Andante

X

As they walked together towards the shopping centre it became easier to focus. He had a perfomance to give, basically, so he had to put his game face on, simple as that.  And sure enough as they arrived, put their cases down and took out their violins, everything was replaced by the exhilaration of the moment. It was busy enough in the street and some passersby were already eying them with interest. 
Brett put the music on the stand and then they looked at each other, one beaming face to the other, they lifted their bows to their violins again and started their first performance together. 

And they rocked. Wow. Every note was there, they were in tune and they had real guts. 
Brett seemed to understand everything that Eddy was doing musically and they naturally took turns to take the lead. He got where Brett was going when he played a ritenuto here, some rubato there, and he happily followed along with him, before launching into the next line, Eddy setting a slightly faster pace with Brett joining him automatically. It was like magic. 
The audience felt it, too. They were getting loads of money! And they even got a crowd gather around them a few times, applauding at the end of a piece. 

After an hour they had played through everything twice, and they looked at each other with glistening eyes and goofy smiles.
¨That was awesome!¨ Eddy said, ridiculously over-excited again. 
¨I know! We should go again next week!¨ Brett said, at least as excited. 
Well, if Brett was excited too, that was okay then. 
¨Yeah! Awesome idea! Wanna go get some bubble tea?¨ 
¨Yeah, sure! I love bubble tea!¨

Brett loved bubble tea. Of course. I mean, he loved the violin, he loved Mario Kart, he loved music and now he loved bubble tea as well. They were basically the same person. 
Eddy grinned as he took the money out of the case and put his violin in its place. 
¨What's funny?¨ Brett asked. 
¨Just, we seem to like all the same things.¨
Something in Brett's eyes changed then, and Eddy couldn't understand why. There was a hint of... sadness? Or something? 
¨Is that a strange thing to say?¨ he asked, hurriedly. 
¨No, no!¨ Brett hastened. ¨I agree, we do like all the same things. It's... it's very cool.¨
¨It is.¨ Eddy beamed as he slung his violin case on his back, the money securely in his pocket. 
They walked off to the bubble tea shop, talking about school work. Eddy's rant about French was almost done when they arrived, and he finished it with emphasis just as they walked in the door:
¨And it's not like I'm ever going to need it, anyway.¨
Brett looked at him curiously, but he went to the counter to order his drink first. 

A minute later, teas in hand, they sat down at a table by the window and counted the money they'd made. There was almost $100!! They divided the money and then they sat there sipping their teas in silence for a bit, Cheshire cat grins on their faces. 
¨So, you want to go into music?¨ Brett asked after a while. 
Whoa. That was pretty direct. This wasn't really something he'd discussed with many people, because he knew exactly how his plans would be received at home. 
Still, Brett felt... he felt safe. 
He nodded quietly. ¨Yeah. Don't tell my mum though, whatever you do. I would like to live to see my fourteenth birthday.¨
Brett laughed quietly. ¨I won't tell anyone. I know the feeling. I'm going into music too.¨
Eddy beamed at him. ¨That's so cool! Maybe we'll, like, go to the con together!¨
Brett beamed back. ¨Yeah, that would be so awesome! And then we'll go on to be soloists, and travel the world.¨
That was a nice thought. Such a nice thought.
¨So,¨ Brett said hesitantly, ¨I take it your mum's not on board with this plan?¨
Eddy smirked and rolled his eyes. ¨God, if she knew I'd already decided this she'd have a heart attack.¨
Brett smiled. ¨Better not tell her then hey?¨
¨No. I'll wait until the last possible moment with that!¨

When their tea was finished Eddy asked the question he knew he shouldn't ask. But he asked anyway, because what choice did he have?
¨Wanna come back to my house and play Mario Kart? I woke up ridiculously early and got all my homework done already.¨
Brett looked so happy at being asked that Eddy felt his own face light up. 
¨Yeah, absolutely! I actually got all mine done early too.¨
¨Cool! Let's go!¨
They walked back to Eddy's house side by side, chatting about the busking.

He had no idea at the moment what to do about all these feelings, but at least he knew for pretty certain that Brett liked him, and wanted to be his friend. And that made him very happy.