As the Piano Keys Rang

Brendon’s sleepy eyes felt heavy as the alarm went off next to him. It was like his sleep cup was barley full yet he’d been pouring into it all night. He rubbed his eyes and reached over turning off the alarm that read nine o’clock. He had to pick up his sister. He looked down at the bed. No Ryan. As soon, as he was aware that the handsome boy was missing, he began to hear it. Music. And he wasn’t imagining this time. He got out of bed, sneaking downstairs. He was still in only a pair of jeans, but he really didn’t care much.

He crept into the living room. The back of Ryan’s head was looking down, as he sat on the couch. Brendon listened. He was playing the music. He knew the song. It was Ryan’s song. Not the melody of it really, just the chord changes. But it still had the same effect because of the way Ryan set up the pattern. Brendon put his hand on the back of the couch and jumped over it, landing next to Ryan.

“Oh, you scared me,” Ryan said with a little smile on his face.

“I like your song. You never told me you could play guitar,” Brendon tapped the face his own acoustic. He suddenly remembered his worn in hands. That made more sense now.

“Well, in comparison to your multitude of talents, mine fell a little short of special,” Ryan pursed his lips and furrowed his brow, but his eyes were still light and smiling.

“Oh, shut up. You know you’re great at this. Look how you transcribed your song so quickly to guitar. You didn’t have to even hear mine before doing it. I definitely can’t do that,” Brendon slapped his arm playfully.

“If you say so,” Ryan said looking back down at the neck of the guitar.

“I have to go pick up my sister. Do you want to come?” Brendon got up from the couch and began to make his way towards the stairs.

“Yeah, your sister’s cute,” Ryan smiled coming over to where Brendon was standing on the bottom step. He carried Brendon’s guitar with him.

“Are you gonna have a sleepover with her now?” Brendon joked as he made is way up the stairs. Ryan smacked his ass and followed him up the stairs, no reply necessary.

Brendon went into his drawer and threw Ryan a clean shirt before pulling himself one. “Seriously, Brendon?” Ryan asked. Brendon turned and saw Ryan wearing the shirt he’d tossed him. A plain white deep v-neck that showed Ryan’s bony, pale chest. “I look like I should have a faux-hawk, a pair of designer sunglasses, and a man purse.”

“I like it,” Brendon shrugged pulling on an old Death Cab for Cutie shirt.

“Fine,” Ryan sighed as he slipped his shoes on. They were still at the end of Brendon’s bed.

“Come on. Sarah’s gonna have a cow if we’re late,” Brendon said grabbing his wallet from his dresser and going back downstairs.

“Do you really let a twelve year old girl control your life?” Ryan smiled as he ruffled Brendon’s hair with his hand.

“When she’s twelve going on twenty five, yes, she scares me a bit,” Brendon grabbed his phone off the music rack and Ryan grabbed his keys from the coffee table. They went into the driveway and got into Ryan’s car, pulling out and driving towards Sarah’s friends house.

“So what was with last night?” Ryan asked over a period of time had gone by.

“What do you mean?” Brendon suddenly felt a little cornered and uneasy. He wondered if they were on the same page about what had last night.

“Was that like a onetime thing? Or what?” Ryan stopped at a red light, but didn’t look over at Brendon.

“Well, I’ve never done that before. I’ve never hooked up with anyone like that,” Brendon’s voice was shy and timid.

“Well, I have but… not with a guy,” Ryan turned his head to look at Brendon. “Would you want to do that, again sometime,” Ryan Ross was actually showing signs of being insecure and Brendon was beginning to feel a bit powerful.

“I would, but I don’t think anybody else in the world would like to know,” Brendon looked at him. His words were slow, as he was trying to make sure he was using the right ones. Ryan had a confused look in his eye. “What I mean is,” Brendon began to clarify; “I don’t think Spencer or my religious parents or the kids at school should suspect anything.”

