Will had believed that Ivory was an outcast, just like him. It was quite the opposite. In the days that followed, he found out that she was popular. That people liked to talk to her and that she was already invited to two parties. Once he had swallowed that truth, he thought she would turn her back on him soon. He was not interesting. He was not social. He didn't like attention.

These worries however were groundless. Every day she saved a seat for him in the canteen. It made him a bit suspicious, he didn't understand what she liked about him. Still, he kept returning to her. Quietly he listened to the conversations at the table that always bored him; about sports and pop stars and their gossip about weird people like him. He didn't feel comfortable around them, but what else could he do?

At least he wasn't alone. People weren't calling him names, they didn't make fun of him. The rumors about the zombie boy that had done the rounds at his first day, were silenced. Ivory was the reason for it, he believed.

But why?

He just didn't know.

He wasn't the only one surprised by the girl's friendliness. After one day, he already discovered that El and Ivory didn't exactly like each other. She never complained about it, she didn't speak a lot to him in the first place, but he could see it in the look in her eyes and when his brother started to question him about his new friends, he had a feeling that she was the one behind it and that she had shared her worries with Jonathan.

He couldn't explain Ivory's interest in him. Up to now he however had no reason to distrust her, and so he tried to keep those feelings away. She made school a better place for him, what else could he long for?

This morning she had asked him if he wanted to meet after school. He was a little anxious about it, it also felt a little quick, but he hadn't dared to tell her no. Never before a girl had asked him to hang out and it made him nervous. She had suggested to go to his house. He wasn't sure if he liked it; it was a familiar place, even when he moved into it so short ago, but it also felt like he was allowing an intruder inside his life.

But he couldn't hide from the world for the rest of his life. She was nice, there was no reason to turn her down. Nevertheless, the prospect to meet up after school distracted his thoughts, while he was worrying about what Jonathan and his mom would think of her. What if they agreed with El? Or what if Ivory discovered that he wasn't as nice as she thought? Would he end up alone again?

The thoughts kept racing through his head while the hours passed by. After his last class he had an appointment with his mentor, who asked him questions about his first week. He answered them like the good boy he was, although he found it hard to stay focused on the conversation.

He felt relieved when the man told him to go home. Leaving the classroom, he limped through the empty hallway. Once he neared the music room he heard a beautiful melody, making him stop. It felt like he was not only hearing piano play, but also a violin and a harp; instruments that weren't exactly common in high school – and especially not after classes. He wasn't sure what happened to him, but the Celtic sounding melody grasped him and pulled him towards the door. Through the crack, he peeked inside.

There was only one person in the music room, playing on a keyboard that was apparently able to bring forth a lot of different tones. He was sitting on the left side of the room, his back towards the wall so Will could see him from the side. The boy's eyes were closed while his fingers glided across the keys of the piano. His face was relaxed, as if playing the notes didn't demand any concentration.

Will's mouth felt dry.

Since the day they met, he hadn't spoken to Onyx anymore. He had seen him now and then, but he always had the feeling the boy wanted to forget about their meeting. To keep staring at him didn't feel right, but he simply couldn't tear away his glance. It felt like the music notes were trying to lure him deeper into the room and he had to brace himself to make sure it didn't happen.

The boy dipped his head a little, opened his eyes again and punched in some buttons, changing the sound. He stared forward for a moment, scribbled down something on a note and started another composition.

Will had no idea how long he kept standing there, listening to the music that sounded so different from anything he'd ever heard. The tone became harder; what had started as a lovely melody was turning into something ominous, like a march to battle. It tickled his imagination, painting scenes in his mind.

Suddenly the music stopped. It felt like he ran into a wall; startled he looked up. His cheeks started to glow when he realized that Onyx had caught him staring.

"Sorry," he muttered. "I – I didn't... I didn't want to disturb you."

Skittishly he flinched, afraid of a sneer because he had secretly been listening. Now he thought about it, he realized it might look a little creepy.

Onyx however showed him a smile. "You may listen. Did you like it?"

With an increasing blush, he nodded. "I've never heard anything like this. I didn't know a keyboard can mimic other instruments too."

"It's a synthesizer, not a keyboard. You can compose your own music with it," he answered. "The one I have at home has more functions, but a different environment is more inspiring." He smiled. "But as an artist, you'll probably know all about that."

Will's blush deepened. He had never considered himself as an artist and it felt like a giant compliment. Onyx's attention made him feel a bit light in the head and he leaned against the door frame.

"You can sit here if you want to keep listening?" Onyx pointed to a chair to his right. "I assume you have to take it easy, right? How is your ankle anyway?"

Will's hands felt clammy as he limped towards the boy, the jitters in his stomach increasing with ever step he took.

"I can manage it," he answered, lowering himself on a chair. "It took some time to get used to the crutches, but I'm fine now."

He felt a little awkward. For a week Onyx had pretended they didn't know each other and now he was all friendly again. It confused him.

