A Common Language

Chapter sixteen

  Dissonance

  “Tyler?”

  “Yes, partner?” He stood and twirled his racket. His eyes awake with interest.

  “I’m sorry to ask, but have you seen Percy today?”

  “No problem. I’m your friend. And no, I’m afraid I haven’t. Are you two buddy-buddy again?” He nudged her in the stomach with his elbow.

  “I don’t know, we talked and he told me he would let me know, so…”

  “So you’re worried that him not being around today means he won’t be around ever?” He asked and she nodded. “Well, he strikes me as a guy who values his education and wouldn’t just skip because he is in the middle of a quarrel with someone. Sorry, honey, but you aren’t that important.”

  “Thanks, Ty, you make me feel so much better,” sarcasm dripped from her voice. “I hope he might come see us play some time.”

  “So glad I could be of assistance,” he bopped her on the head with his racket. “Speaking of: let’s play!” He gave her a sideways smile and jogged onto the court.

  Percy walked through the streets just off campus. He had worked three days on the design, now he had to get it made. He was done thinking. He couldn’t live without Kalli. Question is: could he get her to forgive him for taking so long to discover that?

  Finally, Percy saw a small corner shop advertising custom made gifts. He walked inside. The small bell above the door alerted the clerk that someone had entered.

  “Hello! Welcome! My name is Lizzie. How may I help you?” A young woman shouted in a rich British accent from the back of the small shop before coming to the counter to meet him.

  “Yes, I was wondering if you could make this for me,” he unfolded the paper from his pocket and slid it across the counter.

  She examined the design for a moment. “Shouldn’t be too difficult. She your girlfriend?” She asked looking up smiling. Obviously a helpless romantic.

  “Oh, no! no, just a friend. See,” He pointed out a detail on the page. “We just had a pretty big fight, so this is kind of a peace offering…in a way.”

  “Oh, I see,” She picked up the design. “You want it in two separate pieces?”

  “Correct.”

  “Alright, I can have this ready by five tomorrow evening. Unless, of course, you want to pay the rush delivery fee.”

  “No, tomorrow is fine. All the details should be on the page.”

  “Is there a phone number we can reach you by when it’s done?”

  “My friend’s number is at the bottom of the page,” He pointed it out. He put Masashi’s number so Kalli would have no chance of finding out. Without a reply, he left the shop.

  “Masashi?” Lupe cracked open the dorm door to see him standing in the hall.

  “Hey,” his eyes were wide.

  “Hey. Not that I’m not thrilled to see you but--what are you doing here? It’s the middle of the night,” Lupe pulled her sweater closer to her torso.

  “I had to talk to you,” He looked nervous for some reason. Normally he stayed above anything that might make him anxious.

  “Uh yeah--sure come on in,” Lupe opened the door wider.

  “Is Kalli in there?” He asked peering around her.

  “Yeah she’s reading.”

  “Then let’s talk out here. Please,” he stepped back and gestured for her to join him in the narrow hallway.

  Lupe was confused but closed the door behind her. This was so unlike him. He his eyes seemed eager and almost scared. “What’s going on? Are you okay?” Concern filled her voice.

  “I’m fine. I have to be honest with you. I need to tell you the truth.”

  “About what? It’s late can you stop being so cryptic?”

  “Oh. Sorry. I--I.”

  Lupe grabbed his hands. “It’s okay. You can tell me whatever it is.”

  “I--I,” Masashi leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. She jolted and froze. Masashi pulled back and separated himself from her sighing, “Sorry. I didn’t mean to do that. I’ll just,” he pointed down the hall. “Leave,” He turned to leave but Lupe held onto his hand.

  Lupe could feel her heart bursting from her chest. Masashi turned to look at her. Lupe felt her stomach turn, his eyes were intense and yet nervous behind his glasses. She stepped towards him. “Do you trust me?” She whispered only inches from his pale face.

  “With my life,” He said just as quietly as if any noise louder would break the floor beneath them. His breath was shallow as Lupe stepped closer and raised her petite hands to his face. His vision went blurry as his glasses were gently lifted from his ears and removed from his face. “I…I can’t see.”

  “I know,” Lupe folded his glasses and hooked them to his shirt then she rose onto her toes and returned his earlier kiss. She twisted her hands in his black hair.

  Masashi was shocked. He had loved her since second semester last term. He hugged her closer. How many ways had he imagined this, yet, she still she surprised him. He turned his head and deepened the kiss.

  Lupe felt his passion and embraced it. Finally, she thought. She had been thinking of him all summer. At first she didn’t understand why but now it was quite obvious. It felt natural to be kissing him here in the hallway of her dorm in the middle of the night. She lost herself to the kiss.

  “Ehem,” They both heard a person loudly clearing their throat in the doorway. Lupe handed Masashi his glasses from his pocket. “Oh don’t stop on my account. I just need to brush my teeth and this is the only way to the bathroom. By all means continue,” Kalli said squeezing past them winking at Lupe.

