Sing With Me

Chapter Three

            Niall sat at a piano in his favorite practice room. His hands slid across the keys effortlessly as classical music filled the room. Niall didn’t usually play classical stuff, but he found some of the old sheet music that his first piano teacher always forced him to play as a kid and figured he’d play some for old times’ sake.

            Niall was completely immersed in the music, so he didn’t notice a person gently slide the door open and closed and sit down on the couch. He had the score memorized so his eyes were closed as his hands glided across the keys and his body moved along with the music pouring out of the piano.

            Niall ended the song with a unique little flourish and slowly opened his eyes with a content sigh. There really was something special in playing a classical song on the piano; it was just beautiful in an almost mesmerizing sort of way, like you weren’t completely present in your own body.

            “That was wonderful,” a familiar voice murmured breathlessly.

            Niall spun around in alarm to see Liam perched on the edge of the couch.

            “What are you doing here?” Niall demanded.

            “Oh, I just heard the music and was curious to see who was playing it. It really was beautiful,” Liam replied. “But I can leave if it’s making you uncomfortable that I’m here…”

            “No you just surprised me,” Niall sighed. “I didn’t hear you come in.”  

            Liam nodded in understanding as he got up and made his way over to the piano. He leaned his elbows on it as he watched Niall curiously.

            “You didn’t tell me that you could play piano,” Liam stated.

            “You didn’t ask,” Niall shrugged as he unconsciously began to play again.

            “Will you teach me?” Liam asked, barely over a whisper.

            Niall stopped playing and looked at Liam in surprise. “Well…I haven’t ever taught anyone how to play an instrument before…but I’ll try if you really want me to…” Niall replied nervously.

            Liam beamed at Niall in excitement. “Thank you so much!”

            “No problem,” Niall nodded. “Umm…do you want to start right now, or do you need some time to mentally prepare yourself or something…?”

            “No, we can start now!” Liam replied, nearly jumping up and down in his excitement.

            “Alright, well sit down then,” Niall said, scooting over on the piano bench and patting the open spot next to him. Liam sat down and stared at the keys in wonder. “I’ve got some of my old books from when I was a kid and just starting out,” Niall continued as he rooted through a box looking for said books. When he found one he pulled it out and placed it on the piano and opened to the first lesson page. “Alright, well…you really don’t need my help that much; all you have to do is follow the instructions in the book. It’s meant for like five year olds, so you shouldn’t really have too much trouble…”

            But it turned out that Liam would actually have a lot of trouble. It took everything out of Niall to not facepalm as he watched and listened to Liam’s terrible attempts at plinking out notes to form a scale.

            This really shouldn’t be this hard for him! No wonder he gave up on piano before and took up singing… Niall thought to himself in exasperation.