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butterflyslinky) wrote2014-09-19 10:25 pm
Heart Stickers and Cherry Blossoms Part Two
butterflyslinkyIt became a regular part of their schedule, walking home together after school every day, talking about this and that. They didn’t talk to each other outside that time, other than a quick “hi” in the hall if they passed each other, but it was nice enough to have someone to go home with every day.
Linkara wasn’t sure what to make of it. He liked Film Brain a lot, sure, but he wasn’t sure if they were friends or just acquaintances. He would be fine either way, but it would be nice to know.
Because the truth was Linkara liked Film Brain a lot more than he normally liked anyone. Not that Linkara was anti-social; he had plenty of friends at school. But Film Brain was different, somehow. He was cute and smart and nice, even if he was a bit stiffer than most people. But to Linkara, that was only part of the charm. And in spite of that, he was easy to talk to. Linkara found himself telling Film Brain things he would normally never confess to another person.
In fact, if Linkara had the time for such concerns, he would even consider the possibility of being more-than-friends with Film Brain. But he wasn’t sure that was an option. Linkara had homework and college applications and the all-important scholarship auditions to worry about—he didn’t need a boyfriend on top of that. Though he noticed that both his schoolwork and his violin playing had improved since he met Film Brain, but that could also be attributed to working hard. It couldn’t be because talking to Film Brain helped Linkara focus and relax about everything going on. That would just be ridiculous.
Right?
Right.
Which was why it was totally normal and not at all out of nowhere when Linkara asked if Film Brain would like to come over sometime. After all, there was nothing wrong with relaxation as long as the work got done.
Film Brain looked rather surprised when the question was asked. “Oh!” he said. “Um…not today, I have a lot of homework to do, but…maybe on Friday?”
Linkara smiled. “Okay,” he said.
So they were going to actually hang out. It didn’t mean anything. Just that they were friends, doing what friends did.
*
Film Brain didn’t know quite what to make of it. Linkara was a nice guy, sure, but he didn’t seem like the type to spontaneously ask people he had only known for two weeks to hang out with him. Still, Film Brain wasn’t going to say no. He liked Linkara, and a fifteen minute walk five days a week was not nearly enough time to spend with him.
And if he was a bit more preoccupied than usual on Friday, well, no one needed to know that.
His friend Luke noticed, of course. Luke always noticed everything. “Film Brain?” Luke asked as they sat down for lunch. “Why have your eyes gone heart shaped?”
“What?” Film Brain asked, looking in the back of a spoon. “What do you mean?”
“I mean you look all dreamy and distant like you have a date tonight,” Luke said.
“Oh,” Film Brain said. “Um…no, it’s not a date…”
“Is it that cute guy you walk home with?” Luke asked. “The violinist?”
Film Brain blushed. “Yeah,” he said. “He’s cool. We’re just hanging out.”
“Uh huh,” Luke said. “Don’t you have some big math test next week that you were swearing to study for all weekend?”
“A few hours won’t kill me,” Film Brain mumbled. “It’ll be easier to study after I’ve cooled down a bit.”
“Sure,” Luke said, smirking.
“What?”
“Admit it. You like him.”
“Of course I like him. He’s my friend.”
“You know what I mean.”
Film Brain sighed. “So what if I did?” he asked. “It doesn’t matter because we’re both very busy and even if we weren’t, in six months he’s going off to university and I’m going back to Swindon and we’ll probably never see each other again.”
“You never know,” Luke said. “You could write the epic love story, of two people who met is a shitty backwater town and fell so deeply in love that they abandoned their families and crossed the Atlantic to be together, giving up everything they ever knew just to remain with their One True Love…”
“Luke, seriously. I’m not in love with him! We’re just friends!”
“Or the tragic tale of two people who loved each other so much but were torn apart by the undefeatable forces of society and are trapped in their loss and yearning until they meet again ten years later and fall straight back in love…”
“Luke!”
“Or you could give it a shot because he’d be a great lay.”
