Andante con Brio

CXXIII

To be honest it was a relief, walking into the con, only ever so slightly late today, courtesy of Brett having dragged him out of the house on time. Here he felt comfortable, here he had other shit to do besides worrying about his friends. Like the fact that he would have to warm up quickly, because his lesson with Sasha was in half an hour. 
"Why the fuck did my violin lesson get scheduled so early?" he whined.
Brett grinned. 
"Because it's good incentive for you to be up on time?"
"Yeah, fuck you."
Brett waggled his eyebrows. 
"Gladly, some point. See you in a bit!"
He shook his head as he watched Brett disappear down the hallway to his own lesson. Then he walked to the desk. He hoped he would be able to get a room, but otherwise he would just warm up quickly in the deserted staircase he loved so much. 

He was walking up the main stairs to the top floor, without a key of course, because what had he even been thinking trying to get a room at such short notice? When he saw Theo, going in the other direction.
"Oh, Eddy! Got a sec?"
He stopped dead.
"Hi Theo. Yes, of course."
He waited politely to see what Theo wanted, and tried not to show that his heart was jumping because Theo had stopped him like that. Oh my God. Was he going to tell him he sucked? That he needed to go back a year in theory? That he played so badly maybe that he didn't want him in the orchestra anymore? He tried his hardest to push the thoughts away and smile with confidence.
"So, Eddy, there's something I wanted to discuss something with you. Normally the first year students always play second violin, for obvious reasons, but it just so happens that I have an opening due to someone transferring out. I was wondering if you'd feel comfortable playing first violin from now?" 
Oh my God.
He tried to keep his composure, he really did, but he could feel himself failing, could feel his eyebrows reaching for the sky, could feel his mouth falling open, could feel the stutter coming before he even began the word. 
"W-wow. I-I would love to, of course."
Theo just smiled, this benign, kind little smile that still made Eddy feel a little silly for making such a fuss. Theo could see right through him, couldn't he?
Oh my God, but this meant that Theo must like his playing, right? Why else would he ask? He willed him to say it out loud, he needed to hear him say it out loud, but Theo just smiled like that again and started down the stairs. 
"Very good, Eddy. I'll see you later at rehearsal then. Luckily you're a decent reader, or else all that practising would have gone to waste."
Eddy stood, paralysed to the spot as Theo vanished down the stairs. Wait, was that a chuckle he heard? Did Theo really just take the piss out of him? He didn't know whether to laugh or be offended at that. 
Oh well, fuck it. He was going to choose laugh! He moved quickly and ran up the stairs as fast as he could without breaking his violin. First violin! He was going to play first violin! He took his phone out of his pocket to call Brett, but then put it back straight away. 
Brett was in a lesson. He wouldn't pick up right now, plus he wanted to see his face as he told him this. He leaned against the wall and tried to catch his breath and get his face back to normal, because he couldn't go into his lesson with Sasha grinning like loon, could he? 

He was marginally calmer as he pushed open the door to Sasha's room.