Andante con Brio

LXXII

It didn't matter how many times he had been to this building already, today it felt like the first time he was ever going to set foot in it. It was weird, because he would have run there if it wouldn't have made him look like a complete fool, and yet at the same time his feet seemed like they had suddenly acquired about twenty kilos of lead, each. 
"You'll be fine." Brett said, so softly that no one around them would be able to hear. 
"Yeah."
One more breath, just a couple more steps and he was through the door and into the entrance hall. 
There were students everywhere, of course, and there was music coming from every cell of this place. There was the sound of a trombone, he thought, somewhere to his right, a piano coming from above and just there in the corner a group of singers were being loud. 
Which was typical, of course. 
He breathed it all in. This was home, now. This place with all its music would be his, for at least the next four years. How many new friends would he make here? How many experiences would he have? 
He would have jumped up and down like a kid again if he had been alone, to be honest. 
"Okay, so we've got an hour until the rehearsal. Practice?" Brett said, already walking up to the desk with the ease of someone who knew his way around. 
"Hi." he said to the scruffy looking guy with his long black hair pulled into a pony tail, who was sat behind the desk eyeing them kindly. "Any room you could give us?"
"Hey. Brett, right?" the guy said. His voice was just like his eyes. He pointed to the violin case on Eddy's back. "You guys can share? Bit low on rooms already."
"Yeah, sure."
Eddy smiled. I mean, they had often practised in the same room for like four years now, right? It was comfortable like that, anyway.
"So, you new here?"
Oh. Shit. The guy was looking straight at him, and obviously expecting an answer. Did he know every student that went here? Eddy stepped forward to the desk and willed his mouth to work. 
"Er, yes. I'm Eddy Chen. I... Brett and I are friends."
"Cool. Welcome to the con."
"Thanks. I'm super happy to be here."

No matter how difficult he had found it when Brett went to the con and he still had to do a year of highschool, he was almost thankful for it now as he followed his boyfriend up the stairs and watched him open the practice room like he had been doing it all his life. It was nice, having someone to lean on on his first day here. He didn't even want to know how nervous he would have been without it. 
Still, once the door was closed and the cases had been opened it all felt normal, straight away. Tuning his violin, putting it on his shoulder, playing some scales... all this was no different really, from doing the same at home. He took out his sheet music and looked around for a stand. Brett grinned. 
"Stands are like gold dust, here. Just put it on the piano."
He nodded and the world disappeared around him as he got properly into his practice. 

The nerves were back though, back harder than before as they walked to the main auditorium. Eddy had been there before, to see concerts, but today he would be on the stage. In the orchestra. Probably as second, he guessed, but he would be there. 
He blinked at the grey wall as he tried to get his breath under control. 
Come on, mate. Just walk in there with confidence. You got this. 
He followed Brett through the open double doors into the large, wooden auditorium.