Two Violins, One Love, BAE

Chapter 6 Will Brett (Kung Pao) chicken out?

Brett woke up with a start. He'd been fast asleep this time and his glasses had slid down his nose and onto his lap. He put them back on and looked around. He'd dreamed of Eddy again - but he was sat on a bench facing a runway and...

What time was it? Could he have missed the plane? Could Eddy be here already?!! How long had he slept?

Brett jumped to his feet and rushed to the nearest arrival screen. No! Still one hour's wait?! What was going on? Either the plane was late again, or he was stuck in a time loop. Time had stood still, and he wasn't even wearing a 40h Ling Ling T-shirt.

Oh... what the hell... now he was hungry. Would they have some good asian food in this dump? They wouldn't have his favourite fusion food, but he needed something comforting. He really did.

15 minutes later, Brett sat down on his bench facing the runway again. He opened a warm cardboard box and sniffed it. Then he split the chopsticks apart and tried a mouthful. After three more mouthfuls he took his phone.

To Eddy Chen: Don't know when you'll get to read this but I'm eating kung pao chicken in the airport. It's pretty bad, but yours still the worst ;P

*

"I've got all the ingredients," Eddy said. "I'm cooking Kung Pao chicken."

"Great," Brett said looking sideways. The nice feeling during the bus journey had evaporated, and he felt self-conscious again as if he'd suddenly grown a third foot and had to relearn how to walk.

The kitchen felt echoey. The house was empty. It was just the two of them for the weekend now, because mysteriously, in that typical unpredictable parents way, Eddy's mum and dad had decided their place would be safer in their absence if the two of them stayed in it.

"Do you need help?" Brett asked.

"It's all under control!" Eddy poured the oil in the skillet with a flourish. "Hey, pass me the chillies." Then after a minute of intense concentration, "Have you seen the ginger? I'm sure I left it over there... Did I put the garlic in already?... Could you check the rice, please, bro?"

A little while later, they walked into the living room each holding a bowl of Kung Pao chicken and rice, sat on the rug by a low table and began to eat.

"Is it okay?" Eddy asked.

"It's... it's really good, thanks," Brett replied.

A minute passed, and Eddy asked again, "Is it really okay? I mean... it's-"

"Really, bro, it's nice."

Another minute and Eddy sighed loudly. "It's not very nice, is it?"

"Er... no," Brett admitted, looking down at his food.

Eddy sniffed his bowl. "It's burnt, isn't it?"

"Errr... yes."

"How did I manage that?" Eddy asked.

Brett started giggling. Eddy snorted, put his bowl down and leant back on the cushions. "It's disgusting! Oh shit. Sorry."

"Brother Ling Ling cooks the best Kung Pao chicken every day," Brett replied.

"And he knows where to dial for the best pizza in town too."

"My treat," Brett said looking for his phone.

When the pizza arrived, Eddy opened his laptop and they sat in front of it, each holding a slice.

"I've got to show you something. It's really good," Eddy said, and he leaned against Brett's shoulder so that his whole upper arm pressed against his.

Something much warmer, and gooey and comforting than pizza spread inside Brett's belly, and he took a big breath. He felt better now with Eddy sitting right next to him. He would talk to him. He'd do it. He'd tell him the truth. He didn't have a girlfriend called Martha. He didn't even know anyone called Martha.

Brett froze. Maybe it didn't matter to Eddy whether Brett had a girlfriend or not. Maybe it was all the same to him. Maybe what happened on the floor of his bedroom two weeks ago was nothing to him. Maybe... it happened all the time that boys kissed, and kissed very deeply and... held each other, and... everything.

Maybe he should just drop it. He felt deflated for a moment. Well, it didn't matter. He would still tell Eddy the truth, and come what may.

"You're not listening to anything I'm saying!" Eddy said.

"Sorry? What? Oh, I was. I was just..."

"This! Henryk Sz... Szer-... yng! This guy is genius." Eddy jabbed at the screen. "The way he plays, and that piece... How good is Ravel, man. Do you know 'Tzigane'?"

"Are you kidding! I love it," Brett exclaimed. "It's on my list. I've started playing it a little."

"Have you? Wow..." Eddy turned to look at his friend, and there was so much warmth and admiration in his eyes, Brett felt he was growing a foot taller and wider. He also blushed to the root of his hair.

"Eddy, I wanted to tell you something... I..."