Downtown Idea

42. King of the Dudes

My parents showing up randomly on my doorstep was shocking. Even more shocking was that they were so calm about everything. The guys being in our house wasn't something that anyone reacted to, except the girls. I counted heads while Reece decided to play Sims with everyone. Pushing this way and that, pulling people to be in one place or another.

Meanwhile I was making sure there were places for all eleven people to sleep. I was so deep in thought that I didn't notice Ashton sit down next to me and put an arm around me. I didn't know how long we had been sitting like that when I did notice.

"Excuse me." I said getting up and walking to the basement. I was sad giving up my music room to someone else but I liked my room and we needed an extra bed, and lets face it. I'm not using it for anything.

I started pulling out the couch and pulling out bedding and pillows. I thought the kids would sleep down here so I had made a mental note to put all my instruments and sheet music away.

After setting up the bed I sat down and looked at my cello one more time. I missed playing but I knew I couldn't. Especially after last night. I sighed.

"What is this room down here?" I heard Michael say as he loudly clamored down the stairs. I laughed as I heard him bump his head on the drop down in the ceiling. "Oh hi." He said in a small voice, "Are you okay?" He asked after looking at me for a second.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I shrugged. He didn't seem to believe me.

"Can I try your cello?" He pointed. I smiled and nodded.

"Go for it." While he mindlessly fiddled with my cello we talked. I tried to put away my sheet music but he stopped me.

"What are these?" He asked leafing through them. I rolled my eyes.

"I haven't been able to play any music since I broke my hand, and so I tried piano last night." I shrugged, "that's me trying to make some sort of music." Michael laughed and bummed through one of the pages.

"I am not going to lie to you," he paused, "these are not good." I laughed.

"That's not surprising." I said sitting down on the bench. Mike was just flipping through the pages one at a time. He stopped on one and raised his eyebrows.

"This one though." He put my cello down on the bed and sat down next to me on the piano bench. He tapped it out and made a face at me, "Like that?" He asked, "Is that what you were thinking?" He asked excited.

"No." I said. I played what I couldn't figure out how to write down and shrugged.

"Oooh." He said, "So this?" He played it as best he could remember. It was surprisingly close. I nodded.

"Close enough." I shrugged. He played it again.

"That's pretty good." He played it over and over. He kept adding more random things until it was practically unrecognizable. He wrote down the notes in a weird rushed scrawl. I shook my head. He was in songwriting mode.

I stood up and left the room to leave him to his mad scribblings. When I had made it upstairs Ashton and Luke were talking about what we were going to do when we went out today. I was silently wondering where Reece was but then I realized she was probably back in the bathroom puking. After a minute of babbling from them they decided on going to the Aquarium. I was excited to be invited with them even before Reece said I was going. It made me feel like I wasn't as much of a background character.

"You guys have to eat at the Varsity." I said. I mentally decided that I wouldn't worry about Reece anymore. She was my life the last 7 months and I was over it. My life now. She isn't my problem anymore.