"So, what's your name?"
Eddy's trained ears recognised the voice and he internally rolled his eyes as he looked up.
"Not you again."
The boy pulled out the stool from underneath the bench and sat in front of Eddy.
"I was too slow to partner up. We're both leftovers. I'm afraid you have to put up with me. I'm Brett."
Eddy sighed.
"Eddy."
---------------------------------------
They quietly started to sketch each other's faces.
Eddy was embarrassed with the portrait he had started to draw of Brett. He felt he had no artistic talent when it came to visual arts. He knew he could see the beauty of things. He recognised that Brett had strong eyebrows, kind eyes, a chiselled jawline, a radiant smile and perfect skin.. so many features that would constitute a beautiful face, yet the portrait he drew of him so far just didn't do him justice. Eddy felt he just didn't have the knack to express beauty with a drawing. On the other hand, if he was expressing beauty with sound, if it was music...
If only it was music..
Eddy muttered under his breath;
"..I suck at this."
Brett let out a chuckle as he replied;
"Heh, well drawing isn't my thing either, Eddy."
"I basically suck at everything..."
Everything except playing the violin and now that's been taken away from me...
Eddy bit his lower lip in an attempt to hold back his tears.
"Hey Eddy, are you alright?"
"Yeah.."
"You.. don't look alright.. What's the matter?"
"...You wouldn't understand."
"Why don't you try me?"
Eddy snapped.
"Why should I? What makes me think you're worth it?"
Brett looked back at Eddy in disbelief and whispered.
"Okay Eddy, I'm sorry, I'll just shut up now."
They spent the rest of their portrait time in silence while the other pairs in the studio were happily chatting.
The following day was a Saturday. Brett was excited to attend his first practice session at the youth orchestra. He hopped out of his mother's car and took his violin case in his hand.
When Brett entered the concert hall from the side of the stage, he looked up towards the back of the gallery, noticed all the orchestral members occupying them and was taken aback.
OMG everyone looks so OLD.
For starters, Brett thought he was the only person with a parent with him. He suddenly felt like a little kid again as he looked around. It seemed everyone in the hall had hit puberty except him. He felt a foot shorter than everyone else and at least a couple of years younger. He frantically looked around for someone his age. He whispered to his mum.
"Mum..! I feel like I'm the youngest here..."
The session started with the youth orchestra director's address. She made a special mention of all the new members.
"And our next new member I would like to welcome is.. Brett Yang. Brett is only 14 years old, a very young and very talented violinist. Would he be the youngest addition to our orchestra this year? Oh actually, no, I've got here that we do have someone even younger. Unfortunately, our youngest new member, Eddy Chen, was in an accident recently and had injured his left arm.. he's a violinist too and so as for any musician, this must be very difficult for him. He's not here with us today but we have reserved his spot for when he gets better and we wish him a speedy recovery."
Brett furrowed his eyebrows.
A 13 year old Eddy with an injured left arm?
The following Monday Brett sought out Eddy in art class. Eddy was struggling to put up his bag on the hook again.
"Hi Eddy. Did you have a nice weekend?"
Eddy let out an exasperated sigh.
"No, not really."
"Eddy.. is your surname Chen?"
Eddy looked up towards the face of the older (and back then still taller).
"Yeah. So?"
"So you are a violinist? Your name was mentioned at the youth orchestra practise on Saturday."
Eddy looked surprised and stared at Brett.
Brett stammered.
"I.. I'm a ..violinist too. It would've been cool to have you there, everyone else was like mega old."
Eddy bit his lower lip.
"I.. used to be a violinist. Now I can't play."
Eddy cast his eyes towards his left arm in a sling.
"...What happened to your arm?"
"I was hit by a car."
"Oh no.."
Brett genuinely appeared pained from what Eddy had told him.
"But, um, it's out of a cast already isn't it? So you'll be starting physiotherapy soon? The orchestra said they've saved your spot for you Eddy, when do you think you can join us?"
Eddy glared at Brett.
"Like I said before, you don't understand Brett. My arm, my hand.. I can't even move it...!!"
"...What..?"
"It was never broken... I mean, it is.. big time, but it was never fractured..."
Eddy closed his eyes. When he opened them, they widened in surprise. Brett was crying.
"OMG what are YOU crying for!?"
"...I'm.. I'm so sorry Eddy. I.. I just imagined how difficult it must have been for you. That must really, really... suck!!"
Eddy was taken aback. He furrowed his brows as he stared at the boy crying in front of him. Eddy was confused. He didn't want people to know about his arm and why he was so depressed. He didn't want sympathy, it sounded so fake. But seeing Brett's response and hearing Brett spit out the word suck to describe the situation Eddy was in, somehow brought Eddy comfort he had not felt before.
"Yeah.. it does. It really sucks. ...Thanks."
This time Brett looked surprised. He looked up at Eddy with his eyes filled with tears.
"W, what for?"
Eddy bit his lower lip.
"I dunno. It just felt like you might be the first person who actually understands what I'm feeling."
To be continued...