The Heartless Frankenstein (XIV Series #2)

Chapter Twenty Three

Balls, Keys, and more Balls I

During Mr. Gerald’s class, we were tasked to go to the library again for another essay I could just ditch this and completely forget the essay even exists but my Saturday tutoring sessions would be for nothing if I did that. I bet my life he doesn’t even check the dang outputs! Then again maybe he does. He returns them with red marks after all. But that doesn’t change the fact that he just wants to have us do stupid write-ups we don’t even need.

This time, I was praying I won’t bump into library guy because we all know how badly the breakfast impromptu date went with him a few days ago. It’s another awkward man I’m not willing to play with or maybe I just got tired of flirting with him for a while. It was fun while it lasted though, but smarty-pants like them aren’t just doing it for me. I get too bored with them too easily.

On my way to the library, on the same room where I heard the beautiful sound, there it was again.

The song that was playing from the music room for consecutive days now. I turned away from the library and headed to the music room to see the guy playing the piano. He’s here. It’s time I see this man after all. I have been lingering around this room for quite too long. If I did this longer, people will come at me and say I’m a freak.

I grinned and peeped through the door before I decided that I needed to at least get this man to a date or something. Or have him take me to one of his concert so he would play for me. What dreams, Achelois. Such big dreams. I slowly walked, approaching his back as he kept playing, failing to notice my arrival. “If you keep playing like that, you’ll end up making everyone stop doing what they’re supposed to do.”

He stopped pressing keys from his piano as soon as he heard me speak. He only turned around to see me after slowly taking his hands off the keys and he might have looked a little terrified. I don’t look like a serial killer so this is very offensive on my part. “Who…”

And of course, he doesn’t know me.

Good thing, anyway.

“Achelois Bartel.” I stepped closer to him and the piano he was on, raising my hands for him to shake. “A pleasure to meet you.”

“River,” He shook my hand and damn his hands are manlier than any other manly hands out there. They were bony and slim just like I thought. I mean I always admired how beautiful looking pianist hands were – slender and soft. I never got the chance to touch them though but now that I was given this opportunity, it feels amazing. Maybe I can hold this hand for about a week and not get tired of it. “River Ortiz.” I can tell he was hesitant to share his name but he did it anyway out of respect. I know I would be freaked out if someone had done this to me but I’m harmless. I’m pretty sure he was thinking about that too.

I bobbed my head, trailing my fingers over the piano as soon as I broke away from the contact, walking around it to make it more dramatic. “That song was beautiful.” He looked at me surprised. If I complimented his piano playing maybe he’d feel less cautious of me, which he failed to not show me by the way he was acting. “The one you were playing a while ago and the other day I heard you from here.”

“Other day…”

“This is the second time,” I smiled at him. He looked precious. I’m not sure he’s taken or a challenge but either way, he was cute. And he looked like he wouldn’t hurt a fly. “The second time you made me stop going to the library because of your beautiful piano playing, might I add.”

He looked down shyly.

“Well, you can’t really blame me. It’s beautiful. Anyone would stop for you when they heard you play.” I added.

Guys don’t often get to receive compliments and that’s what flatters them. I realized that now. Most guys are shy when girls compliment them. Even the toughest looking guy would feel soft after taking a compliment from someone, especially when it’s from a girl that looks like me – just stating facts. I’m not sure why but it is what it is. Sometimes girls are just too weak to give the first compliment. It runs in their prides not to compliment first, or do first moves because that’s supposed to be the work of men.

“Can you play it again?” I asked.

“I don’t know… I was just fooling around and—”

“And you made it?” I cut him off in amusement. “You made that piece while fooling around. Wow…” I looked away in disbelief. I’ve never been this impressed by someone before. I don’t know. There’s just something captivating about musicians that I can’t resist but admire. “That’s real talent right there. If someone played something like that for me, I’d flip around with butterflies in my stomach.”

He looked up to me finally getting more comfortable with my compliments as I showered him with it.

