the prestige | ON HIATUS

31 | a realization

author's note: i wrote these next two chapters a few days before i decided to take my break so ima just drop them here y'all go.

Luna had to find a pianist. She was already confirmed to perform the Debussy sonata at the last performance.

However, the conservatory always left their students with the responsibility of finding pianists for solo performances.

She knew she'd be able to find the mysterious girl somewhere. Luna didn't know anything about the pianist or anything about her habits.

Sakia Kekolov was very quiet. She hardly ever spoke, she always had headphones in her ears, and she always had her nose in a music score.

So early in the day, Luna walked the hallway in search of the shy girl. The TS had multiple hallways of practice rooms. They also had a hallway full of practice rooms with pianos.

So Luna thought that she might find Sakia practicing shut away in a room.

After a few minutes, she saw the girl sitting at a piano. Her hands moved swiftly across the keys as she played a piece.

Luna knocked on the door. Sakia waved a hand to let Luna know she could come in.

Luna opened the door to hear the third movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. She didn't stop playing as Luna closed the door behind herself.

After another moment, Sakia stopped playing. She turned to Luna and had a questioning expression on her face.

"Oh, I came to ask you if you could play with me for the final concert." Luna said uneasily.

Sakia turned on the stool to face Luna.

"I am playing for three people already, but maybe." Sakia replied.

Luna had never heard Sakia speak. Her voice was deeper than expected, yet still majestically airy. Her thick Russian accent sounded incredibly unique when speaking English.

"I'm playing Debussy Violin Sonata if that affects your decision." Luna said.

Sakia folded her hands in her lap and looked at Luna's case.

"You play viola, no? You're the principal violist." Sakia noted while motioning to Luna's viola.

"Well, yes. I play violin just as much as I play viola." Luna said.

Sakia nodded.

"I'll play for you." Sakia said as she turned to the piano.

"Oh, great! Thank you very much! If you don't mind me asking, who else are you playing for?" Luna asked.

Sakia turned back around and sighed.

"DiMoon, the flute girl. Pecker, The french horn principal. Yang, the concertmaster. Now you, Lim."

Luna was shocked. She didn't know that Sakia was playing for Brett, who may or may not have a crush on her.

"You're playing for Brett? I didn't know that." Luna said.

Sakia nodded and crossed her arms.

"So I can pay you by hour for rehearsal and for the performance I-"

"I don't want money." Sakia said.

"Erm, are you sure? I have no problem with paying." Luna said.

Sakia shook her head.

"You seem nice. I won't ask for or take your money." Sakia said.

Luna sighed and nodded.

"Okay. I'll get you the piano part as soon as possible. Thank you very much, Sakia."

"Mhm."

"So, why did I have to hear from Luna that you're playing with Sakia Kekolov at the final performance? What secrets are you hiding, Bretty?" Oliver asked teasingly.

Brett, Eddy, and Oliver sat in a practice room eating lunch. They weren't sure where Luna was, but they assumed she was eating with George.

"How did she even know? And I'm not hiding anything!" Brett exclaimed defensively.

"She's playing with Sakia now too. It's okay to have a crush on her, Brett. Your unrequited romantic feelings are valid." Oliver said, continuing to tease.

Eddy chuckled and shook his head.

"Oi, you can't laugh at me! You still haven't been honest with Luna!" Brett exclaimed while pointing at Eddy.

Eddy's face went red in defeat. Oliver gave Brett a high five and went back to eating his lunch.

"I just don't want to ruin our friendship." Eddy said.

"Right, because staying on the phone while asleep is totally just a friendship." Oliver said.

"Wait, how did you-"

"I am the All-Knowing Oliver! You dare doubt my knowledge!" Oliver said while interrupting Eddy.

Eddy immediately turned to Brett with an annoyed face. Brett's hands went up in his defense.

"He's too good, took five minutes to get me to tell him." Brett said.

Eddy shook his head in disappointment.

"We're friends, I don't want to ruin that." Eddy said.

Oliver shook his head.

"Friends. You'll wake up soon, Edward. Soon."

Luna was walking down the hallway. After a fairly uneventful lunch with George, she was headed to her lecture.

She and George had acted like their argument never happened. Passing by the event was easier than addressing it.

As she made her way down the hallway, Luna looked for Eddy. She was well aware that he was headed to the same lecture hall as Luna.

When she walked in, she saw Eddy sitting in the top row. He seemed to be writing something down while resting his head on his left hand.

Luna walked up to the top row and walked to sit down next to Eddy.

"Oh, hey Luna. Did you have a good lunch?" Eddy asked.

Luna set down her viola and sat down.

"Yeah, it was fine. How about yourself?" Luna asked.

"Just an average lunch. So you're playing with Sakia now. Oliver told us earlier." Eddy said.

"Yeah, I may have told Oliver something that I shouldn't have..."

"Yeah, that Brett is playing with Sakia too. Oliver teased him through the entire lunch hour." Eddy commented with a laugh.

"Yikes, I'll have to get Brett some bubble tea to make up for it." Luna said.

"I'm sure he'll forgive you instantly." Eddy said. They laughed together for a moment before Eddy returned to marking up his music.

But Luna kept looking at him. His eyes were like hers, one double lid, one single lid. His hair was exceptionally long and messy. His jawline was sharp like it could cut someone's finger.

But she started to remember the little things. The bridge, the phone call, the tea, and the jacket. He was such a kind soul and made her feel some strange way.

Eddy made Luna feel happy. Like she was cared for and always had someone to support her.

Eddy turned to see Luna looking at him. His face went pink and after a moment he spoke up.

"What?" Eddy asked questioningly.

Luna shook her head and turned back to face the front.

"Nothing, sorry."

After Luna had pieces everything together, she finally began realizing what those strange feelings were. Her mother was right. Luna was understanding what was going on inside her mind.

And that's when Luna realized that she had a crush on Eddy.