Ryan nodded his head, “Yeah. I agree. Spencer shouldn’t have to feel awkward or anything. Besides, you’re the new kid and I understand not wanting to totally compromise your reputation for one person.”

“No, No. Don’t pull that card. You… You’re t-totally worth any harm to my reputation, b-but family and friends are important to me.”

“You’re cute when you stutter,” Ryan said as his eyes became sweet like big pits of warm honey. Brendon blushed and looked away, smiling. Ryan sighed, “I guess that means I can’t kiss you at red lights.”

Brendon smiled, “Maybe we can bend the rules just this once.”

Ryan leaned over kissing Brendon’s cheek. Brendon turned his head and let the next one land on his lips. They were there for awhile before they heard the honking of horns behind them. Ryan pulled back and looked up at a now green light. He put his hands back on the wheel and stepped on the gas.

They arrived shortly after at Sarah’s friend’s house. Sarah climbed into the backseat. “Hello, Ryan. What brings you here this morning?” she was so sweet to him, yet Brendon saw through her fake perkiness.

“I was just gonna hang out with your brother at your house today, if that’s okay with you, of course,” Ryan was such a suck-up. Brendon smirked at him sideways. “What?” Ryan mouthed back, trying to figure out a reason not to be nice to Sarah.

“I suppose that’s alright,” Sarah said daintily with a yawn. With a yawn, seriously?

They drove back to the house and spent the day watching TV, playing board games, and making macaroni and cheese. Ryan even drove them to get ice cream, which he insisted on paying for. When they got home, Sarah thanked Ryan and ran inside, still high off her sugar rush.

“Thanks for putting up with her today,” Brendon said pulling off his seatbelt.

“No, it’s nothing. I also got to hang out with you, so it’s really a win-win for me,” Ryan smiled and stretched his back out in the driver’s seat. “I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

“Of course,” Brendon leaned in towards his face giving his a kiss before leaving.

Monday came. Then, Tuesday. Then, Wednesday. He was in his third block European History class. They were watching a movie on the effects of the French Revolution, when Spencer came through the door. He whispered to the teacher at the front of the room. The teacher smiled and nodded his head then looked at Brendon, waving for his to come over. Brendon got up to the front of the classroom. “Mr. Smith, here, says that Mr. Vandel needs to see you. He said you should bring your books,” Mr. Devins took a seat at his desk again.

Brendon smiled at Spencer and went to get his books. He slung his bag over his shoulder and him and Spencer escaped to the hallway. “Is Ryan or Mr. Vandel getting me out of class?”

“Mr. Vandel,” Spencer laughed, “he needs your piano greatness for a moment.”

When they got to the music room, the teacher gave him a better explanation. “I need you to play at our concert tonight.”

“Um, okay,” Brendon said surprised at the urgency of the request.

“I know its short notice, but I think if the orchestra had a piano to play with, it would round out the sound better. Here is your music,” Mr. Vandel handed him several pages of sheet music and shooed him away to the piano.

Brendon unfolded and put it on the music rack. It was the New World Symphony. Dvorak. No problem. Brendon thought. It was the first movement, his favorite. He looked to Spencer in the back. He was tuning his tympanis. He looked up at Brendon, giving his a thumbs up. Brendon gave one back before looking to Mr. Vandel to start.

The conductor counted them off and they began. Brendon barely needed to read off the music. He’d heard this piece a million times and knew what was coming. He heard the rest of the group. They were pretty good for a high school. Brendon kind of controlled them though. He had all the parts in his hands. He led the bass and cellos with his left hand and the violins and violas with his right. The piece seemed to be over before it began.

Brendon looked up to Mr. Vandel. Mr. Vandel pointed the baton at him. “You were the missing piece, Brendon. Thank you. Can you be at the concert tonight?”

“What time?” Brendon said even though he knew he could.

“Six. You’ll need to wear black pants, black shirt, and black shoes,” Mr. Vandel had the question in his eyes.

“Yeah. I can make it,” Brendon said.

