Page 103 of Light Up
“Do you play?” Louis asked.
“Yes, do you?”
“Yes. Sit down. Have a go.”
It had been a while but once Corey had run his fingers up and down the keys, he launched intoLa Campanellaby Liszt. He should have chosen something simpler but he knew why he hadn’t.Showing off. I’m such a twat.Though maybe Louis was brilliant. He’d probably playGaspard de la Nuitby Ravel, so difficult that even Ravel couldn’t play it.
When Corey had finished—not a bad job—he’d looked up to see Tal and Mojo standing in the doorway.
“My God,” Tal muttered. “You said you could play, but… What else can you do?”
“You’ll have to wait and see.”
“Budge up,” Louis said.
Corey slid along the seat to make room for Louis who began to playBohemian Rhapsody. Corey joined in, and when Mojo started to sing, flouncing around the table using a spoon as a mic, the day got even better.
NoTal mouthed when Corey glanced at him. Maybe Tal couldn’t sing, but he began to play the air guitar which was just as good.
Mojo sang the final words, “Nothing really matters to me.” Louis and Corey played the final notes, and there was a hush before Louis flung his arm over Corey’s shoulders.
“You got Mojo to sing. He never sings. Not for me.”
Mojo laughed. “I wasn’t singing for you. I was singing for Corey.”
Louis growled, let go of Corey and leapt for his boyfriend. Mojo squealed and ran. Tal pulled Corey up into his arms.
“Absolutely suitable, just right for me, brave, gorgeous, talented fae boy. And you’re all mine. I am very lucky.”
Twenty-Two
Christmas dinner was brilliant. The roulade was mouth-wateringly good, even though it was technically chocolate cake and neither he nor Tal should have liked it. Playing board games was fun too. Corey hadn’t playedTicket to Ridebefore but he enjoyed it, largely because it was mix of luck and tactics. He and Louis were the ultra-competitive ones. Tal was a stickler for the rules and Mojo kept trying to cheat but never got away with it.
Corey had played many board games when he’d been in the psychiatric hospital. There were four of them who’d passed time like that. He’d thought maybe they’d all keep in touch once they were out, but they hadn’t.My fault.He’d been punishing himself.
By the time they’d played a few rounds of Cards Against Humanity, they were all laughing. Corey hadn’t played that before. He was pretty sure it would have been banned by the hospital. Once he got the hang of it, he thought it was brilliant. What really amazed him was the way Tal enjoyed it so much. To the card that saidHow do you maintain a healthy relationship?Tal had offered “Destroying all the evidence.” ToHey, baby come back to my place and I’ll show you…Tal’s card had beenmy grandmother’s ashes.
Corey felt Louis was warming up to him, which was a relief, though Corey wasn’t yet accepted. That was fine. He could wait.
They finally settled on the couches in front of the TV and Benjamin opened a tub of chocolates.
“Where did you learn to play the piano?” Louis asked.
“My mum taught me and after she died, I taught myself. I played at school and the music teacher pushed me to take exams. She helped me but I never had any formal lessons.”
“Do you want to go back to college to study music?” Tal asked.
“I’m not sure. I love music. It will always be a part of my life, but I don’t think there are many jobs using music in the way I’d like that I could get.”
“You could perform,” Tal told him.
“I’m not good enough and even if I was, I don’t want that sort of life. I see now what I didn’t see as a teenager. I’m not interested in being famous. I want to be a good person.”
“You don’t think you can be both?” Tal asked.
“Some can but too many don’t manage it.”
“So have you changed your mind about Christmas?” Louis asked. “I’m talking to both of you.”
