jueves, 16 de enero de 2014

Singing your Shades. Chapter 1.

CHAPTER 1
Christian entered the piano shop with a firm purpose. He had bought the penthouse at Escala some weeks ago, and it was almost furnished, even his Playroom, but he missed playing the piano to soothe his dark soul after his nightmares. His nights were longer than usual and the bad dreams were getting from bad to worse. Although his business plan went smooth as silk and he had proved his father than dropping out from Harvard had been a good decision, Carrick didn't approve it. His mother Grace was supporting him, but she was so sad because of the situation between father and son that it was killing Christian. He felt it was simply another fucking disappointment for his parents, and that he doesn't deserve their love.
Buying a piano was a job that Christian fully intended to make himself. He wanted to play it first, feeling his fingers slide smoothly along the keys and their vibration spreading through his chest. Then, he would make a decision.
"Good afternoon, sir. My name is Mr. Harris. May I help you?" An elegant old man, presumably the shop owner, said politely, watching Christian sideways from head to toe.
Christian then realized he was wearing a plain grey t-shirt with old jeans. He even had not shaved or combed his hair. But he didn't give a fuck.
"Good afternoon to you. I'm Christian Grey. I would like to buy a Steinway piano."
"May I ask you, Mr. Grey, are you an amateur or a professional player?"
"I'm not a professional, but I play piano since I was four years old."
"This is probably quite a long time." Mr. Harris chuckled.
"Yes, it is." Christian said sharply.
"Ok, Mr. Grey. In which of our instruments are you interested?" The salesman asked, guiding Christian through the shop.
"In fact, I would like your advice."
Christian knew very well what he was looking for. He was an experienced piano player, and he knew all the characteristics and specifications of the models he was interested in, and, of course, he knew that these art pieces needed specific temperature and humidity conditions, that his new apartment already met, but he wanted to test the salesman.
"Ok… I suppose you're an experienced player" Mr. Harris said, as Christian nodded with both his hands inside his pockets and a smirk on his face "so, the next question is… Where do you plan to place your piano? Is it a music room or a studio? Is it a small or a wide space?"
Christian was pleased with Mr. Harris reply, so he decided to answer all his questions and play nice.
"I'm planning to place my piano in my apartment, in a wide space, about 600 square feet, with the adequate temperature and humidity to keep its best conditions."
"Good answer, sir" Mr Harris said smiling kindly "Follow me, please."
Christian followed the man into a wider room, where incredible master pieces were exposed; majestic pianos, lush cellos and slim harps. It was quite a view. Mr. Harris put on a pair of cotton gloves and exposed the keyboard of a Music Room Grand Steinway piano to Christian. He sat on the stool, made some adjustments, and caressed the keys, warming his fingers. Then he began playing Chopin's Prelude in E minor Opus 28 n.4. Christian noticed the sweet notes filling the room, enveloping him in a soft embrace that dazed his senses. When he finished, he kept his eyes closed.
"Mr. Grey, that was awesome." Mr. Harris said with awe in his voice.
Mr. Harris remark made Christian back to reality. To his harsh reality.
"I need some time to think" he barked while frowning.
"Of course, Mr. Grey. Take all the time you need." Mr. Harris said as he left him alone.
Christian kept himself sat on the piano stool. Why did he have to be so mean? For sure Mr. Harris was a good man. Why was it so hard to be normal? With a big sigh, he put his hands on the keyboard again. His eyes remained closed. Taking all the rage and sadness that fought to exit ripping his chest, his fingers began moving along the keys, playing the Scarvo moment of Ravel's Gaspard de la Nuit. They moved faster, fiercely, until he missed a note. Christian stopped abruptly and he hit the keys with both his hands opened, producing a deafening sound. Then, he heard a gasp coming from his right side, and turned his gaze at that direction.
"What the fuck…" Christian began yelling, but stopped in his tracks when he saw a brown-haired young girl with the bluest eyes he had never seen staring at him, covering her mouth with her hand.
"I'm sorry… I am so sorry, sir. I didn't mean to disturb you." she said ashamed.
Christian stopped breathing. These eyes seemed to see through him, reaching his soul. His dark soul. He felt so exposed. She hurried herself towards the door, but Christian asked her to stop.
"Stop. Come here." He said with a hoarse voice.
She slowly turned on her heels, and stayed still, looking down and fidgeting with her fingers.
