Hi everybody! Spoon Mike here. This story's going as strong as ever, and I'm glad to have all of you along for the ride. Here's part three, for your viewing (or should that be reading?) pleasure. I'm even being nice and sending four chapters rather than the regular two!
Thanks go to Christopher and Jimmy for writing me such nice emails about the story so quickly, Thanks to them, I have gotten the second wind that I'm going to need to continue this story.
And, a SPECIAL thanks goes out to Mike, my new proofreader. This will be his first installment on board. I finally have a STAFF! Ya mule, ya! Just kidding!
DISCLAIMER: All of the following characters are pure, unadulterated fiction. I do not pretend to know any member of N'Sync, Ben Affleck, or any of the other celebrities that appear in this story. I have no idea what their sexual or even food preferences are; so don't look to me for the truth. Mike Russell is a completely fictional character and any resemblance to my wonderful proofreader, who just happens to share the same first name, is strictly coincidental. If you are a minor, scram! If this type of material offends you, why the hell are you here at this site in the first place?
Now, ON WITH THE SHOW!
Playing from the Heart - Chapter 5 By Spoon Mike
Let me tell you, I was a wreck by the time I got home that evening. I couldn't believe that these two guys could be interested in me! I got ready for bed, and hugged my cat, Kitty. She was meowing loudly, lonely after being in the house all by herself. Unsatisfied with me, she left the room, to go have whatever adventures cats have while the rest of us sleep I was out like a light in a couple of minutes. Tomorrow's Saturday, which means a long day of practicing and homework for me!
------Monday-----
Damn, I hate being late for class! Nothing was going right for me this morning. I got up late, because my alarm didn't go off. I stepped on Kitty's tail, for which she wasn't happy and bit me (Ouch!). Then, I left my apartment to make the run to class, but I realized that I forgot my clarinet. By the time I got to my Orchestration class, I was ten minutes late!
"Nice of you to join us today, Mr. Russell. I trust that you brought in today's assignment?"
"Yes I did, Dr. Kaufman. Here you are." I handed him my homework and settled into my normal place in the semicircle. Orchestration is the coolest class! We get to learn about what all of the different instruments can do, and learn how to write for different instruments. Then, we play each other's work for the class to hear. This is very useful to me, since I want to write music for my quintet.
Jeff leaned over, French horn in hand, as I assembled my clarinet quickly. "You seem to be running late often lately. Could today's tardiness have to do with a guy?" Jeff proceeded to give me a lewd wink and a nudge.
"Oh, get over it, Jeff! Nothing happened. Now pay attention, Kauf-Man is teaching," I said, turning around to pay attention. I love this class, and the Kauf-Man is really cool.
Actually, I wasn't lying to Jeff just then. Nothing had happened over the weekend. I didn't expect anything to with Josh, but I had thought that Ben might call. Oh, well.
After that class was over, I grabbed a bite to eat in the cafeteria, and went to take an exam in my Music History class. It was so hard! I don't think that I did well on it at all. All those dates are too confusing to memorize. Afterwards, I went to Wind Ensemble rehearsal. I was so tired at the end of rehearsal that I could barely stand. Jeff came bounding forward towards me from his seat, as usual.
"C'mon, slowpoke, let's get going!" Jeff lives downstairs from me in my apartment building, and he was in a rush to get home. "Katie might have called for me already!"
"Okay, okay! Let me finish packing my stuff up first. Then, we can go. Remember, everyone doesn't have a one piece instrument like you do," I said.
I put away my instrument and music, grabbed my stuff, and we walked home. Jeff was being his usual funny self along the way, keeping me in a good mood. My Music History exam didn't go so well. Eventually, we arrived home.
"See you later, Mike! I've got to check my messages!" With that, Jeff bounded up to his second floor apartment. Sometimes, he's like a big, overgrown kid!
I just sighed and caught the elevator up to the fifth floor. The phone was ringing when I let my self in. Running to catch whoever was calling, I made it just in time, picking up the phone and saying a breathless "Hello?"
"Hello? Is this Mike?" came a deep male voice.
