Andante

XXXI

By the time he left the audition room he was slightly dizzy. 
¨Hey, how did it go?¨ Brett asked as soon as the door had closed behind him, looking up at him with an anxious face. 
He inhaled deeply, trying to get his head to settle. 
¨They were fine, they just said thank you, and I'll get a letter next week.¨
¨Did you play well? It sounded great from out here!¨
Eddy gave Brett a good look. Brett was so, so lovely, because he was clearly very nervous himself, and yet all he wanted to know was if Eddy was okay. He surpressed the urge to hug him, and just gave him a slap on the back. 
¨Thanks, bro¨ he said gruffly. ¨I played reasonably, I think.¨ All he could think about right now was the notes that had gone wrong, but he didn't have to tell Brett that. Especially not right before his own audition, when he should be supporting him. 
¨You're gonna rock it, Brett, I'm sure of it.¨
Brett breathed in slightly shakily. 
¨I hope so...¨ he said in a small voice. 
Eddy took him by both of the shoulders and looked him right in the eyes. 
¨I know  so. You're awesome. Just think of the busking, yeah?¨
Brett nodded and seemed to steel himself. 
The door opened then, and Eddy gave him one more slap on the back. 
¨You got this, Brett.¨
Brett nodded again and walked in. 

As soon as the door closed Eddy moved back and leaned against the wall. All the adrenaline was leaving his body now and his legs felt shaky. He was also very dizzy and he felt sick. Shit. 
He closed his eyes and shook his head for a moment, but when he opened his eyes again the hallway was spinning around him. He still had his violin in is hands, it wouldn't be smart to faint right now or anything. So he let himself sink down to the floor where he stood and put his head between his knees. 
It must have been lunch hour after this or something, because mercifully there was no new kid with a violin waiting. Thank God for small favours. He must look like a serious pity-case right about now, and nobody needed to see that.  
He could hear Brett's playing coming through the closed door now, and he smiled to himself. Of course, Brett was sounding great. He always knew he would. 
He breathed deeply with his eyes closed, in through his nose, out through his mouth, like they'd been taught in a drama workshop at school. Slowly his stomach and head were settling. 
The playing stopped then, and he tried to get up in time, not really wanting Brett to see him like this, but the door opened already and Brett walked out. 
¨Oh! God, Eddy, mate, are you okay?¨ his concerned voice came. 
¨Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, don't worry.¨ he replied instantly, and shook his head once more. 
¨Here, give me your violin.¨ Brett said, and held out his hand. Eddy gave it to him straight away. 
¨What happened?¨ Brett asked. 
Shit. He didn't have a lot of choice but to tell him, really. 
¨I... I guess I just felt a bit faint, I guess I wasn't watching my breathing in there, and I forgot to eat. I'm fine, don't worry.¨
Brett put both their violins in their respective cases without a word and then he held out his hand. 
¨Okay, come on, we'll get back to the practice room before they come out, hey?¨
Eddy looked at him gratefully. Yeah, it would not be nice for the committee to walk out and see him like that. 
Brett held out his hand again and pulled Eddy up, and together they walked gingerly back to practice room number 80, Brett holding on to Eddy's arm in case he'd wobble.
It was really nice, being held like that. It felt so very safe. 
¨You okay now?¨ Brett asked as they walked into the room and he closed the door behind them. 
¨Yeah, I'm okay.¨ Eddy said, but he knew his cheeks would be coloured with the embarrassment of all of this.
¨Anyway, how did it go? You sounded real good!¨
Brett shook his head. 
¨I don't know, man, I don't know. I did my best, I guess. But it's hard not to second guess everything.¨
¨Yeah, I know, man. Did they say anything?¨
¨Nah, just the same as what they said to you, I'll get a letter next week.¨
Eddy nodded. 
¨Well, I guess we're waiting for that then.¨ Eddy breathed deeply one more time. The fuzziness had left his head now. 
¨Right,¨ he said with a slight smile, ¨now that I've been a complete wuss, bubble tea's on me.¨
Brett laughed. 
¨Don't be so hard on yourself, Eddy. You're not a wuss at all. But bubble tea does sound good!¨

They slung their violins onto their backs and walked out of the officious building into the Brisbane sun to get their favourite treat.