Piano Days and Other Malec One-Shots

Small Town Days

Anti-Prom in Garrington, Indiana was better than real prom, in the opinion of Catarina.

That was precisely the reason she pulled Magnus away from his senior prom at the very last minute.

Anti-Prom was being held in abandoned barn off County Highway G. It embodied the stereotypical barn theme: red paint, white trim, with a neat little hay loft above the tall main door. There were a few stalls that held horses in the barn's glory days. The doors had since been ripped off, and the last hay, beat down into the ground so it was one with the rotting wood now.

Anti-Prom was organized by some mysterious figure named L. That's all anyone really knew about him. If you heard about Anti-Prom, you were invited. It was free. Bring your own drinks. Bring your own friends. Bring your own fun.

The music, and a temporary supply of electricity (thanks to Gerald Brigham's generator for his family's cabin), were to be supplied.

Magnus wasn't thrilled. The underground scene wasn't really his.

He prefered the spotlight. But high school wasn't giving it to him.

He had a life planned beyond Garrington. It involved lots a spotlights. Lots of parties. And nothing that had to do with Indiana, barns, cows, or camo print.

His dream was in New York City. Loud. Free. Dirtier than Indiana but with cleaner intentions.

New York.

That's what he was thinking about as miles of vast, empty farmland, yet to be planted, passed by outside the window.

"New York City," Magnus whispered. He couldn't help but smile.

"Are you day dreaming again?" Cat asked. "Because I was talking, you know?!"

Magnus looked over at Cat.

"I'm sure who ever he is, he's a great guy," Magnus said. If Cat was talking, it was either about a boy or Indiana State's medical program.

"That's not what I was talking about," she snapped.

"Are we almost there?" Magnus asked.

As a car passed them, it's head lights made the beads on Cat's top sparkle. She was beautiful. She really was.

Magnus wished he could just be into her.

Life would be simplier.

Him and Cat.

Cat and him.

Against the world.

.........

The barn was lit by twinkle lights stringing from the rafters.

It smelt sweet inside which was an improvement from it's usual smell. No one really owned the farm. The county council tried to avoid figuring out who owned it. It'd just spark controversy.

Small towns were never in need of controversy-

"Magnus!" Cat called from across the room. He had zoned out. Again. "The band's about to start and I will not dance alone."

Magnus resigned to pushing himself off the wall to join Cat by her side.

"I love this band," she said. There was a band setting up on a the stage. Five people but it was darker down there so their faces were indistinguishable.

"Where did you hear them?" Magnus asked. He was doubtful she had ever heard them before. Sometimes Cat just said things to get him talking. She worried about him.

He worried about himself.

"Club in Indianapolis," she said. "I know the drummer." The lights went out in the barn and whispers of concern rose. Then the stage lit up with lights that were too professional to be at a stupid high school party. Someone had probably stolen them from the school theater.