As the Piano Keys Rang

Brendon was doing his homework in his room at about six o’clock that night. The sun was setting, filling his white walls with pink light. His parents were off at a “parent’s only” dinner, where they usually chatted about money or Brendon and his little sister. Brendon was filling out charts to show correlations between population, CO2 emissions, and global temperatures, when the doorbell rang. He hopped down the stairs and opened the front door.

“We have a delivery for Urie,” said a man in a pair of navy overalls and a tired looking baseball cap. He was joined a man who was dressed similar and a large wrapped object that was resting on the sidewalk outside. Brendon almost screamed.

“Yes, that’s us,” he said happily as he opened the door wider for them. The men got behind the object pushing it forcefully over the threshold.

“Where do want this thing?” the other guy asked in a raspy smoker voice.

“Um… just in the living room against that wall,” Brendon pointed to the intended spot that he had been imagining it in. The two men heaved it over to the spot, exuding grumbles and grunts every once in awhile. When it was finally in position they began unwrapping the Styrofoam-like fabric that covered it. Little by little, they tore away at it in until they revealed an antique upright piano. It was the family piano. It had been passed down several generations and it showed it. The keys were yellowing and there were imprints in the wood where people had continuously leaned or sat on it.

“Thank you so much,” Brendon said to the men as they began walking towards the door.

“No problem. Just sign here,” they held up a brown clipboard with a list of deliveries on it. His was the last of the day. He signed and the men left.

He stared at the piano from the living room entrance. It was just as beautiful as it had always been, more beautiful now that it was bathed in pink desert sunset. The bench had been moved with some other things and had not yet arrived so he took a chair from the computer room and set it in front. He sat down. A little higher than he liked, but it would do. He put his fingers over the keys and again, he was mindlessly playing. It seemed like the neighborhood had stood still of its incessant car horns and dog barks, just to hear Brendon play. Time floated by and Brendon was blind to it. Then there was a tap on his shoulder. He stopped and turned, for his chair now rotated with him.

Brendon was shocked to see Ryan. In his living room. Again, halting his playing. “Where’d you come from?”

Ryan smiled and laughed, “Down the street. I was walking back from the corner store and I heard you playing. I knew it was you, so I followed.”

“How’d you get it in?” Brendon asked still a shocked look forcing his face into an odd expression.

“Your front door was open,” Ryan point his long finger towards the front door, which was indeed, wide open.

The movers must have left it open. Brendon looked towards the door. It was night now and he could see the stars shining bright against the dark blue sky. “What time is it?” he asked Ryan.

Ryan looked at his phone, “Uh… it’s about nine.”

“Wow,” Brendon said sitting back in the chair.

“When you get going on that whole piano thing, you really lose yourself, don’t you?” Ryan smiled, almost mocking Brendon.

“Yeah, I guess I do,” he stared off into the corner for a second before coming back to life. “Hey, I met Spencer. He’s in my Environmental class.”

“Oh yeah, isn’t his mom cool?” Ryan said talking with his large hands.

Brendon studied them. His wrists were probably the size of his twelve year old sister’s but his hands were much bigger than Brendon’s. They looked slightly weathered and worn, but not in a bad way necessarily. “Yeah, she’s a riot.”

“Well, I better get going before someone thinks I broke into the new neighbor’s house,” Ryan put his hands in his pockets and began walking towards the door.

“See you tomorrow, Ryan,” Brendon stared after him.

Ryan was almost at the door when he turned back, “Hey, how are you getting to school tomorrow?”

“I’m walking,” Brendon blushed. “That’s why I was late today. I underestimated the time it would take to get there.”

“Do you want a ride? I mean you’re on my way and I have a car,” Ryan bit his lower lip again.

Brendon’s face began to warm and a smile grew on his face, “Yeah, that would be awesome. Thanks, man.”

“Okay. Well, I’ll pick you up at about seven, then?”

“Sounds perfect. See you then.”

And then the door was closed and Brendon was free to smile uncontrollably. He turned himself in the chair and made several rotations before he heard the door open again. He turned towards it.

“Hey, Brendon,” his mom said coming in the door with his father and sister close behind.

“Where has she been?” Brendon said pointing to his little sister.

Sarah contorted her face in a way that showed she didn’t appreciate being indirectly talked to like an animal. “I,” she emphasized, “have been at gymnastics practice, duh.”

“Well, excuse me,” Brendon said raising his palms to the ceiling. He giggled and let them drop to his sides. He got up and followed them to the kitchen. His father had a white Styrofoam box in hand.

“Bring me home anything?” Brendon said sitting on the counter and swinging his feet over the edge.

“Yeah, some leftover pasta, if you want it,” his dad said removing his work coat and loosening his tie.

“Why do you look so funny?” Sarah said in her high whiny voice, she only used when she was annoyed.

“What do you mean?” Brendon asked as he grabbed a plate from behind his head and began pouring the pasta on top of it.

“You look like you’re in love or something,” Sarah squinted her eyes at him.

“Or something is right!” Brendon laughed shoving his plate into the microwave. “Can’t a young boy be happy?”

“You’re weird,” Sarah said before running up the stairs to her room.

Brendon shook his head at her even though she had noticed something nobody else had.

“So, Brendon,” his mother asked, “how was your first day at your new school?”

“Great,” he said slurping up some noodles, “Really nice place with cool teachers.”

“Make any new friends?” his dad said as he took a seat at the kitchen table and flipped open that day’s newspaper.

“Yeah, I did. I met a guy whose gonna start giving me rides to school. He lives down the street,” Brendon smiled into the distance.

“Oh, honey! That’s great news!” Brendon’s mom came over cupping her son’s face in her hands.

Brendon nodded and finished his pasta. He slipped the plate and fork into the dishwasher and escaped upstairs to his room. He finished his homework and got in his pajamas. He lay in bed turning the light off. He laid there for awhile with his hands behind his head, staring up at the new ceiling.

His new life on this side of town was looking up already. He had a good school, good (-looking) friends, and his piano. He couldn’t wait to see what the next day would bring. He tried to close his eyes so he could wake up as soon as possible, but he just couldn’t help thinking about what his sister said. You look like you’re in love or something! He had batted away the comment but now he was taking it more seriously. Of course, he didn’t want to say he …liked Ryan. He never was one to like boys. But then a part of him loved the way he looked in his living room tonight and was bubbling at the mere thought of him. He wasn’t gonna say it though. All he could think was; We’ll see what happens.