"What were you doing here?" Christian asked slowly, as if talking to a child.
"I'm used to spend all the afternoons here." She said in a small voice, keeping her gaze to the floor.
"Please, look at me." Christian pleaded.
She looked into his eyes again, and he felt an overwhelming whirl of sensations pounding in his chest.
"I didn't mean to keep watch on you. I was doing my thing, and you began playing the piano. And I couldn't help it. It was so overwhelming, beautiful… and so sad at the same time."
She kept her gaze directly into Christian's, and he got up and approached her. She was beautiful. Her pale skin glowed spotless, her inviting full rosy lips were slightly parted, and her eyes shone like stars in the sky, calling him. And her words were warm and comforting.
"I just missed a note and failed…" He said harshly, keeping his self-loathing.
"You were playing beautifully. You missed a note, but that doesn't mean that you have failed at all. You just have to keep trying."
They kept staring at each other's eyes for a while, in silence. Their breathings, deep and harsh, were the only thing that could be heard.
"How old are you?" Christian whispered keeping his stare.
"Fifteen." She said whispering too, like it was a secret.
Christian felt a jolt in his chest. She was so young.
"What were you doing here?" He continued, as he composed himself. The girl began talking, but Christian interrupted her. "Please, don't tell me you were doing your thing again. That is not a real answer, and I won't like it." Christian's words brought a smile to her lips, a beautiful and sincere smile, and Christian couldn't help but smiling too.
"You got me." She conceded as she blushed. "I was studying a new score."
"Do you study music?" Christian asked pleased.
"I do love music. But I also have my other subjects at school."
"Do you play the piano?"
"I play piano and guitar." She said nodding while biting her bottom lip. Christian's eyes darkened, and he silently begged her to stop with a painful look. She immediately quit, widening her blue eyes.
"What score were you working on?"
"Debussy's Claire de Lune. It's charming and full of hope." Christian felt again her blue gaze intently through his mind and soul, reaching his core and warming his frozen heart. "Charming and full of hope. Like you" he thought.
Then Mr. Harris entered the room. "Annie, dear. Your mum just has called. She has arrived home right now." He said warmly, and left.
"I have to go." She said to Christian. He panicked at the thought that she was leaving, and, without thinking it twice, he grabbed her by the forearm and reached his other hand to brush his fingertips against her bottom lip, feeling its softness and her intake of breath.
She bitted her lip again and run out of the room with confusion written in her eyes.
Christian stayed in the same spot for several minutes. She was so beautiful, so charming, with those big blue pools in her face, and these full lips so soft and welcoming. He couldn't avoid touching their silky surface just to imagine crashing his mouth to hers, savouring her. But then again, she was only fifteen years old. She was just so young, and he was not like Elena.
When he returned to his senses, he went to the counter where Mr. Harris was busying himself with some stuff.
"I'm buying the Music Room Grand. Someone will pick it up later." He said, feeling numb.
Anna hurried out of the room and, after collecting her backpack, ran out of the shop. She kept running until she reached the first corner. Leaning against the wall, she touched her mouth and closed her eyes. She had a tingling feeling on her bottom lip. She could still notice his fingertips brushing slightly against it, sending shivers through her entire body. What had just happened? She was focused on her new score, hidden at her usual spot, when the sweet notes of the Music Room Grand filled the room, reaching her core. But she could feel something more; a deep sadness that made her shed a tear. Then, she got out of the broom closet and saw the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. There he was, the most gorgeous man in the planet. His chin up, drawing his square jaw. His lips slightly parted. His eyes closed, with his mind probably immersed somewhere else. The muscles of his arms moving while he caressed the keys with such elegant hands. Then, when he began the other melody, she could feel also his anger, but his music was full of beauty and sadness. She was a little bit scared, and then, he looked at her. She could stare at those beautiful grey eyes forever. She just wished she could read his mind. What would have happened to that gorgeous man to have such a broken heart? He seemed young, except for his sad eyes, but the fact was that she was just a silly girl, and he was a real man. An incredible, gorgeous, beautiful and full of sadness man.

No hay comentarios:

Publicar un comentario