Play Me a Song Ch: 2
Chapter 2: One of a Kind
I sat at my usual table by the window on the right side of the café; the tiger that paid for my coffee sat in front of me. He sipped his coffee and smirked looking at me.
"So uh thanks for paying for my drink I'll make sure to pay you back." I said to him
"No problem Xav. Your performance on stage was payment enough." He replied.
Well that answers the question of why he was so nice to me. I would sometimes get gifts after my performance, mostly from people trying to buy a performance like for weddings, fancy parties, and etc. I turn them all down cause it's not what I want to do with my life. All the music I play is to make a living while I study to become a psychologist.
"So tell me about yourself." He said suddenly
"Well there's not much to say about me. I'm just a hybrid looking to study the mind." I nonchalantly sipped my coffee.
He gave me a half smile.
"Why study a mind when you can play for others like in the park?" he asked.
"Playing is my hobby; psychology is my passion." I replied.
He poked out his lower lip and nodded as if understanding what I meant.
"So tell me about you." I said taunting him.
"Well I'm actually in one of your classes at Howling Wolf University; we have a sociology class." He informed me.
It was at that moment I realized I recognized him; he usually sat in the back row of the class room looking like was half asleep. I always wonder how he got into an IV league university.
"So what are you planning on getting a degree in?" I asked.
"I want to become a teacher maybe even teach at my high school one day." He replied.
I smiled a bit at that statement; it sounded like he wanted to use his dream to give back to his community and I admire that. He took out the receipt along with a pen and started writing down something.
"Here's my number, we should hang out sometime, and maybe tonight we can go out clubbing." He said handing it to me.
I accepted the small sheet of paper.
"I'll have to think about that but I'll keep it in mind. I've got a busy schedule until the holidays are over; school and work are tough to juggle." I say giving a half smirk.
He stood up and extended his hand to me. I shook his hand and he left looking back at me for a moment. When he walked out a very familiar face walked in; she was a black cat with amber eyes wearing a purple midriff blouse, a leather jacket that was wide open, black jeans and grey heels that were about 2 inches tall. She was a good friend of mine named Nabari Belladona she was in the schools culinary program and there on a kendo scholarship; which I have to admit she deserved cause she can take down up to 5 opponents single-handedly. She walked over to me and sat down at the chair Rider had just left from.
"So how's my best friend doing this fine day?" She asked.
"I'm doing okay today." I replied.
"Who was that eye candy that left?"
"He's Rider, he's from my sociology class."
I heard her let out one of her usual growls of anticipation as she grins.
"Don't even ask." I stated.
"Ask what?" she asked sounding coy.
"You're going to ask me if I got his number and am I gonna call him." I stated.
"I don't have to ask your defense tells me yes you did, but I know you won't."
She was right about that last part; I don't want to do anything that might get me into a relationship with anyone again, long story. Nabari placed her hand on mine and gave me a smile.
"As soon as you get to the dorm call him. Go out, have fun, enjoy yourself, and most importantly get over you know who." She said with an encouraging tone.
I rolled my eyes and sighed softly. "Alright I'll try. But I'm not going to like it."
"You will regardless. I'll leave you to your drink; oh and you don't call first thing tomorrow afternoon I'll call for a search party."
I chuckle a little as she walked off out of the coffee shop into the cold winter of the outside. After about ten minutes I finished my coffee and threw away the cup as I walked out as well. Since I didn't have any more money I would have to walk back to campus; not much of a problem even with the cold weather that was enveloping my body. My heart turned cold and ice ran through my veins a long time ago; it all started on the first day of orchestra I met a fox with bright pink fur and grass green eyes that made me smile. His name was Adam a pianist who played like his life was on the line every time; I was mesmerized by his hands as the moved from section to section playing note by beautiful note. We dated for months and I felt like those were the months of my life but it all changed just two months ago. He told me he wanted to break up because he never had any feelings for me, that I was nothing more than a fool to think I deserved someone like him. My heart shattered into pieces that day, Nabari was a friend and helped me pick up the pieces but not even she can help put it back together.
"What makes you think you're worth my time? What a fool." His harsh voice echoed in my mind.
I came back to my senses when I stepped into my empty dorm. I lay the violin case on the flood by my bed and lay down on top of the bed and looked up to the white ceiling. I lied to Rider about my plans; I'm free from most of my classes cause I took exams early and passed and the orchestra is slowing the rest if the month, they play bi-weekly now rather than weekly. I don't even plan on going home for the holidays because I don't want to deal with the drama between my mom and dad's families. I sighed as I pulled my blue smartphone from my pocket along with the café recite; in flipped the recite over and saw the numbers on the back in red ink.
"Time I take a chance." I say to myself.
I unlocked my phone and dialed the ten digits; I placed the phone against the side of my head as it began to ring on the other end of the line.
"Hello this is Rider." I heard the tiger say on the other side of the line.
"Hey it's Xav. I looked at my schedule and I can make time for tonight if you want." I say to him.
"That sounds awesome! I know a club just down town I can pick you up around 7 and we can take a train there." I could hear excitement in his voice.
