Andante con Brio

XCVII

The house looked... well, it looked like every other house on the street, really. By now they had been to too many houses, only to have them fall through every time. So Eddy wasn't about to get his hopes up as he rushed up to the curb, fifteen minutes late of course, to find his friends gathered by yet another front door, this time to a low apartment building. 
"We would be on the top floor." Todd answered his unspoken question for him. "Four bedrooms and a roof terrace. And there are other con students in the building."
Ah. Good. He would hate to live somewhere where the neighbours would be difficult about making music. 
He followed the group up a couple of flights of stairs and through a red door into a small hallway. 

The house was nice, actually, real nice. The kitchen was white and shiny and there was a comfy-looking grey couch on white tiles in the small living area that looked out over the road below. The agent chattered happily as she took them through each of the bedrooms, which were apparently all about the same size, apart from one small one in the back. Eddy liked it, but when they entered the last bedroom and he stepped in to stand beside Todd he gasped.
Oh. 
The room backed out on a tiny park he hadn't even known existed behind the busy road and the view was absolutely lovely. There was even a pond, right there in the middle of the park and Eddy gave Brett a knowing smile from across the room. 
"I wonder if there are ducks in that pond." Brett smirked. 
"Ducks?" Todd had turned around and was looking at him like he had grown two heads. "Ducks are your main focus?"
Brett grinned and waggled his eyebrows. 
"Yep. Ducks. I have my reasons."
"Sure thing, mate. Ducks. Must be kismet."

They followed the real estate agent to the roof terrace, which looked out over the busy-ish street below that led to the con. It was just a concrete roof top thing, but it was pretty big and there were a couple of old wicker benches with dark grey cushions in the corner that looked like they would be just perfect to sit on as a group on a summer's eve, when the Brisbane heat had gone down. By now Eddy couldn't help but feel just a little bit excited. 
God, this would be a great place to live. 
He shrugged quietly. It would probably just fall through again, right? 
"Okay, this looks awesome." Todd said as they had all walked back outside and he shook hands with the agent. "Please let me know if we can take it?"
The agent nodded and chatted with Todd some more, then she got into a little red convertible and drove off. 

The little group started to head to the good bubble tea place that was in the small mall around the corner. 
"It's a great place, right? Shame there's no lift, though." Todd said dryly. 
"Walking stairs is good for you, Todd." Eddy countered. 
"Yeah, you don't fucking play the cello, Eddy."
Eddy grinned. 
"See how good it is to make smart life choices?"
"At least you don't play the harp, Todd." Brett smirked. 
"Yeah, because that would make a great quartet. Two violins, a viola and a dude on a fucking harp."

They were still grinning and jibing as they walked through the mall and entered the bubble tea place. Okay, Eddy had dearly loved the one they had always gone to before, but he had to admit this one was growing on him fast. He walked over to the window and sat down at a square table. 
God, he really did like that house a lot.