True Love

16. Anna

Back home again. For three weeks. And a lot to do, as usual. They worked on their new album. Avi needed to see his family, they were back in U.S. in time for Mother's Day. And he was also busy with the last preparations for A Cappella Academy. He wouldn't be there for the first 3 days, as they would be ending their short Asian Tour, and he wanted to make sure that all would be ready.

Mitch and Avi were in a kind of routine in their private life. Mitch felt more confident, and he was beginning to believe that their story could last, after all, even if some clouds remained obdurately in his mind. But they hadn't talked yet about telling to their families, and even less to make it public. Mitch didn't want to take the initiative, he even avoided to think about it, he was waiting, living the moment.

Avi couldn't decide about it. Of course he knew that it would be a kind of little storm in his family, even if Esther was supporting him. He knew how much his parents wished him to have children, and had never had any reason to picture him in love with a man. But actually, he was most of all concerned by the image of PTX, always praised as a very heterogeneous band, in religious, ethnic and sexual orientations point of views. If he decided to come out, Kevin would remain the only straight guy, and yet he couldn't play the same role as Avi towards the female fans... without talking about the impact on the male ones if a manly bass like him suddenly turned out to be gay!

As he knew they would be a lot on Tour until mid-September, he wanted to take his time to think about it, and wait for opportunities to talk with his four band mates.

*****

Every morning, Mitch was going out to buy a coffe at the Starbuck he had discovered near the apartment, and brought it back home to drink it at breakfast. In this Starbuck he was often served by the same young woman, and they began to talk a little. Her name was Anna. She told him she was working here as often as possible to pay for her studies. She was in College, for Art studies. She wanted to be a painter, or a drawer, or an illustrator. Between her studies and her job, she didn't have much spare time.

Mitch liked to talk with her, and she seemed to appreciate him too. He, most of all, enjoyed the fact that she didn't know who he was, and he was hoping she wouldn't discover it too soon. It was nice to be appreciated by someone for another reason than being a part of PTX. He had just told her he was a singer in a band, remaining evasive.

One friday, it appeared that she was free in the afternoon, and he invited her home. He really wanted to get to know her more, and he also wanted to introduce this new friend to Avi. He had already told him about her of course, and Avi had agreed to meet her.

They spent a nice afternoon, talking mainly about music, art and careers. The two young men still managed not to tell her who they really were. She wasn't really aware about the A Cappella world. Avi took his guitar, Mitch sang a song with him playing.

But at the end of the afternoon, Mitch recognised in her eyes a gaze he knew too much. She was obviously mesmerised by Avi.

Later in the evening, Mitch casually talked about her to Avi. But if Avi had appreciated to meet her, he didn't seem to have noticed her more than that.

- She was staring at you, haven't you seen it?

- Mitchie, please! Don't imagine that every girl in the world could fall in love with me at first sight!

Avi was laughing at the idea. Mitch managed to smile and didn't reply.

Next morning, she was at the Starbuck. And she asked him about Avi. Why did they live together? Did he play the guitar in their band? Did he sing? With a twinge in his heart, Mitch answered. Telling that they were an A Cappella band, that Avi was the bass, and that they were roommates...