Where I Was Before You

16. Me or you?

"Why didn't you tell me you have a piano!?" Freddie squeals like a (for lack of a more politically correct saying) little girl. He runs over to the dusty old thing and pulls up the cover before I've even turned on the lights. But at that moment, I didn't even think to warn him... Freddie instinctively sits down at the piano and starts moving his finger elegantly up and down the keys. But the sound that comes out of the piano was anything but elegant. It was broken when we bought it. I thought that when I got a better job I could afford to fix it up. But obviously, I'm an idiot. Freddies face says it all. And I find myself laughing just from his surprised reaction. It sounded like a bowling ball landing of a guitar. Freddie slowly pulls his hands into his lap and walks calmly out if the room. "Well, what a lovely piano you have there." He says with a thin smile on his face that I crack up at again.

"Sorry, I was going to warn you. I've been meaning to fix it up but I haven't got the money right now." I say as I follow Freddie out to the lounge room. Freddie, I can see, is thinking. Like he's debating something with himself. I want to ask him about it, but at the same time I don't want to be the one to pressure him into talking about anything he doesn't want to. I just have to be patient. Whatever he's tossing around will come up sooner or later. He sits down on the couch while I walk into the kitchen to put the dishes in the sink.

"So, where do you work?" I hear from the lounge before I start coughing and almost choking on thin air. Yes, I really did hate my work that much. And from Freddie insisting the other day that we go into every Vintage/opportunity shop in the city, I'm sure he's going to be, 1) mad at me for not telling him about mine. 2) he'll want to go there as soon as he has a chance to leave the house. I want to lie to him, tell him I work at McDonald's or something. But I've already lied to him enough about this whole thing. I can tell the whole situation is really setting in now. And he deserves the truth, no matter how small the lie would be.

"Uhh, Winter Blend," I answer, coming back out and sitting on the couch beside him.

"And what is sooo mortifying about this job that it deserves to be called 'hell'?" He asks. I take a deep breathe in. More for me to clear my head, but Freddies takes it as I have a very long list of things I hate about the place.

"It's not the people, mostly. Well obviously, Katie works there so it isn't all bad." I say. Freddie wanting more of an answer. "What?" I ask when he's still staring at me.

"You didn't dodge my question," Freddie answers, dumbfounded.

"Ha, I guess I didn't. Maybe that means I like you." I joke. But Freddie eyes just keep wandering up and down my face, so intently. I shift so I'm crossing my legs and Freddie leans away and sighs.

"So, what do they sell?" He asks with a huff as he shifts back to his normal seat. What the hell did I do? I pause.

"Old.. stuff." I quip. Shifting around again, because I know exactly what's coming. The man ADORES vintage stuff. What's the appeal about buying something that's old, smelly and has been used by a complete stranger? Not to mention how unbelievably expensive all of those stores are. $200 f***ing dollars for a stupid old printed off copy of a painting from the 1960s? What the hell do people think they're buying? Freddie smiles.

"You mean, vintage stuff?" Freddie asks playfully.

"That's one way to put it, yes." Freddie stands up out of his seat.

"Now why must you keep so many secrets from me Mandy dear!" Freddie takes off for the stairs and sprints up them. Oh god. I knew this would happen.

"Freddie?" I call out as I follow after him. "Where are you going?"

"To your work darling, obviously. I still don't have a full enough wardrobe here yet. I only have five shirts, four pairs of pants, two pairs of shorts and three coats. That simply won't do."

"No, no, no, no, no! All the stuff at my work is old beyond vintage appeal, it's falling apart. Plus, it smells like old man balls in there!" I reach the top of the stairs and throw myself into Freddie's room.

"Oh you're so dramatic Mand, and so darn secretive! You need to open up a little bit more! Let in some sunlight!" Freddie monologued as he put various shirt options up to himself to look at them in the mirror.

"Excuse me! But I opened the curtains downstairs this morning! I'm fine with letting in the sunlight. Maybe that's your problem!" Freddie went silents for a little bit. His face didn't change, but he wasn't talking and stopped trying to find something to wear. Shit, was it something I said? He dropped his shirt on a chair he was standing next to.

"Mandy, did I ever actually answer you the other day when you asked how I got here?"