"Okay, see you then." I say hanging up.
I let out a misplaced sigh looking at the background of my phone; it was a picture of me and my ex, I was standing in front of him and he had his nose nuzzling my neck as we smiled brightly. I've wanted to delete this image for a while, but a part of me just couldn't bear to do it, probably because I kept thinking Adam would come back, but, that's never going to happen. I stood up and walked to my closet on the left side of the room; I opened it and pulled out my UFO pants with black and white clash marks, my leather midriff vest, and my leather bracers and cuffs for my forearms. I changed my clothes and threw on my black boots; around my neck I put on a collar with spikes on the sides and a silver bell, about the size of a quarter, on the front. I walked into the bathroom to grab my brush again. I started from the back of my head and moved the brush forward letting the hair migrate over my forehead creating messy bangs.
"Maybe a nap will do me some good." I said with a small yawn.
I walked over to my bed laying my head down on the pillow and kicking off the royal blue blanket; my eyes closed and I drifted away into the darkness. I felt myself falling in a dream; I was laying down looking up at a form that was running its hand along my chest and sides, my chest was heaving heavily as those hands went lower to my waist.
"Yo Xav are you ready?"
My eyes snapped open and I sat straight up. My mind was racing and my heart was pounding like a drum on caffeine. I stood up and walked over to the door opening it up. Rider was standing on the other side wearing a similar rave outfit to mine but polar opposite colors to my own. His UFO pants were striped rainbow colors just like his hooded vest and glovelets that went up to his elbows. He wore a white collar with rings on the front lined up in the order of the rainbow and his shoes were pure white.
"You look pretty good." He simply stated slugging my arm playfully.
"Thanks same to you." I replied with a small smile.
"Don't forget your money or whatever."
I smirked a bit and walked back over to my bed and pulled my green laptop from under it. I opened it and took my red credit card off the keyboard; I put the card in my wallet and placed the wallet in my pocket along with my phone and room key. I walked out of the room letting the door close and lock behind me as Rider and I walked out of Blackwing Hall and off campus to the train station just a few blocks away. The air had grown colder as we walked onto the train platform long after the sun set into the horizon. When the train arrived we were quickly forced into the car by the others; the car was now packed like a can of sardines, people were forced to stand back to back or in our case chest to chest. Rider and I were standing so close I swear he could feel my heart racing rapidly.
"Well this is kinda awkward huh?" he said with a smile and a small laugh.
"Y...yeah." I agreed blushing cobalt.
For once I was thankful that my blue colored blush was easily hidden by my markings on my face. I let out a sigh of relief every time the train stopped to let the others out little by little. After the third stop I was able to sit down and as did Rider and then he spoke to me.
"So what made you change your mind?" he asked me.
"I was convinced by a friend to live a little." I simply replied.
He smirked then draped his arm over my shoulder. "Well remind me to thank whoever it was for convincing you."
We rode the train for another three stops before we got off. I began coughing as I took in the thick putrid air of the area; the sound car horns honking was like chaos to my ears as they randomly blared. Rider walked in front of me as he led me out of the station and up a few blocks until we came across a building about the size of the dorm buildings back on campus; even sounded like the dorms during the first week of school when teachers didn't assign work and the students just partied for days. we walked in past the bouncer and I almost lost Rider in the throng of dancers as the music and the white smoke dulled my senses. I walked through the huge group of people to the bar occasionally rocking my head to the side.
"So what's your poison stranger?" a voice said to me.
I looked up and saw a raccoon wearing a pair of glasses on his face, he wore a light blue vest over a black shirt and khaki dress pants with black loafers; kind of a weird outfit for a club like this but I wasn't going to complain about it.
"Apple Grape Martini extra dry shaken not stirred." I replied.
He nodded and went to mix the drink before pouring it into a chilled cocktail glass in front of me. I took a sip and enjoyed the sweet taste of the apple and grape mixture with no burn of the vodka and gin that was in it that was drying my mouth a bit. I glanced to the bar stool next to me to see Rider smiling happily.
"Having fun buddy?" he asked me loudly over the music.
"I guess." I replied casually taking another sip.
"Well better enjoy it when the holidays hit even this place will be dead until New Year's Eve."
I rolled my eyes a bit placing my glass on the bar table and standing up. "Well lets go party than."
I grabbed his wrist and we walked onto the dance floor. I turned to Rider and gave a few alternating shoulder shrugs; as the time flew by the alcohol took hold of my mind as I turned my back to him and rubbed it against his chest locking my hands together behind his head. His hands went to my waist holding them firmly as he began to gyrate them around. The others around us started smiling as we got their full attention; I smirked turning myself around resting my hands on his shoulders as I lifted my left leg up and he held it to his side as he lend forward placing his left hand on my lower back.
"Didn't know you were such a good dancer." He said to me.
I smirked as he pulled us up; he grabbed my waist and before I knew he had lifted me up and I was looking down at him as my feet pointed straight up. Everyone cheered around us as he brought me down to my feet. It was then that my senses went dull and my mind went black.