His fingers were barely brushing the piano, but there was something about his strokes to every key that intrigued Dave. Perhaps it was the song that John was playing, or maybe it was just the fact that he seemed so serene, playing the middle of an empty music room, on a grand piano. The note that flowed from the instrument echoed around the room.
Dave had never felt more compassion for the bucked toothed boy than he did then. John's face of utter concentration was determined, yet calm and peaceful. It was the most beautiful face Dave had ever seen. And the music that John played filled Dave with warmth.
But the music was not of happiness. Dave knew what John was going through. The boy's father had died three years ago, on this day. And John was showing his feelings through music, through his heart.
Dave stood in the doorway of the music room, not bothering about that school had even ended. He didn't care about the rain that was pattering on the large windows of the private school. The way that John was poised and the way that he played was amazing. And the way that the rain fell on the large windows made it even the more sad and agonizingly beautiful.
Dave could see tears flow from John's eyes, as he continued to strike the keys with such elegance and grace.
He wanted to sit next to John, and hear him play up close.
So he did.
He closed the door behind him, and walked up to John, who never stopped playing. Dave sat down next to John, and listened to the boy play his heart out. John made no acknowledgement to Dave, and played the piece of sorrow.
Dave thought of all the pain and suffering John went through when his father died. He began living with the Striders and was taken care of. He was loved and had a place to stay.
But Dave knew that it would never replace John's home, his real home, which was being lived in by strangers, people that John didn't know. They were in the same rooms that John and his dad were in. They were in the room where John and his dad would watch shitty movies and eat popcorn. They were in the same room where John's dad would have breakfast waiting for him. They were in the same room that his dad had slept in.
They were living in John's home, his place of care, which made it all the worse.
A small tear made its way down Dave's cheek. He didn't make any motion to move it. He just sat there, staring at John's hands, as they made their way across the piano.
The song ended all too quickly, and they both sat there, not saying a word. John didn't look up from the piano keys. He sat there, letting tears fall, and silent cries sob. Dave looked out the window, watching the rain fall, thinking of the life that John had once had, and the life that he will never have again.
And then he cried.