Onyx started to play again. The tones were light, tinkling, reminding him of dancing pixies in the moonlight. His fingers were trembling, he felt an intense longing to draw. He pushed the feeling away – he didn't want to look like a complete idiot. Instead, he concentrated on his breathing until it completely slowed down.

It felt like time didn't exist in this room. The melody swung itself around him, filling him with a tingling warmth and seducing him to a passive listening. Sometimes it felt like he was about to drift away. He tried to fight it, especially when the tone became heavier again and seemed to tell some epic tale.

He widened his eyes when he realized he had closed them, startling as he noticed that Onyx had been looking at him. An intense heat crept to his cheeks. Quickly he glanced at the floor while his breathing sped up again.

"This is part of my final project," Onyx told him. Only now, Will realized how melodious his voice sounded – it was beautiful, even enchanting. There were only soft tones his fingers were producing now. "I compose a piece of music that should fit an epic movie. It's supposed to tell a story."

Will looked up again. He didn't understand why the older boy was telling him all this; why he didn't simply send him away.

"It sounds really beautiful," he said softly. "I've never heard music like this."

Onyx turned a little more towards him, slipping his hands into his pockets. Will still thought to hear the music. "What music do you like?"

"Umm. Metallica. Mötley Crue. Alice Cooper. Things like that."

Onyx lifted the corner of his mouth. "Those are some awesome bands."

Will beamed. Up to now, his brother had been the only one who appreciated his music taste – which wasn't a surprise, for he wouldn't have known about these bands if it wasn't for him. "A few weeks ago my brother and I went to see Van Halen. It was my first concert, it was really cool! We were really close to the stage."

His enthusiasm made him blush. Except for Jonathan, there was no one with whom he could talk about music.

"I bet it was awesome. My last concert was Def Leppard. You know 'em?"

Will nodded enthusiastically.

"You also play an instrument?"

"No. Although I'd love to learn how to play guitar. Or – or what you play. The synthesizer. Although I know no other people who play that."

Shyly, he bit his lip.

"You wanna give it a try?"

Will had no idea what was going on with his body, but his heart seemed to flutter and there were a lot of things churning inside his stomach. Carefully he put away his crutches and shuffled towards the boy. There was a small piano bench, and the idea that he would sit so close to Onyx blocked the air in his lungs. Immediately he felt ashamed of that thought; Onyx would probably stand up so he could toy with the instrument.

None of that however happened; when he stood next to the boy, Onyx placed his hands on Will's narrow hips and pulled him on his lap. Will's eyes went wide in shock – he had never been on another boy's lap! He was sure his face was looking like a tomato. Onyx had already carried him in his arms, and now this... Will didn't know where to look.

"Relax, little one," he said in a teasing tone. His hand rested upon Will's hip. "Look, these are the main buttons." He pointed to a row of buttons at the top. "What instrument do you want to try?"

Will barely heard his words. All he could think about, was the hand on his hip, and the ease with which the older boy had pulled him on his lap. His heart beat so wildly in his chest he was afraid the other would hear it.

"Umm... maybe the violin?" he heard himself say.

Onyx pressed some buttons, put his fingers on the keys and moved them in an order that was probably supposed to be easy. Will however lacked any concentration; he felt like a nervous wreck and yet he didn't want to leave.

Suddenly the door was opened, startling Will in such a way he sat up straight immediately. He noticed how Onyx quickly took his hand from Will's hip. There was a pit in his stomach; it felt like they had done something that was forbidden.

"Why are you here?" It was Ivory who was standing in the doorway. "I'm waiting for you for over an hour!"

Will felt even hotter. He hadn't thought about their appointment for a moment. "I – I didn't know it was this late." Quickly he got up, staggered to his crutches and headed towards her. "Sorry," he said honestly. "I heard music and I got distracted."

She huffed. She really was angry.

Will's shoulders slumped down. Before he left the room, he peeked over his shoulder. He glanced at Onyx, but the boy had turned his attention back to his composition. The magic was gone.

Quietly, Will followed Ivory, convinced that he could still feel Onyx' hand burning on his hip.

"Sorry," he said once again when the grim expression didn't leave her face.

She stood still and gave him a fierce look. "Why were you sitting on my brother's lap? Are you gay?"

He stared at her with wide eyes. He didn't know what shocked him more; the revelation that Onyx was her brother or her blunt question.

"N-no," he muttered, even though he knew it was a lie. He however didn't want the whole school to whisper that he liked boys. He didn't want to stand out. He just wanted to be left alone. "I never expected him to pull me on his lap when he wanted to teach me how to play."

She sighed, then she suddenly grasped his hand. Again he froze. "It's okay, I get it," she said in a sweet voice. "But you better stay away from him. He has a... really dark side."

Will pulled up his shoulders. He didn't know what to say; deep inside he only wished she hadn't found him in the music room so he still would have been there with Onyx.