Chapter 3
A/N: Well, since there was a tie on my FB poll, it looks like both stories are getting updated today. We will still keep Sunday as the normal posting day for this story in the future. I'm so thankful for all the reviews and comments on FB. Thank you for being so supportive and encouraging. I'm super excited for y'all to read this chapter. Thank you to AGoodWitch for reading, betaing, and being an all-around outstanding human being and friend. Remember, this is all BPOV. Off we go!
I woke up and started my day, eager for our duet and for him to play my song. I swear I really had a life before this lockdown, but it was really hard to think of something I wanted more than to share this connection with my piano guy. I sat at my piano and opened the lid, waiting. I was about to give up when I heard the beginning notes of Chopin's Fantaisie Impromptu.
The first ten seconds of the song were easy but after that, for the next minute and a half it went off the rails and you had to have fast fingers to get through that. You got a nice rest for about two minutes before it went insane and fast again. It was one of the most bipolar pieces of music and was considered to be one of the most difficult piano songs. Of course, mister 24+ years made it through with no problems at all.
When he had finished with his song, I started playing Yirumu's River flows in you. It was elementary for someone at his skill level, but I had to pick something I could play as well. I played the first minute of the song before it got to the part where you had to play the notes really fast in succession a few times. I played the first two and then stopped. My piano man picked up right where I left off, playing the rest of the song. I smiled when I realized he had the right song.
When he played the last note of our song, I figured that was the end, but he started another song and I noticed it was No Time to Die by Billie Eilish. I sang along to it:
Was I stupid to love you, was I reckless to help, was it obvious to everybody else? That I'd fallen for a lie. You were never on my side. Fool me once, fool me twice, are you death or paradise? Now you'll never see me cry. There's just no time to die.
We continued in this same fashion for the rest of the song. After the song, I could hear the thud the piano made when the lid was closed and I smiled, knowing that we were done. I turned my Senatobia on, in the mood to listen to some more Billie Eilish. I like a lot of her songs that weren't the singles, her more obscure songs. Dancing around and singing made me want to get outside even more than I usually wanted to.
I knew that technically it wasn't allowed, but since the lockdown, I went up to the roof, just to get some air and watch the city. I got dressed and put on my new rhinestone-covered mask. That was what came in the mail. I figured if I had to wear these things all the time, might as well get something fashionable or cute. I put on the purple one because it matched my coat.
I walked down the hall to the stairwell and climbed the steps until I made it to the very top floor, and flung the door open on the roof. I inhaled the fresh air and walked to the edge, just to watch the few people that might be out and about. There were still essential businesses open and people making their essential trips, but it was a lot more empty than usual. It seemed really odd to see a city so full of people be so bare and void of life. It was also weird that it was kinda peaceful.
I was pulled out of my musings by the sound of the roof door opening. I turned and Mr. green eyes from the mailroom was standing there. I smiled at him, but again, with the mask, he couldn't see it.
"Oh, I didn't know there was someone already up here."
"It's fine. Plenty of space to social distance up here." I said, winking. Oh my god, I was such a dork. I shook my head. "So, just needed the fresh air, or what?"
He gave me a crooked grin after he took off his mask. It just about stopped my heart. God, that was a sexy smile. He held up a pack of cigarettes and normally I wasn't into smokers, but the way he held the cigarette, inhaled, held the breath, and let out the smoke was… well, it was hot. "I had almost quit when this whole lockdown started. That went out the window fast."
"So, why come all the way up to the roof to smoke?"
"It's kind of peaceful up here."
I nodded my head. I had that same thought just a few minutes ago.
"I'm sorry. I don't want to seem like one of those creepy guys, but have we met before last night? Something about you seems familiar."
"You know I didn't want to say it and seem weird, but I feel the same. I don't think we've ever met before. I would have remembered." I tapped my forehead. "Like a steel trap."
He gave me a smirk and nodded. "Yeah, I wouldn't forget a face like yours." Was he flirting with me? I was so oblivious that I honestly missed it when guys were. He put the half-smoked cigarette out. I raised my eyebrow at him. "Still trying to quit. I promised my mom." He explained, putting his mask on, and leaned against the half wall.
My heart melted a little at that. That was too freaking adorable. This grown man still cared about what his mother thought, and he cared he had made her a promise. He wanted to make good on it. Those were all excellent traits to have. He seemed to be lost in thought. He looked kind of sad.