  “No. it’s fine, Kalli. We were just wrapping up. I just had to speak with Lupe. Goodnight,” Masashi said formally bowing to Kalli and kissing Lupe softly and politely on the cheek before leaving down the hallway. He turned and smiled at them as the elevator doors closed.

  There was a silence. Then Lupe bounced back into the dorm a smile glued to her face. “I didn’t realize what best friends do here in Europe,” Kalli said sarcastically while locking the door behind her.

  Lupe laughed. “Well now I definitely think we are more than friends,” she was hugging her pillow and biting her lower lip. No matter how old she got a first kiss always made her stomach flutter.

  “Much more would be my guess,” they both giggled as Kalli turned off the light.

  Lupe laughed. “Kalli, I’m glad we’re roommates. I’ve been here four years and I have never had a roommate who I actually was friends with by the time school started and then you came along with you weird little ways.”

  “Aw thanks, Lupe. I was a little worried when I first met you, that you would be a really bad influence but I should learn not to judge by the cover,” She smiled. It had been a nice afternoon with just the two of them walking around the campus chatting and laughing. Both girls shared stories about their past, always keeping it light-hearted and happy.

  “Staying out of trouble, ladies?” The girls turned with shock.

  “Of course we are, Mr. Stanley. Why on earth would we be purposefully getting ourselves into trouble?”

  Mr. Stanley didn’t seem to know what to do with Lupe’s sassy remark so he simply said. “Keep it that way.”

  The man walked away and Lupe started laughing, “I swear, that snake gets worse every year the music program excels past his dance program.”

  “He seemed to just be worried about school security…”

  Lupe laughed again. “Don’t let him fool you. He will use any reason to get you sent to the dean. Considering that Data Venia is one of the stars of this program. He hates us specifically because we outshine his program. Don’t worry though, he is practically harmless and really has no say on campus but just watch your step around him though. Wait until your third year to start purposefully pissing him off.”

  Kalli laughed. “I think I’ll just avoid him. What is he doing on this side of the school if he is the dance dean?”

  “He’s Thomas’ best friend.”

  “
What?” It came as a shock considering how friendly the red-faced man was.

  “I know, it’s weird, but to each his own, right?”

  “Well done on coining the phrase correctly.”

  Lupe gave a little curtsy. “Thank you, thank you.”

  “Percival…?”

  “Masashi…?” Percy mimicked his roommate’s tone perfectly.

  Masashi rolled his eyes. “Why did I get a call from a shop girl named Lizzie saying my ‘order is ready’?” Masashi shot him a severe look, a glare for mimicking him.

  Percy froze. “Maybe it was a wrong number.” he went back to his drawing.

  “That’s definitely it. Especially because she called me Percy Delano. What are you hiding?” Masashi asked looking Percy straight in the eye.

  Percy adverted his eyes from Masashi’s hard stare. “Nothing,” Percy picked up his bag. “Anyway, I got to go.”

  “To see ‘Lizzie’?”

  “Something like that,” Percy mumbled under his breath as he walked quickly down the narrow dorm hallway.

  “I didn’t catch that last part!” Masashi yelled in vain for Percy was far gone.

  “Lupe, may I ask a favor?”

  “Depends on what it is,” Lupe continued tuning her guitar without looking at Percy.

  “Kalli has Piano Class first thing this afternoon. The class starts at 1:35.”

  “You are telling me things I already know, Percival.”

  Percy continued on without reacting. “I was hoping you could pull her out before class, but after she sets her bag down so I know which piano she is playing at today.”

  Lupe set down her guitar silently. “Percy, are you telling me that you plan to make up with Kalli?” Her face was serious but her hazel eyes were dancing with excitement.

  Percy chuckled and nodded. “Something like that.”

  “Finally! It has been a rough couple of days at casa de la Lupe y Kalli,” Percy blinked. “Sorry, it means the home of Lupe and Kalli and Spanish. I keep forgetting that the majority of Data Venia doesn’t know Spanish.”

  “Right…Anyway, can you pull Kalli out for just a few moments for me?” Percy put his hands together and kneeled. “I am begging you Lupe; I desperately need your help.”

  Lupe sighed and rolled her eyes. “I suppose I can rearrange my schedule to help a friend. Now get off the ground. You will dirty yourself.”

  Percy stood and hugged Lupe tightly. “You’re the best, Lupe!” With that he ran off to prepare, mentally and physically, for Piano Class.

  “Yeah I know,” Lupe said to the swirling air in front of her.

  Dragen had not missed the fact Kalli had been distracted since she and Percy fought. Was that imbecile not apologizing? It had gotten to the point Dragen was thinking of stepping in and knocking some sense into that boy. But, for once, he didn’t want to think about it. He wanted to act. Which scared him. It wasn’t his fight. “By tomorrow,” He promised himself. “If she isn’t happy by tomorrow, Percy will pay the price.”

  ***