Page 99 of Strings

“The night’s young. Let’s not celebrate yet. My Spidey senses are telling me the shit show is just getting started.”

Sebastian beams. “Rosa was right. You’re a breath of fresh air in this stuffy place. I’m guessing your family isn’t like mine.”

I cringe internally. If he only knew. “You and I are different, but have such parallel lives.”

“What do you mean?”

I stare at the ceiling and try to come up with the words to explain “It’s like our families both put us on a train where they wanted us to go.” I hold up my hands so that my palms are facing each other. “We were both trying to steer. We both wanted to get away from them in one way or another. But you went left to take your own path while I turned right to disappear.”

His eyebrows lift and his posture becomes stiff. “You wanted to disappear?”

I wave at the air. “It was a dumb analogy.” There I go again, saying too much.

“There’s so much I don’t know about you.”

Lowering my eyes, I find it difficult to look at him. “When I first met you, I was just figuring out who I wanted to be. I never expected this,” I say, motioning between us. “And now, I want you to know stuff, but I’m scared.”

He places his hands on my hips and bends his knees slightly to gaze into my eyes. “There’s no reason to be scared.”

I laugh awkwardly. “That’s because you don’t know shit.”

“Talia…” He shakes his head. His face is etched with concern.

I don’t know how or why this conversation got so serious, but I don’t like it. I change the subject. Raising my hand to his face, I cup his cheek. “How come you haven’t told me what song you’re playing on Saturday?” I lower my voice to mimic his father’s. “Maybe you should play it for me so I can see if I approve.”

He rolls his eyes. “Ugh, not you too.”

“You truly are your own man. I’m so proud of you. I hope you know that.”

“Why? Why would you be proud of me?”

I shake my head. “I thought I had it tough growing up, but they are way too hard on you. Can’t they see how incredible you are?”

He smirks. “You think I’m incredible? Did you realize that the moment you met me, or was it before, after, or the entire time I was courting you?”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. You didn’t court me.”

“Hell yes I did. I’m just so good you didn’t even know it was happening.”

“If that was what you call courting, then you suck at it.”

“I don’t suck at anything. I’m incredible, remember?”

“Incredibly conceited… Oh, and let’s not forget modest.”

He laughs. “Are you ready?”

“I’m almost afraid to ask for what?”

He waves his hands in the air and the lights come to life. It’s like “The Clapper” without the clap. I gasp as one by one, lights slowly illuminate cases containing instruments displayed on the walls. There are multiple violins around the room, each mounted inside thick glass. Toward the back, I see two grand pianos, several cellos, and a conductor’s wand in a case.

“Welcome to the museum.”

I walk toward what appears to be an ancient violin. I look up toward the light that’s shining on it and that’s when I see the cameras all around the room. “Are we being filmed?”

“We’re being watched, that’s for sure. There’s a lot of money in this room. I used to spend hours in here when I was a child. I imagined that the men who held these instruments were here in spirit, guiding me to become the best I could be.”

“I bet these are expensive, huh?”