Status: In progress

One Way Street

Two

As sat in my seat watching Johanna play the cello with the orchestra I couldn't help but feel the as if the regret I felt when I said I’d come I had had no reason to feel. She was pretty amazing, and the orchestra wasn't too bad either. Even though I felt this way I decided to leave in the break after the concerto. The orchestra had yet to play a symphony by Schostakovitch but I‘d had enough classical music for today. Before I left I decided to go congratulate Johanna so she’d know I came. I waited until the orchestra was starting again and everyone had gone to their seats. Then I went backstage to see if I could find her. It was a bad decision. This house was like a giant maze where everything looked the same. Eventually I found her in the “green room” where she was putting away her instrument. I knocked on the already open door.
“Hi, can I come in?” I asked.
“Chester,” she exclaimed. “I’m so glad to see you. I have been taking congratulations from all these people I've never seen before in my life,” she said as she approached me. “It’s nice to see a familiar face.” I wondered for a second how she could qualify my face as familiar since she’d only seen it once.
“You were amazing,” I said as sincere as I could. I really thought she had been.
“Thank you, I’m glad you think so,” she said. “Didn't you want to listen to rest of the show?” she then added as the realized it had already started.
“I’m not really that much into classical,” I said. She nodded knowingly and smiled. There was a moment of silence. It wasn't awkward at all. I now realized how easy I felt around her even though I didn't know a single thing about her.
“I should get going,” I finally said. She smiled and thanked me again for coming as I left the room. When I’d finally found my way out and back home I checked my phone that I’d deliberately left behind. The usual series of missed calls and messages flooded on to the screen. Kevin, Ryan, Dominic, Victor, Kina, Jess and even Lauren, Dominic’s girlfriend, had all tried to reach me. I decided to call Dominic. Of all my friends he was the least likely to freak out when I revealed my hiding place.
“Hey Chester,” he answered calmly. Just like I anticipated.
“Hey D-trix,” I said, using his nickname, hoping he’d realize that I wasn't mad at them anymore.
“We've been trying to reach you, you know.”
“I know, I was at a concert.”
“Who was playing?” he asked.
“The northern orchestra,” I said. Making small talk with Dominic made me feel partly like myself again.
“Any good?” he asked.
“They were fine, the soloist was really amazing, she’s staying in the apartment next to mine.”
“May I ask where that is,” he asked. I could tell he was being careful not to upset me. I wanted him to know that he didn't have to so I told him. I could tell he was shocked.
“Wow, when are you coming home?” he said. Without fear this time.
„I haven't decided yet, I like it here,“ I said, realizing that I really meant that.
„Well, we hope you‘ll be here soon, we miss you. Jess is freaking out.“ I pictured her worried expression she‘d have when something went wrong when he said that. I got a strange feeling at the bottom of my stomach as I realized how much I missed them.
„Yeah, tell her I‘m sorry,“ I just said.
„She knows.“ There was a silence.
„I should go, tell them I said hi,“ I said before hanging up on him. It was nice hearing from Dominic, but it reminded me too much of home. And it was too soon. Outside my door I heard someone open the door to the apartment next to mine. Johanna must be home. I made up my mind quickly before going out in the hallway and knocking on her door. She was still wearing her coat when she opened the door.
„Would you like to go get some dinner,“ I asked before she could utter a word.
„Sure,“ she said and smiled. We went to eat at an Italian restaurant in the neighborhood. The food was amazing and I ended up having more fun than I expected. Being with Johanna made me feel at ease. For about three hours I managed to forget about home and all the thoughts that had haunted me the past days. Things were looking up.
♠ ♠ ♠
Second one up. I've hit a small wall with this so you might have to wait a while for the next one.
I hope you like it though, let me know.
xo