Life's Like A Piano

In Love All Over Again

Indeed the next day Liam came to our place to have his lesson with Nathan. At first, it felt kinda weird, but I destructed myself by doing some chores around the house. I must admit that hearing the piano in the background was pretty nice and relaxing and Nathan was getting really good. 

For the next couple of months, things were calm and there were no significant changes in our lives, except that I finally got my Ph.D. officially and I could start looking for better job opportunities than before. Things with David were good and with Liam stable. We never talked about what has happened between us again and we tried to behave as normally as possible. My cocaine addiction was mostly under control, even though I have started realizing that I'm more addicted to it than I thought and I knew that sooner or later I'd have to quit it, especially since we're supposed to have started trying to have a baby.

One day, having forgotten that Liam had notified me that he would have to come a little earlier for his lesson with Nathan, because he had back to back lessons and he really had to do something in between us and his next lesson, I have sat at the piano for about half an hour, playing a new song I learned. 

"Sweetie, it must be Liam, go open the door" I say to Nathan when I hear the doorbell ringing 

"See who is it first!" I add 2 seconds later

"Yeah, yeah, I know!" Nathan replies going to the door

"I heard that!" I say teasingly, sure that he rolled his eyes, and then I continue with the song...By the time Liam has entered the house, I have started singing the song, since I finally found the right chords

Liam's P.O.V.

"Hey buddy, how u doing?" I ask Nathan when he opens the door and lets me in

"Great! We had a field trip today!"

"Ah! I remember those! *realizes what he's hearing* who's playing the piano?" I ask him very intrigued

"Olivia! She's trying to learn that song for weeks now, I think she's close!" he replies excitedly. Not long after I hear the chords, I hear her singing and I immediately understand that the song is Easy on me by Adele

"Come, come, she looks very pretty when she plays the piano!" He adds, pulling me towards the piano. 

When we reach her, I understand what Nathan said; The way she's leaning over the keys, looking at her hands, careful not to make a mistake, with her hair in a ponytail, in that dress, singing, she looks so calm and has some kind of glow, but this must be because I feel more drawn to her than ever, like I'm falling in love with her all over again.

When she reaches to the part that says "I had good intentions and the highest hopes, but I know right now that probably doesn't even show" she hits a high note and turns her head to the side, while straighting her back a little, probably to have more room for her note to come out, with her eyes closed. At the end of the song she smiles proudly at herself and as she turns her head to get up she sees us and flinches, obviously not having caught our presence

"Good God! How long have u 2 been standing there like that?" she asks, and I get the feeling that she started feeling a little self-conscious, because her face lost the calmness it had before

"Since u started singing actually, u finally got the chords right, huh?" Nathan replies

"I did, yeah! I knew I was close last night, but I was too tired to keep trying! *gets up* I'm sorry, I completely zoned out, I wasted your time..." she explains and then apologizes, ready to leave

"Wait a minute, since when do u play the piano?" I ask, finally finding my words

"Since I was 5, I think..."

"She also plays the cello!" Nathan adds, making my jaw drop

"She does?" I ask surprised, looking at Nathan and he nods his head yes smiling before turning to her

"She used to put me to sleep with that when I was younger! Come on, bring it!  U have to hear her playing smooth criminal!" 

"By Michael Jacson?"  I ask kinda socked

"U have a lesson, Nathan, and he has things to do before his next lesson, remember?" she tells him, clearly trying to get out of it

"Oh, come on, 5 minutes won't make a difference! Besides, I'd love to hear that!" I say and she sighs, before turning towards the staircase, defeated. About a minute later she comes back with the cello and Nathan runs to bring her a chair.

"I haven't played it in a while, it might not be very good..." she explains, opening the case to take it out

"These things come naturally, trust me, I know!" I reply, encouraging her and she chuckles, as she sits on the chair that Nathan brought her

"I suppose u do, yeah!" she says, putting the cello on its base, between her legs

She starts by trying to find the right chords and when she likes what she hears, she starts. At first, she's too nervous, I can see her hands shaking, but when she starts singing, she seems to relax a little and really put her heart into it, until the last note, which leaves me breathless and utterly mesmerized.

"Ok, u did not put me to sleep with that!" I hear Nathan say, sounding excited, waking me up 

"Of course not, I was playing slower and lower and I was humming instead of singing! Now I gave u the full extent...which is still wrong because I need at least one more cello and another vocalist" she explains, turning back to her shy self

"Olivia, that was amazing!" I finally say and she chuckles nervously

"It was nothing, I haven't touched it in years, I barely remembered the chords..."

"I don't know much about cello, but I'm a musician and I can tell u that this was great!"

"Thank u, then! My parents would be pleased to hear that, they paid a lot of money for me to learn to play, after all..." she says, putting it back in its case

"I can imagine...why did u stop playing?"

"I started my Ph.D. and I didn't have much time or energy and Nathan was old enough to sleep without help, so I just put it in the closet..."

"When was the last time u played the piano before now?"

"Well, I was in college I think...undergraduate! I was working in a restaurant while I was studying!"

"Undergraduate? My God, didn't u miss it?"

"Well, I had a lot going on after college, so no..."

"A lot going on?" I ask intrigued

"Yes...a lot going on..." she answers and then takes the cello upstairs again.