Film Brain glared at him. “I’m not talking to you anymore,” he snapped.
*
Linkara noticed Film Brain was very quiet when they walked home that day. “You okay?” he asked. Film Brain wasn’t an overly chatty person, but he usually had something to say.
Film Brain shrugged. “Yeah,” he said. “Just…something stupid. Nothing important.”
Linkara didn’t believe him, but he decided not to pursue it. After all, silence wasn’t bad. At least, not with Film Brain.
They arrived at Linkara’s house and headed into the living room. “My parents work late,” Linkara explained. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all,” Film Brain said. “I don’t think I’m ready for the ‘where do you come from, why are you here’ survey from them.”
Linkara chuckled. “Yeah, they’d give you that,” he said. “What time do you have to be home?”
“Before dark,” Film Brain said with a shrug. “So…nine o’clock? Ten, maybe?”
“Okay,” Linkara said. They sat awkwardly for a few minutes, Linkara on the couch, Film Brain perched cautiously on an armchair. “So, um…want something to drink?” Linkara finally offered lamely.
“Sure,” Film Brain said. “Whatever you have.”
Linkara nodded and got up. He went into the kitchen and came back with two bottles of Pepsi. “It’s what we’ve got,” he said.
“That’s fine,” Film Brain said, accepting the bottle. They sat quiet for another minute, though it was less awkward now that they had something to do with their hands.
Film Brain’s eyes fell on Linkara’s violin. “You know, I’ve never actually heard you play,” he said with a slight smile.
Linkara smiled softly. “You should come to a concert sometime,” he said. “They’re free and open to the public.”
“I know,” Film Brain said. “Though I wouldn’t be able to pick you out among everyone else.”
Linkara smiled hopefully. “Well…I could play for you…if you like…I mean…” He was blushing a bit, but he did look eager.
“Please do,” Film Brain said. “I’d love to hear it…top violinist in the school and all.”
Linkara blushed deeper. “That doesn’t mean much,” he said, opening his violin case and pulling out the instrument. “Most of the violins can barely hold a bow straight.” He stood up and quickly tuned the violin. “This is Margaret,” he said, showing off his violin.
“Margaret?” Film Brain asked.
“Yeah,” Linkara said. “She’s been with me since eighth grade and has never let me down…and Margaret just felt like the right name for her…Let’s see…this is my audition piece for the scholarship I’m hoping for.” He smiled slightly before starting to play.
Film Brain settled back in the chair, feeling much more at ease now that something was happening. Linkara was truly an excellent player, and the music made Film Brain feel calm, even happy, notes flowing smoothly through the room. Linkara’s eyes were closed, his face truly serene as he played, as though this was where he belonged and the confident attitude he wore the rest of the time was merely a front.
It was beautiful. He was beautiful.
Film Brain sat enraptured until the song ended. Linkara’s eyes opened and he smiled hopefully. “What do you think?” he asked softly.
“Lovely,” Film Brain said. “Simply lovely.”
*
“Earth to Linkara! Earth to Linkara! Come in, Linkara!”
Linkara jerked out of his daydream to see his best friend Marzgurl staring at him. “What?” Linkara asked, a bit irritably.
Marzgurl raised her eyebrows. “I was asking about the physics report. You know, the one due on Wednesday that’s worth ten percent of our grade?”
“Oh,” Linkara said. “Yeah, sorry…I’ve done the intro, hypothesis, and materials…I’m going to have to look over the notes again for the procedure, but…”
Marzgurl sighed in exasperation. “Seriously, what is with you lately? You’ve been all starry-eyed and dreamy and shit...did you see a violin prettier than Margaret?”
Linkara shook his head. “There are no violins prettier than Margaret,” he said. “Though there are some people…”
Marzgurl’s eyebrows shot up even higher as her mouth split into a wide grin. “No way,” she said. “Mr. High and Mighty Married to His Violin actually has a crush?”
“I’m not married to her,” Linkara mumbled.