The teacher breathed a sigh of relief. “I’ll find a way to pay you back for this.” He folded his music up just as the bell rang.

So, Brendon came to the concert that night. He wore his all black and only brought his fingers. He was disappointed to find that the school was too lazy to move the grand into the auditorium, so they improvised with a cheap Yamaha. The most affordable thing they could buy without calling it a keyboard. At least it played. He did his job, he played the piece with them. Everyone stood and clapped. Brendon, still hazy from playing looked out among the people. He saw his parents, his sister, and Ryan standing next to his sister. He’s such a suck up. Brendon smiled at him. He smiled back as he clapped his large hands together.

“Brendon, that was so good!” his mother said when he came out of the music room later. She hugged him.

“We’re proud of you, son,” his dad patted him on the back.

“Good job, Brendon,” his sister said sincerely.

Ryan came up. “You did great,” he smiled and shook his hand, yet he had his back to Brendon’s parents. His facial expression was tender and his eyes were smoldering.

“Thanks, man,” Brendon played it off knowing his own face was in full view of his parents. Brendon let go of Ryan’s hand and felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and Mr. Vandel was standing with another man.

“Brendon, I would like you to meet my son, Tom. He is the owner of the Readers Only bookstore and cafe, downtown,” Tom reached his hand out and Brendon shook. It wasn’t warm and rough like Ryan’s. It was more like smooth ice.

“Hello, Brendon,” Tom said in a deep voice. He looked about twenty seven, at the most. He was wearing a pair of tight jeans and a black plaid flannel shirt. He had a disheveled look that was caused by his messily cut hair, scruffy beard-like fuzz that covered his cheeks, and large wayferer glasses that were clear. He dressed much too young for his age. “I thought you did amazing tonight and Mr. Vandel has told me you’re a great player. I’ve been looking for a piano player to come play at Readers Only for about two hours every night and I was wondering if you’d be interested.”

Brendon thought it was odd that he called his dad Mr. Vandel. Regardless, he spoke, “Yeah, that would great! Wow. Thank you.”

“No problem. If you could come by the shop tomorrow at around four? I think we can get you started quickly, after we fill a few forms out. We just got someone to donate a new Steinway, so I think you’ll be happy working there,” Tom smiled reassuringly.

From Yamaha to Steinway. This is great. “Yeah. I’ll see you at four.”

“Nice to meet you, Brendon,” Tom said before walking away with his father.

“Brendon Boyd Urie! Come here!” he turned around and was immediately coated in his mother’s warm embrace, again. “You have a job!”

Brendon looked over her shoulder at Ryan chuckling at his good fortune. Brendon rolled his eyes in attempt to show how over this he was. But he had to admit it, he loved the attention. “Mom, I need to go grab a book from my locker I forgot. Can I meet you outside?” He had a struggle pulling away from her.

“Yeah. But be quick about it!” his mom let go of his neck.

“Come on, Ryan,” Brendon said smiling at him as they escaped down a hallway. His locker was far away from where they were and he knew he actually had to carry a book back in order for his parents to believe him. His locker was so secluded that they had already turned the lights off in that part of the building. He opened his locker and could feel Ryan’s hands on his hips and his breath in Brendon’s ear. He retrieved a random book, closed the locker and Ryan turned him around, pushing him hard against the lockers. He dove for his mouth. Brendon had no choice but to take it, not that he minded much.

“Ryan, my mom said to be quick,” Brendon said laughing into Ryan’s mouth.

“Well, then let’s get this done quick,” Ryan said back and bit down lightly on Brendon’s lip. Brendon opened his mouth and felt Ryan’s tongue investigate it. Brendon knew that they were spending too much time here, but he couldn’t help it. He loved the feeling of Ryan’s hands on his hips and his tongue going away at his mouth.

Ryan pulled, “You better go.” He had kind of a smart ass smile on his face, but he wore it so well.

Brendon gave him one more kiss before walking out the nearest door and
heading for the parking lot.