Fantasia

XLV

"How did your violin practice go?"

Eddy's eyelids fluttered open for him to see the same corridor with the yellow light when this question reached his ears and something just crossed Eddy's mind: He'd always "wake up" at the place where he'd been last. A minor, maybe unimportant, but nonetheless interesting detail. He turned his head to the side where the familiar voice had come from and looked at Brett's soft, open smile.
The corners of Eddy's mouth lifted instantly.
"Short, since I came home late, but good." He sat up a bit and Brett lowered himself to match Eddy's level.
"What did you play?"
"I wanna hear from you first. What did you play?"
Brett shrugged and mindlessly plucked the strings of his instrument. "Stuff that came to my head. That one melody, a bit of Pag 16, like that."
"I see... and you stayed here again?"
"Yeah", Brett confirmed, "But can we go somewhere else? I'm kinda sick of this floor."
"Sure!" Eddy got up in one swift move. "Lead the way!"

Brett took the stairs down, which led them out of this weird staircase with the endless numbers of floors and after some turns and stairs, back to Bach's and Paganini's painting. He stopped there and motioned Eddy to sit down on a marble bench opposite the canvases which Eddy hadn't noticed the first time around.
"Something else to see than just white walls or black windows", Brett meant and let himself slump down next to Eddy. "Your turn! What did you play?"
"Tried my luck with the Prok two again. Figured I don't try something new with just twenty minutes."
"Did you work late today?", Brett asked. Eddy glanced at him, finding it funny how casual Brett kept their conversation. Maybe he figured after all the deep shit they'd exchanged, some everyday life stuff would do them good? Or maybe he was simply sick and afraid of Eddy's tears by now...
"I did. Got scolded by my boss." It slipped out of Eddy's mouth before he could stop himself and as Brett's eyes widened, the curse words he was throwing at himself inside his head grew to a very unhealthy amount.

"Bro! How?"
"Well... happens sometimes", Eddy tried to conceal what really happened. It didn't work well with Brett.
"Don't tell shit! Why? Is your boss a dick in general or did you legit fuck something up?"
"I made too many private phone calls during work hours", Eddy explained truthfully, but incompletely.
"Ohh, who did you call then?", Brett pressed. Yeah if that guy wanted to know something he'd normally get to his desired information one way or another.
Eddy let out a sigh in defeat. "I was looking for you. Called up some musical institutions we both or you visited and spoke to Gab again."
"My highschool mate?"
"Exactly."
"And?" Brett tried hard to not appear too worked up, but Eddy could hear it in just that small syllable and see it in the slight tension in Brett's eyebrows and lips how much this affected him. He knew Brett better than to get fooled.
"I guess I first need to tell you that I still have no idea where you are. But I did get your phone number."
Brett's eyes widened in clear surprise. "Legit?"
"Yeah. Gab got it from one of your highschool classmates. Eliza or something. She had a huge crush on you, apparently."
Brett snorted. "I have no idea who she is..."
"Anyway, she has your phone number and Gab got it from her. However, I tried to call you twice today and it just said 'this number is not available at the moment' or some shit." The machine voice Eddy tried to imitate was almost on point.
"I see", Brett casted his gaze down, maybe to not let Eddy see his disappointment?
"I also looked trough some sites of orchestras and music schools. Again, I wasn't really successful, but I found a cello guy who was at the AYO with us. Hyung something... forgot his full name. We used to hang out with him."
"And did you call him too?"
Eddy shook his head. "Nah. There was no phone number. I will try to contact the QSO tomorrow though. See if they can help me further."
"QSO... like in Queensland Symphony Orchestra?"
"Yes!", Eddy's eyes lit up. "Does it ring any bell? Hyung's the principle cellist there."
"Not really... I guess I just know the name and that such an orchestra exists..."
Like Brett knew Paganini and Bach existed despite having no memory of anything else whatsoever? How odd...
"Maybe you just remember everything music related?", Eddy tried to form a theory.
"But no musicians except everyone who's deceased?", Brett frowned.
"Maybe", Eddy had to chuckle despite the absurdity of it all, "You've kinda always been like that, so no surprise there."
"What?"
"You were like the kid who knew who Beethoven and Mozart were, but not people like JayZ."
"Who the hell's JayZ?", Brett asked, stupified. Eddy laughed.
"Some rapper. Of course you knew all the soloist and your friends and stuff. I'm just messing with ya."
"Jeez", Brett shook his head, "My brain's messed up already, don't need your banter to add to it."
"You're right. I'm sorry", Eddy apologized, actually feeling bad about adding to Brett's confusion. But then, Brett grinned.
"Hey! I'm just messin' with ya."
"Dude..."
The smaller's laugh rang throughout the entire corridor.

"But seriously...", he meant after a short while filled with his guffaws, "Please don't get into trouble because of me. You shouldn't do private stuff during work, you know." Brett raised his bow the way an index finger was used to scold a kid.
"I don't think I'd mind getting fired, honestly", Eddy said matter-of-factly.
Brett turned his head rapidly towards Eddy and looked at him incredulously. "What?"
Eddy held Brett's intense gaze. "What yourself! Weren't you the one who said it's time I follow my own dreams?"
"I mean, I did say that... but dude, I don't want to be responsible for you losing your job."
Eddy laid a hand on Brett's shoulder. "Don't worry. Even though being screamed at really showed me how little I actually care about that place, I figured getting fired would be a real dumb move. That's why I've only called your old number twice and haven't contacted the QSO yet."
"Oh, I see", Brett let out a sigh, "but... really? You wouldn't mind being let go?"

Eddy took a moment to really think about it. He had after all studied many years, invested tons of time and effort so he could land a position like that. Would he really be okay with letting all this go?

"You know... I didn't tell you this before, but I stood in front of that damned mirror more times than I can count before I finally got through. And everytime I saw that mirror on top of that hill, you know what I felt?"
Brett's voice was a mere whisper when he said a simple, "No..."
"Longing. So strong that it pulled me right in front of it everytime. Even though I knew when I touched the glass, I'd wake up and puke my guts out."
"What?", Brett yelled and grabbed Eddy's arm, "You puked?"
"I did. Everytime. And I just didn't know what I was longing for and why I kept coming back to that mirror. I couldn't fight it. And you know when this feeling finally stopped?"
A dramatic pause. Brett shook his head minutely with big eyes.

"When I got here and met you."