"Like In Fairytales"

12.

Aiden:

It isn't that hard. It's easy. Just go to her and ask her to be your  homecoming date. You are going to be playing and she can join in a duet. It will be beautiful. Just get your scrawny ass up and go talk to her.

I got up, hellbent on speaking my mind and chickened out.

I walked over to her as she looked up from her food.

"Hey... Um... Mind if I sit?" I asked her.

"No... Please do," she replied smiling.

I sat down on the chair next to her as she continued munching down her food. She had a smile spread across her face as she looked at her food so fiercely.

"I was wondering if you'd like to..." its not that hard, "perform on stage with me," I said changing my sentence.

"I... Um... I dunno if I'd be able to match up to you," she said.

"You play great... We can practice... Would you like to?" I asked her.

"Well... Yes," she replied.

"That's great... Can we start practicing from today? It's only a week left..." I asked her.

"I guess we could... After school?" she asked.

"I was wondering if you'd like to come to my house since I have the instruments and others are gonna be practising here..." I blurted and then picked up the fact that I had just asked her to come to my house. I just hope she doesn't think I am a freak.

"We can use one of the compartments... Wouldn't it be weird for your folks to have me over?" she asked looking at me quizzically.

"The thing is that all of the compartments here are taken. We can use the basement..." I said.

Way to go Aiden! You probably just freaked out a girl by inviting her to your basement...

"I guess I'll let you know," she said resuming to eat her food.

I sat there eating quietly.

After school, I waited for her in the parking lot. She came down with her backpack swaying. She didn't care. She walked over to me smiling.

"Yes... I would..." she said nodding.

"That's great... I'll pick you up... Say five-ish?" I asked her. She nodded handing me out a paper with her address.

Her phone began to ring.

"Just a second... Excuse me," she said as she picked it up.

"Didn't you say you'd pick me up?" she answered the phone.

Crap... She has a boyfriend.

"Yeah... And you even bailed on going to homecoming with me!" she whined.

She sure has a boyfriend.

"So what... I love you," she replied as she put the phone back in her purse.

She is beautiful... She surely will have a date!

"Sorry... Its just my sister," she said answering my expression.

"Oh... I... Uh... Thought it was you-know... Uh..." I stammered like an idiot. She smiled as she waved at me and the car stopped in front of her. She smiled and got in.

I returned to my car. After reaching back home, I raced down to the basement. I cleaned it and vaccuummed it. I dusted the piano and checked the sofa. The basement was sound-proofed. It hadnt been long before we had moved here. I opened the vents and switched the dehumidifier on. After cleaning it spotlessly, I looked around.

The coffee table was surrounded by a yellow couch and a turquoise chair. The piano stood against the furniture and the cello was kept nearby. My violin stood proudly in its case on the shelf. The shelves were cleaned and Dad's stack of books stood proudly along with our photo albums. There was another table with two chairs and a sink. There was a small picture of words printed out. There was another picture of my family affixed with a few of Mom and Dad's pictures. I stood against the small countertop which had a water purifier.

I smiled contented as I looked at the stairs. Mom stood against the walls smiling.

"Should we be expecting someone special?" she asked winking as she walked over to me.

"It's a... Uh... A friend... We will be playing on stage together," I said.

"Shall I prepare something for this friend?" she asked putting her hand on my cheek.

"I don't know. She surely loves food and chocolates," I said.

"She," Mom snickered.

"Mom....." I said. She smiled and kissed my cheek.

She walked over to the piano as she sat down.

"Back in the old days, your Dad and I played together. He said that I was the best," Mom smiled.

"Damn as heck still are," Dad said as he walked down switching the dehumidifier off. He walked over to the chair and pulled the cello.

"We played together on homecoming," Mom said. They started playing in perfect sync and they looked at each other with a passion. That's what I am seeking.

Dad got up and kissed Mom on the cheek.

"I'll leave you alone now... Let's go" Mom said pulling Dad away.

I checked the clock then went up to pick her. I stopped in the way to pick up some flowers.

Flowers turned out to be a tough dilemma. Not Roses, it is too straightforward. Not lilies, it's a symbol of death. Not sunflowers, they looked more beautiful in the sun and feilds. Not tulips, they are about love.

I picked out a pink, white and yellow camellias. I picked out peonies for her mother. And a Poppy bunch for a vase back home.

I paid and drove over to her house. Armed with the peonies, I drove over to her house looking at it. It was beautiful with a small garden around it. In it grew roses, peonies and a beautiful flower that I didn't recognise.

"It's Camellia japonica," someone said startling me.

"Oh... Eh..." I said trying to figure out who she was.

"Umm... You are?" I asked.

"The owner of this garden," she replied.

"Oh," I replied.

Shit! I forgot she has a sister!