this boy's too young (to be singing the blues)

➥; I - ENTER: A STAR. (1987) -

    SITTING in front of a piano for hours. Aching back, aching arms, imprints of piano keys on wrists, the grumble of a hungry stomach, the patience of a young child. Kicking legs back and forth, impatient as he continues to mess up, a hover of a parent over the shoulder.

Leon Collins was a simple kid. He was quite stubborn and hard headed whilst being determined and kind-hearted (though he didn't display that kind of affection often). He was mostly loved by his mother, he had his school friends, and he was like any other kid in America during the 1980's. Only his difference was that he had a "talent".

Because of his parents need to succeed, whether that be through themselves or their children, Leon was thrown in front of a piano at the prime age of 4 years old. He didn't agree to this, obviously, but over time he'd grown to tolerate and, finally, love playing the piano.

Back in 1987, when Leon was just 8 years old, he was still learning how to play certain songs on the piano. He'd been forced to sit there until he learned something, even if it was small. But since he was proficient in piano, he was often stuck there for hours. Page after page, headache after headache, he'd whine and complain about it, but to no avail. One particular night, there was plenty of complaining.

"No, Leon, it's this key," Leon's mother, Emily Collins, corrects as she presses the key for her son. "See?"

Leon's mother was a stay at home mom, as were most mothers at that time. She'd stay around the house, drop off and pick up her son from school each morning, keep the house in check, cook and clean, and other seemingly small things, at least to Leon, daily.

Leon groans. "Mom, I'm hungry," He whines. "Just go make dinner! I'll learn it later!"

Emily sighs as she stands up. "Fine," She says. "But when you forget it and you're here for longer tomorrow it's not my fault."

Emily walks off, which prompts Leon to roll his eyes. His mother was always so strict when it came to him learning to play the piano and he never quite understood why.

Anyway, it didn't matter now. He was finally free to do whatever he wanted.

He immediately bolts up from the seat and runs up to his room. After getting there, he digs through all of his things before pulling his Walkman out from the clutter. With his Walkman finally free, he also pulls out his headphones before quickly running over to his shelf to look through his cassette tapes. He carefully looks over each one as he runs his finger over them as he passes before pulling out the one he wants. He looks over it with a big grin, the case reading Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Elton John. Carefully, he takes the cassette tape out of its case before putting the tape itself into the Walkman, skipping around a bit as he finds the song he wants before finally landing on it after a few button presses. He slides his headphones on, leaving one ear open just in case he was needed. Reaching down into his bag, he grabs his homework and begins working.

Leon loved music, if that wasn't clear cut. He loved rock the most, though, while still enjoying pop and folk music as well. His mother had introduced him to a number of different artists that ranged from genre to genre. He'd always looked up to one in particular, though, but he'd never admit it to anyone.

He wasn't even five minutes into his homework before hearing a call coming from downstairs. "I'm home!"

Leon quickly throws off his headphones while his music is still playing and runs downstairs immediately to greet his father at the door. "Dad!" He says excitedly as he stands in front of the man.

Leon wished he could've said that his dad told him hello and picked him up. He wished he could've said they laughed and talked as they walked to the kitchen. But no, all Leon gets is an awkward and uncomfortable half-assed smile before walking away from him.