"Yes, this is Mike. Who is this?
"Hi Mike, this is Ben, we met at the Timberlake wedding? I'm sorry that I didn't get a chance to call you this weekend, but I was busy in meetings about the Benny Goodman movie."
"That's okay, not a problem," I said. Oh, great, now I'm rambling!
"I wanted to set up a regular lesson time with you. Are Thursday nights good for you?"
"Sounds good for me. How about you come over here, to my house on Thursdays at 7pm? We can have an hour-long lesson then."
"Sounds great! Any thing I should bring?"
"Get yourself a Buffet model clarinet, any kind is fine other than the advanced model, a box or reeds, and a beginner's instruction book."
"Thanks. Mike, I can't begin to describe how much it means to me that you are doing this for me."
"No problem, Ben, I wanted to anyways, remember. So, I'll see you on Thursday at 7?"
"Yeah, it's a date. See ya then." Ben hung up.
WHOA! Did Ben just say, 'It's a date'? And he'll be here in my apartment for an entire hour in just a few days?
Playing From the Heart - Chapter 6
-----Thursday night----
The rest of the week until today passed rather uneventfully. I actually got a B on the Music History exam, so I was pretty happy about that. Other than that, nothing else happened, except that Jeff and Katie have a date tonight! I'm so happy for my Jeffy!
Tonight, however, is when Ben comes for his first lesson! I'm so nervous! I hope that I do a good job! Look at the time! He'll be here any minute!
The doorbell rang! He's here now! I took a few deep breaths, and went to answer to door. There stood Ben, smiling and carrying a clarinet case and a bag.
"Hi, Mike! How's your week been?" Ben asked, strolling into my apartment. "I got a Buffet brand clarinet, just like you said to, some reeds, and a book." He showed everything to me. Wow, it must be great to be a rich movie star with so much money to spend!
"That's great, let's move into the music room, and we'll get started," I said, leading him there.
"The music room?" asked Ben.
"Sure. It's a room, originally the den, which I converted into my practice room. I keep my instruments and supplies in here, and pulled up the carpet so I'd get a really nice sound when I play. Okay, Ben, take a seat right there, and we'll get to work."
For the next hour, I showed him how to assemble and care for the instrument, and helped him to get his first squawk, and then his first note out of the instrument. Time just flew by! Throughout the lesson, though, I noticed Ben acting strangely. Every time I placed my hands on his (to correct his position, of course), I noticed a strange, far away look in his eyes. I do have to, admit being this close to such a beautiful man was almost too much. I almost forgot what I was doing a couple of times when we made eye contact. And he smiles so much! All too soon, the hour was up.
"Alright, Ben, our time is up, " I said.
"Okay. Thanks for helping me out with this," Ben replied.
"No problem."
"Mike, I wanted to ask you something." He looked really nervous all of a sudden. "About tomorrow." The doorbell rang at that moment.
"Hold on a sec, Ben. I'll go answer that. Why don't you pack up your stuff?"
"Okay."
I went to the door, and checked to see who was there. It was Jeff, so I let him in. Jeff bounded in, as he always does.
"Hi Mikey! How's the night treating you?" Jeff asked.
"Alright. What are you up to?" I noticed for the first time how he's dressed. "A tux? Our concert isn't until tomorrow night. What are you dressed up like that for?"
"I'm going out dancing and to see a show with Katie in a few. How do I look?"
"Very spiffy. I almost didn't recognize you."
"Ha ha, very funny. Speaking of our concert tomorrow night, JC is still coming, right?"
"Yes, he is. Josh will be at the concert, and then we're going out for coffee and a talk afterwards."
"Sounds good, loverboy! I must go now, Katie awaits!"
"Have fun!" Jeff leaves, whistling and tap-dancing out the door. I swear that that guy belongs in a junior high school classroom somewhere.
"All set!" Ben says from behind me. He has all his stuff packed up and ready to go. "Thanks again Mike, for helping me out. I should be going now, though. Have a good night." He tried to rush out the door. Hmm. Strange.
