Straight from the academy

8.

When we get home, I walk in and it's weirdly quiet.
"Why's it's so quiet? Where's Beth?"
"She's at Viv's."
"Oh?" I say, hinting at Leah to go on.
"Yeah, they've been spending a lot of time together recently. They're together, I know it, they just haven't told everyone yet."
"They'd be cute together. They are polar opposites but I can see it working really well."
"Yeah, I agree."
"So what about you then?"
"What about me?"
"Well, I have a boyfriend, Beth basically has a girlfriend, what about you? If you don't mind me asking."
"No, no it's fine. I was dating Jordan."
"Yeah I know, the media would not shut up about you two."
"Yeah exactly, that's one of the reasons we split. Well I say split, we never really broke up. We just drifted apart. Nothing is awkward between us now or anything, we just don't talk as much."
"You're ok with that?" Neither Leah or I were expecting the conversation to go on for this long, nor for it to get so deep, so by this point we were sitting next to each other on the sofa.
"Yeah I guess. It's just the way it's worked out." She says shrugging her shoulders. "Although part of me still wishes that Jordan and I weren't so distant, that we were how we used it be."
"Would you do it again?"
"Do what?"
"Date her." I said a little bluntly. Leah paused for a minute, thinking.
"I'm not sure."
"That's ok. Would you still be close friends with her then?"
"Yeah definitely, I mean we are still friends, just not close. It's not like we ever hang out or text, we just smile civilly sometimes when we pass each other. That's about it. Now I think about it, I haven't had a proper conversation with her in weeks."
"When did you break up then? Well, drift."
"About a month and a half ago, but we'd been quite distant for the last couple of weeks of our relationship."
"Oh, sorry. That's still quite fresh."
"It's okay." Leah says, but it isn't very convincing.
"Have you spoken to her at all?"
"No, not at all. Not even a text." I notice quickly that Leah's eyes are beginning to glass over. She just sits there staring at her hands and fiddling with her fingers.
"Do you still like her?"
"No, I still love her." A couple of silent tears escaped Leah's eyes as she spoke.
"Come here." I say moving closer to Leah and holding out my arms. Leah leans against my side and I put my arm around her, holding her hand. "I'm sorry I brought it up, I didn't realise it was so recent."
"It's okay, it's helping a bit to talk about it. I haven't really done that yet."
"Why?"
"I didn't really have anyone to speak to. Most of my closest friends like Keira and Georgia live far away, and my friends who play for arsenal, like Beth, are close with Jordan so it felt weird."
"I'm sorry Leah. I'm here if you ever want to talk at all."
"Thanks ells." I squeeze Leah's hand and tighten my grip on her a bit, she relaxes into me more. I wipe a stray tear that was falling down her face.
"I know something that'll cheer you up." I say looking down at Leah.
"What?"
"Come with me." I say standing up and holding out my hand. Leah takes it and I bring her to my bedroom. We walk over to the corner where my keyboard is.
"I didn't know you had a keyboard?"
"Yeah I do. I haven't really had time to sit down and play it though." I sit down on the seat and pat the spot next to me for Leah to sit on, which she does.
"You can probably play though, I can't. I'm useless at most instruments." Leah says huffing.
"Just try. Copy me." I slowly play a note, then another one, and then another, until eventually there is a short song. Every time I play a note I pause and Leah copies me and plays it too. "You're not bad you know."
"Thanks for being kind" Leah says laughing softly.
"No, honestly. You really are good."
"Thank you. Can you play something now?" Leah says smiling like a little girl.
"Ok, one sec." I pause and think of a song to play. I decide on Solas by James Duffy since I've played it a million times before so I know it pretty well. I put my hands on the keys and take a breath.

"That..that was incredible." Leah says shocked.
"Thanks."
"No seriously, how long have you been playing for?"
"I had lessons when I was like 8 but I hated them, I loved piano I just hated the lessons. After I got this keyboard for my birthday I begged my mum to quit and she let me, I've been self taught ever since."
"That's amazing. Your so talented."
"Thank you Leah. Did this cheer you up though?"
"Yes definitely, thank you."
"No problem."

Leah and I stay at the piano for a while, just messing about not actually playing anything. We run our fingers from one side to another, and desperately try to play all the keys at once. We also just mess about pressing the keys, hitting loads at the same time with loads of power. It really is so much fun. I pull my phone out of my pocket and take a picture, I usually record myself playing anyway so this isn't out of the ordinary. But we are having so much fun and I wanted to record this as well. I also decide to post it on my story.

*tagged @leahwilliamsonn

Leah takes her phone out of her pocket since she got a notification.
"What did you tag me in?" She says laughing. She taps on the notification and smiles, but only quickly. Then she zooms in and stares at the picture.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing it's fine."
"Leah."
Leah sighs, "Be honest, do I look like I've been crying?"
"No."
"Really?"
"Really, I can delete it if you want."
"No don't, I love it. I was just checking."
"It's all good, there's nothing to worry about." I say smiling kindly at her and lightly squeezing her shoulder.

After a while we get ready for bed and eventually go to sleep, which I think our neighbours will be thankful for as I can't imagine they had much fun listening to us nearly break my keyboard at like 9pm. But Leah and I didn't care, we were having too much fun to care.