"You okay?"
"Just thinking about someone. This whole lockdown thing sucks. A lot of things have changed because of it. It's weird to adjust." He said looking over at me. The way the sun caught his eyes and lit his face was mesmerizing. My god, he was beautiful, but it seemed to me that the soul and heart living in this beautiful man was even more precious than his looks.
I nodded, looking away so that I could keep my ability to speak. "Yeah. I haven't seen my sister other than through a camera screen for three weeks, and my mom is freaking out because she hasn't seen her kids for over a month."
"Yeah, my mom is worrying constantly too. It's been over 3 months since she's seen me or Em. She lives in Chicago, so she is used to it, but in this world climate, she is scared."
I nodded. "So, you have a sister, too?"
He laughed. "No. Em is short for Emmett. I have a brother."
I put out my elbow, gesturing for him to do the same. He chuckled and did the same. I bumped his elbow with mine. This was the newly expected way to shake hands. "My name is Bella. It's nice to meet you."
"Edward. Nice to meet you too, Bella."
"Well, I better go. Hope to see you around Edward."
"Yeah, you too."
I made my way over to the door and looked back one time before opening the door. Yeah, he was watching me. I smiled, even though I know he couldn't see it, even if there wasn't the mask, his eyes were fixed too low to catch my smile. I shook my head and headed back to my apartment. I saw the note attached to my door before I even made it there. I pulled it off and unlocked my door. I went inside and sat down to read my note. I noticed that the door to my piano man's apartment opened and closed and I could hear him moving around. I found myself wondering where he had been.
I knew how old he was, but again, I found I was wondering what he looked like. I was starting to realize that I was starting to feel a kinship with this guy, not knowing much about him except for his age and that he played music with emotion and talent. His notes were nice and a little flirty, but not in an overt manner.
Edward, on the other hand, I was completely physically attracted to, but I also was starting to see some other traits that I found attractive. He loved his mother and brother, he was a man of his word when he made a promise, he was friendly. I was confused about him saying that he was thinking of someone, while looking sad and saying the lockdown changed everything. Had he had a girlfriend? Did he lose someone because of it? I hoped he didn't currently have a girlfriend because the way he was staring at my ass and legs would put him in the creepy category if he did.
I opened the note and started to read it.
Piano girl,
I find myself to be continually astonished by your voice and your words. I'm glad that I could hopefully make your evening maybe a little better with the CD I gave you. I wish I could say hello to you as well. Maybe someday, when this is all over, we can do a song together in the same room. As for now, I would like to continue with the duet game tomorrow. I will choose the song this time.
-The Piano Man-
I wrote back a simple reply: I would love that and thank you for the CD. I listened to it last night. Your move, Piano Man.
I heard him plink on the piano and then the first notes of The Scientist started by Coldplay. To my utter astonishment, he started to sing the lyrics to the song. I was stunned. My piano man could sing, and it was beautiful.
I had to find you, tell you I need you. Tell you I set you apart. Tell me your secrets and ask me your questions. Oh, let's go back to the start
Running in circles, coming up tails. Heads on a science apart. Nobody said it was easy.
I sat there completely enraptured by the song that my neighbor was playing and singing. When it came to the 2nd verse, I sang along with him, singing the high harmony part. I heard him mess up the note when I did that, and it made me chuckle a little that I was making Mr. 24 years flub up. He finished his song, and it was quiet on the other side of my wall, so I opened the lid of my piano and keeping with our earlier theme before I went to the roof, I started playing Hostage by Billie Eilish.
I don't know what feels true. But this feels right, so stay a sec. Yeah, you feel right, so stay a sec.
And let me crawl inside your veins. I'll build a wall, give you a ball and chain. It's not like me to be so mean, you're all I wanted. Just let me hold you Like a hostage
He started singing the song with me and I smiled to myself, because he knew this song, or at least cared enough to look up the lyrics.
Once the song was over, I rushed to go put my note on his door, knocked and went back inside my apartment.
A/N: So, that was a little shorter than the last one, but how do we feel? What do you think about Edward now that we know a little more about him? Leave me a review and let me know what you think. Until next time, later lovelies!
Playlist:
Fantaisie Impromptu By Frederic Chopin
River Flows In You By Yiruma
No Time to Die By Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell
The Scientist By Coldplay
Hostage by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connel