Andante

CLI

Eddy was staring out of his window into the empty street. His violin case was lying behind him, everything fully packed, and he had put on a neatly ironed button down shirt for the occasion.
It had taken a lot of convincing and even a giant argument to get his mum to agree to all of this. He couldn't remember the last time he'd argued with his mum, but he had done it now, even going so far as to storm out, slamming the door behind him and walking to the park to stare at colourful ducks on his own in a huff. 
But eventually, after a whole day of brooding silences, his mum had come around and okayed the audition, and with that okayed the possibility of Brett and him flying to Perth by themselves in the holiday and attending the Richard Petti masterclass. 
So then he had practised a lot, this week, probably harder than he ever had before, using every minute of the day he could, to get that Bach as good as he could possibly get it before today.
Because today was Recording Day. 
Brett and he had rehearsed with Steven yesterday after school. Eddy had looked at his boyfriend gratefully several times, because it turned out that Steven really was a very decent accompanist. He had loved Brett's shy smile, which he had gotten in return every time he looked.
Eddy had been worried all week about accompanying a Bach with a piano, that giant beautiful instrument that screamed anything but baroque, but Steven played his lines lightly, sympathetically. Halfway through the rehearsal Eddy had started realising that maybe they were going to be just fine.

Well. They were going to be just fine, as long as Eddy could keep it together, really, because by this point he was seriously shitting himself. He squinted at the street in front of him, willing Brett to appear in it.
What if he sucked, this afternoon? What if he lost his shit and with it the ability to play? What if.... he almost didn't dare think it, but what if Brett got in and he didn't? He knew Brett would then not go to Perth at all. He also knew he would never be okay with him not going. 
He shook his head as hard as he could as he turned around again and opened his violin case one more time to check he really had everything he needed. 
He sighed deeply and sat down, his hand on the closed lid of the violin case. At least Brett was about to be here, so they could set off to Lily's ballet studio together. 
Brett being here was sure to make everything better. 

The bell rang and he was beaming even as he opened his door and started rushing downstairs. He should have turned away from the window earlier, maybe Brett would have turned up earlier too? He watched his steps on the stairs - there was really no need to fall down them with his violin on his back, now was there - and pulled the door open. 
"Hey!" Brett said. Eddy saw instantly that he was nervous too. He looked plenty happy, his deep eyes open and kind, but Eddy didn't miss the slight squint in them, and he knew the tension in his stance. 
"You good?"
Eddy nodded. "Yeah, fine. Better now we can finally get going."
He could almost feel his mothers stare in his back, and he knew that she was there, in the kitchen door. He turned around and gave her the kindest smile he had. 
"Thanks again, mum. We'll be setting off now, we really shouldn't be that long. We may go out for Bubble tea after, if that's okay?"
She was quiet for just one moment too long, but then she nodded. "Okay."
He smiled one more time and then he stepped out onto the stoop.
Just as he was about to pull the door shut he heard her voice again, drifting softly through the hallway.
"Good luck, Eddy."