“If you can make something so beautiful like that while fooling around, I can’t even imagine how beautiful pieces you’re going to make without fooling around.” I emphasized the word he used as a term to describe his piece.

He was quiet.

“You know, you can go a long way with your skill.”

“R-Really?”

I nodded. “Are you kidding me? Of course! Absolutely! I’ve never heard someone play the piano as well as you!” It was true though. Considering that it wasn’t even a serious piece he was playing. And it was also true that it was the first time I’m meeting someone who could play the piano. I’ve only seen them in the television but never met one. “Except Mozart and all those good pianists, of course.”

He chuckled.

There we go. I just need these guys to feel comfortable around me and that’s assurance enough that I made a pretty good first impression. I’m feeling proud of myself. He didn’t look like the type who was smiley so it was worth the celebration.

“They are pretty exceptional.” He mumbles in agreement.

I smiled. “You should play more often.”

“You think?” He asked. He’s surely having trouble with his piano thing and I’m too sure about it. I’d guess he wasn’t confident enough to showcase his good skills.

“I don’t think. I know.” I encouraged thinking it was a good way to spark his interest in me. “You have a gift. You shouldn’t be playing so beautifully in this awful, hideous music room, if this is even a music room?” I raised my hands to let them fall to my side as I looked at the room’s ceiling. I couldn’t see any hint that this was a music room except the piano. If it was a music room, they should have those other music equipment, right? Is that just my concept of music rooms?

He doesn’t reply anything.

“You know,” I spoke, crossing my arms. “It should be illegal to be playing like that with no intention of letting people hear it.”

“I’m sorry?”

“You really touched my heart with that soulful piece and you aren’t even taking responsibility of me.” I teasingly said, a hint of slightly flirting with him. I was sure he wouldn’t take it that way anyway so I don’t really have anything to worry about.

He tried to hide the smile that crept out of his face.

This is a terrible place, really. It looked like it hasn’t been used for ages. Seeing him here, playing the piano without anyone knowing just makes it clearer that there was really something wrong. Parents? Unclear path? Hm… I’m getting more invested on his story than I should.

“The world deserves to hear you play.” I added more, pushing my limits of compliments so he would gather enough to build some confidence.

“The world…” he lets out a small chuckle.

Then I remembered the university opened a new music building or whatever. So this makes this their storage unit or something? “Why are you playing in this mortifying place anyway? The new music room is great.” I said as I remembered the small detail. “The place makes everything sound so good because of the sound proofing things they installed and the high ceiling’s glorious!”

“I—”

My phone suddenly rang.

I almost wanted to ignore it and pretend it wasn’t ringing but it was just the two of us and the room was so quiet it would be impossible to lie and say it wasn’t mine. “Excuse me one moment.” I pulled my phone out of my pocket and saw an unknown number calling. I looked back to River, flashing my phone. “I gotta take this. It was nice meeting you though! I really hope I hear from you again soon.”

I frantically walked out of the music room. That was good timing. The conversation needed to be cut so he would want to ask for more. It’s always good to leave guys hanging. That way it will keep them interested.

Whoever is calling me, is a very good decoy and he just helped me with a new man. How generous. “Hello?” I answered as soon as I stepped out of the music room.

“Lois, it’s Marvin.”

“Marvin! Baby, hey!” I exclaimed as if I knew who Marvin was. I absolutely had no idea how his face looks like. His name sounded foreign to me too. What’s up?”

“Nothing. I just…”

“Yeah, you missed me.”

“No…”

“Denying it like that only means you do miss me.” I laughed and walked away from the music room looking down. “There’s no need to deny, I miss you too, okay? So don’t be shy about it. The feeling is super mutual.” I don’t miss him at all. Telling guys I miss them just comes out of hobby of trying to flirt with them still even if I had no intentions of dating them the second time. Poor Marvin, whoever he was.

“Well…”

“Anyway,” I sighed, flipping my hair as I walked. “How are you, babe? I haven’t heard from you since the last time we saw each other.”