttering over the holes, when he finally opened his eyes to look at who was sitting in the lobby. The only kid left whose parents hadn't shown up yet were Sams and there was no way in hell Asheton Blue was Sam Parish's father. 

The moment our eyes locked, the music stopped instantaneously and he fumbled with his harmonica. He crossed his hands, uncrossed, then crossed his hands again against his chest and went to lean on the door behind him. When the door gave way and swung open, he landed on his butt inside the studio. He went to rub the soreness on his tush away and I narrowed my eyes. 

I brushed off his clumsiness and went and asked the obvious, unable to keep the annoyance from tainting my tone.  

"What the hell are you doing here, Asheton?" 

He shrugged his broad shoulders. 

"Sam's my younger brother; is that a problem?" he said, brushing off the nonexistent dirt from his pants. I laughed out loud. "Do you think I'm dumb? Blue does not equal Parish, so I'm going to kindly ask you to get out of my studio." 

The moment I ended that sentence, Sam walked past me from another room, and went to hold hands with Asheton. He pulled Asheton's hand gently towards the main doors, but he stood still  and firm like a statue, staring right at me. I looked down, face flushed with embarrassment. So he was Sam's older brother...

Sam looked between me and Asheton, obviously confused as to why he was staring at me for so long. A wicked grin overtook his small face, and he pulled on the fur of his older brother's denim jacket. He went and whispered a few words in his lowered ear, and I could quickly see the red bloom in his cheeks just seconds later. As fast as lightning, Asheton dragged a giggling Sam with him out of the studio and into the snow. It was coming down pretty heavy for early morning, too, so they disappeared with the white haze in a matter of seconds. 

I sighed inwardly, "This is about to get a lot more complicated." I thought as I went behind the front desk to clean up, sort files, and prepare for the next class. 

It'd been almost two weeks since Asheton asked Luci out for the winter formal and I knew I was supposed to be happy for her, but for some reason, everyday felt like I was living in shades of green. Luci would invite me to sit at his table but I'd lie through my teeth and say I had homework. I just felt like I didn't deserve to sit there with them. Did that make sense? I rarely do anyway... 

I sighed openly, cleaning to the sound of Sam Smith's love songs. 

It'd been almost 10 minutes when I heard the chimes ring, signaling that someone had entered the building. I grinned as I looked up from the main desk to see Lucille, nickname Luci, bolt at me with overflowing rectangular shopping bags lining both her arms. At a solid 5 foot, you might think that she'd be soft spoken or shy when compared to me who was much taller, but you'd be sorely mistaken. Luci? Oh, she could warm the coldest heart in the span of just a few sentences traded with her. 

"Did you see the Porsche just cuiiiise right out of here???  Don't tell me you saw Ashe come in here? What's he doing seeing you?" she wiggled her eyebrows. 

I smiled and rolled my eyes. "I see you came right here after shopping? What was the rush?" 

She closed her eyes and breathed an abnormally large breath, "I could sense God lingering in your presence today, and my spidey-senses were tingling like crazy." she said, holding two fingers to her temples like she was one of the X-Men. I reached up to mirror her with my left hand, "I smeeeeeell bullshitttt..." I whispered as if I was in a trance. 

She grinned and slapped my hand away from my head playfully. "You know why I'm asking, Sia. You know how I've had the hots for Sophie since middle school, and I've been thinking... maybe you're not immune to Ashe's charm after all...?" 

I raised my eyebrows, "Are you serious? God, did you know he plays the harmonica?" 

"I didn't know the sound of pirates turned you on..." 

"LuCI I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT." 

"But the question is, is he any good?" 

"He played au clair de la lune-" 

"Oh that's steaming hot, damn what a babe..." 

"You're absolutely mad."

She shrugged, "The best people are." 

******

DAMN WRITING IS HARD, SOMEBODY LOVE ME. 

-Penny <3