Keys

"MS. JULIA?"

The female teacher called my name. I was still standing in the doorway. How could he be in this class as well? That so was not fair. Again my name was called, this time getting the response that was wanted.

"Yes." I replied as though waking from a dream.

"Isn't it beautiful?" she questioned.

"Yeah. Very appeasing to the eyes."

"Yes. I've always been found of pianos myself."

She was talking about the pianos?! I flushed immediately. Stupid boy, being all handsome and what not. Then, there he was. Looking at me again with those eyes. He was now smiling crookedly as though he had just realized what I had said as well.

"Where do we sit?" I asked, trying to get my mind out of the gutter.

"Anywhere you would like."

"Okay, thank you."

I then looked around the classroom. I wanted a seat by the window. Then I could hear the rain and make rhythmic patterns with it. My eyes then landed right on the two sets of windows. One piano was taken, one still free. I advanced joyfully. After about ten steps, my piano was in front of me. I touched the surface, moving my finger back and forth. Caressing it. The black color looked good against my skin, like they were long lost partners. After taking a deep breath I walked to the bench at the back. I placed my bag on the floor, being careful it didn't lay against the piano. When I sat down my eyes were shut. My back was facing the window and the rain's sound played through my head. Slowly, my finger took their place on the keys and began dancing around. I was playing in high notes. A symphony meant for my ears only.

When the rain began to fade, which wasn't that long after I had begun, my eyes opened. My face must have turned a bright red. Everyone had cluttered around one piano, my piano. I swallowed hard and tried to relax.

"You have great talent." the teacher commented.

I couldn't hear her that well because of the ringing that was filling my ears.

"Thank you." I whispered in a cracking voice.

"Please go to your seats now."

Once again, it barely registered. My eyes darted around the room, which seemed to had gotten smaller. Then his eyes caught mine. His smile was very light, not mocking. I then realized why he was smiling. He had enjoyed my playing.

I then made a strange noise and bashed my head lightly to the keys. The ones it touched made an awkward sound and my face turned a different shade of red.

After awhile, the ringing faded and the redness had gone down. The teacher's name was Ms. Roselle and she had been playing piano for her whole life. She was dedicated. She had passed out sheets of music that we were to work on. When she handed the music to me, she commented that I would have to get 'harder music' because of the level I was already at. I didn't mind it much. It was nice to be recognized every now and then. I was so center minded. What totally caught me off guard was the name she said after mine.

"I have to get Edward Cullen harder music too. He has the same talent you do."

Ugh. Edward Cullen. Why did I have to have the same talents as him, much less the same class.

When the teacher left she went over to Edward. He wasn't looking at her when she talked, he was looking at me. Eyeing me cautiously, as though I had some meaning he couldn't figure out. Minutes went by and the teacher left her place by him and went into a back room. My eyes followed her, hoping she would go to another student with the same 'talent' that Edward and I possessed. Then he was there, sitting on bench beside me.

"Hello." his voice whispered in my ear, causing me to jump.

"What do you want?" I asked breathlessly.

"Why do you treat me so meanly?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You act as though you hate me."

"You are coming up with that on your own. The only thing I have said to you is that your art work is nice. That's not hateful at all."

"Every time I look at you, you glare at me like I stabbed you with a pencil."

"I don't know what you are talking about."

Then I began playing. It was just my luck that I was closer to the lower keys. I began playing to drown out his talking, being stubborn.

"That's not going to work." he said shaking his head disapprovingly.

I pushed my hands down with more force, even though I knew it wasn't going to make the piano get any louder.

"I don't see why you dislike me so much." he continued again. "I'm really a nice person when you get to know me."

"Really?" The word seeped with sarcasm.

"Yes." he chuckled. The began playing the higher keys.

The keys he played matched perfectly with mine. It was unbelievable, like we had been playing together since we were five. He really was a nice piano player, much better than I. Looking around, I realized people gawking at us. Surprisingly, I smiled.

"Do you like me now?" his voice chimed just a little louder than the piano.

I looked over at him. He wasn't even looking at the piano. He was staring dead at me with those warm honey eyes.

"It depends." I said flashing a smile.

"Well, I hope you'll warm up to me."

The way he said warm was funny. But maybe that was me paying to much attention to what he was saying. Then his fingers slightly touched mine. The coldness was unsurpassable. Then the thought of him touching my bruises jumped into my mind. I stopped playing at that very moment and began staring at my hands. They were shaking. I studied them for a few seconds, taking in all of their flaws. The nails were discolored from lack of nutrition. A purplish color, rather thank pink. The tips were all jagged. None of them curved, in a smooth line like regular nails. I flipped them over and looked at the bottom. Some of the skin was tough. In other spots, it was cut and scabbed.

It then hit me Edward had stopped playing along the time I had. He was looking at the wall opposite of me. His hands were placed in his lap, clenched into tight fist.

"Sorry I stopped playing." I murmured.

"No, it's fine. Really."

He then looked over at me, smiling. I couldn't help but smile back. Closing my eyes, I heard the rain had picked up again. Unconsciously, I began to play the melody.

"You play what you hear?" he asked.

I could feel his eyes on me. I didn't have to look to know the stance he took.

"Yes." I said slowly, in tune with the keys I played.

He didn't reply. He was quite. I had to open my eyes and see if he was still there. Unwillingly, might I add. He was there. His eyes closed, relaxed. He looked like a stone carving. I continued playing for awhile longer, then glanced to the clock. Since it seemed he was sleeping, I decided to talk aloud so he could hear. But before I could let the word escape my mouth he cut me off.

"The bell is about to ring."

He got up and went to his piano and gather his things. I knew my mouth had opened. How did he do that. I was sure he didn't look at the clock, or look at me to read what I was about say; and yet, he said exactly what I was going to say.

Absent-mindedly, I gather my things. The bell rang. It helped to clear my senses. I was able to close my mouth. I got up, and of course, he was gone. Edward Cullen was not in his seat. He was most likely already in the lunch room. Oh yeah. Lunch. This wasn't going to be easy.