“Uh huh,” Marzgurl said. “That’s why you’ve assigned it a gender and given it a name.” She leaned forward eagerly. “So who is it that finally managed to excite you more than wood and strings?”
Linkara turned red. “Shut up,” he muttered.
“No, seriously,” Marzgurl said. “I know it’s not yours truly since we sorted that out long ago…” She grinned at the memory. “So who’s the lucky gal?”
Linkara sighed. “His name’s Film Brain,” he said. “He’s a sophomore.”
Marzgurl blinked, but then regained her composure. “The little blond kid I’ve seen you with after school?” she asked. “The one with the pretty eyes?”
“Yeah,” Linkara said. “That one.”
Marzgurl’s grin got even bigger. “So what are you going to do about it?”
Linkara rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t going to do anything,” he said. “We’re friends. And that’s fine.”
Marzgurl rolled her eyes right back. “Come on, Linkara. You need to loosen up. You haven’t dated anyone, or gone to a dance, or done anything fun in three and a half years unless I’ve forced you to. You spend your life writing essays and playing your violin and only going out when you can’t think of a good reason not to. You’re seventeen but you act like you’re forty. Live a little.”
“What, go out with the poor kid for six months and then say, well, see you?” Linkara snapped. “It wouldn’t last, you know that. Even if I didn’t know it would only be six months, you know I don’t make a good boyfriend. I’m too involved in my music. It’s the only thing that’s not going to go away.”
“Jesus Christ, Linkara, I’m not saying you should get married or anything,” Marzgurl said before her face softened. “Look…I know that things didn’t go well for us. We didn’t work as a couple, and that’s fine. But we’re still friends, and as your friend, I say you need someone in your life. Even if it is temporary, at least you would have tried!”
Linkara sighed. “I know,” he said quietly. “I’m just…scared. You know?”
“I know,” Marzgurl said gently. “But you can’t just wrap yourself up in a velvet-lined case and hide from the world.”
Linkara glanced across the lunchroom, where Film Brain was sitting with some other sophomores with his nose buried in A Simple Peace. “Okay,” Linkara said. “If he shows any interest…I’ll give it a shot.”
*
Film Brain couldn’t stand it anymore. Not only was he being forced to read the worst book he had ever come across, but he couldn’t even focus on it because his mind was always on Linkara. They were spending more time together after school, usually at Linkara’s house, watching movies and talking for hours on end, and the more they talked, the more Film Brain liked him. And it was driving him crazy.
It wasn’t just that he liked Linkara as more than a friend. It was that he couldn’t bring himself to say so. He knew that they had precious little time, and that time would be better spent as a couple, but somehow, the words could never quite leave his mouth.
But that wasn’t going to stop him. After all, words didn’t have to be spoken.
So one night, about a month after meeting Linkara, Film Brain grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and locked himself in his room. He was going to find the right words, even if it took all night.
Dear Linkara,
No. Too formal. It was a mash note, not a formal letter.
Linkara—
That was a bit better.
I appreciate your friendship…
Well, that sounded like a breakup note.
I like you. Do you want to go to the spring dance with me?
Stupid and generic.
Do you have a date to the spring dance? Cause I don’t. And I’d like to go with you.
Awkward. He might as well talk out loud.
Will you go out with me?
That would work. Short and to the point.
Film Brain.
Still a bit awkward. But it would work.
Film Brain glanced around his room, trying to find a bit of tape, but he didn’t have any. Of course.
The room he was staying in normally belonged to a girl about his age who was currently studying somewhere else. Film Brain hated to dig through her things, but he didn’t want to go downstairs just for tape. He quickly looked through the drawers, hoping she had something that would seal the paper. Finally, in the very bottom drawer, he found a half-used sheet of heart-shaped stickers.
He sighed, but it was the best he could do. He folded the letter and sealed it with one of the stickers.
Great. Now it looked like a freaking Valentine.
This could not possibly end well.
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I also liked seeing how Margaret appeared, that was a very cute choice!