"Wait, Ben! What were you going to ask me a few minutes ago?"
"Oh, that. It's nothing really. I'll talk to you soon, okay?" With that, Ben left. He had such a downcast look on his face. I wonder what happened to change his mood so suddenly?
Playing From the Heart - Chapter 7
-----Friday Night-----
Concert Night! I love performing so much; it's so invigorating. We all did so well. The pieces all went so well! We opened with the Vorspiel, or Prelude, to Wagner's opera "Die Meistersinger." This is one of my favorite pieces of all time! As the Second Clarinet player, I'm not often in the spotlight. I was tonight in this piece, however, and it went well. My independent lines came out nicely, and my duet with Gretchen midway through went smoothly, also. We played a number of selections from different Wagnerian operas, ending with the overture to "Rienzi." At the end we all bowed to thunderous applause and went backstage to pack up and leave.
Jeff came over and gave me a big hug backstage. "Mikey! You nailed that duet with Gret! I was so proud!"
"YOU were proud? I was proud of you, you really have a good sound coming out of your horn tonight. Your section blended so well!"
"Oh, Mikey, your friend is here!" Jeff must mean Josh!
Looking around, I notice Josh, who currently is standing next to the wall trying (and failing) to look inconspicuous. I waved him over. "Josh, you don't need to do that here. Everyone here other than Jeff and I are over the age of 40. You're not going to get mobbed back here."
Josh visibly relaxed. "That's true," Josh said, straightening up.
"You remember my friend, right Josh? He was playing at the wedding in the quintet with me."
"Oh, yeah, I remember you. Hi, my name's JC," he said, putting out his hand to shake Jeff's.
"I'm Jeff, Mikey's best friend since birth." They shook hands. "I'm off though, guys. It was nice meeting you JC. You two have fun; I have a date tonight!" With that, Jeff ran off, his French horn waving behind him.
What a nut. "Well, Josh, shall we be off? I'm ready to go, and I know a nice little caf‚ down the street."
"Sounds great. Let's go." Josh said, helping me collect my stuff.
Playing From the Heart - Chapter 8
We arrived at the coffee shop with in a few minutes, taking a seat somewhat secluded from the other patrons. There was just one other person sitting near us, some guy reading a newspaper and eating a powdered doughnut. This reminded me that I was hungry also, and I picked up a couple of powdered doughnuts myself, along with a coffee. Josh got a bagel and some coffee.
We settled into our table and began eating. "So, Josh, did you enjoy the concert?" I asked.
"I sure did. It was really nice to listen to Wagner; his music isn't performed too much in the US," Josh replied.
"Or outside of Germany, for that matter!"
"Yeah."
An awkward silence followed here. Josh looked like he was really nervous about something, and was tearing his napkin up into tiny shreds. Something's definitely up.
"Josh, I was wondering something."
"Yeah?"
"Why did you come to my concert tonight? And why did you want to come and talk to me after the concert?
"I wanted to tell you something Mike. This is really hard for me to say."
"Go on, Josh, I'm here for whatever it is that you want to tell me." What could it be?
Josh seemed to lose some of his composure here. "Well, Mike, when I first saw you, I could tell that you're a compassionate person, and that I could tell you this without fear of total rejection. Mike, I'm gay."
Wow. Josh is gay? That totally blindsided me! This hot guy is gay? Wow! But wait a second, why is he telling me this, anyways? Can't he tell the other guys in his group? Uh oh, gotta let him know that I'm okay with this. "Josh, I want to make it clear up front that I have no problem with you being gay."
"You don't?" Josh has such a hopeful look on his face.
"No, I don't. I do want to know, however, why are you telling me this?"
"Well, this is also kind of hard for me to say, but I like you, Mike."
"I like you too, Josh. It was so nice of you to come to my concert."
Josh straightened up a bit. "No, Mike, that's not what I meant. I mean that I am attracted to you!"
Whoa, wait a minute here, Josh interested in me? How can this be happening to me? This CAN'T be happening to me!
Josh looked around cautiously to see if anyone was looking and gave me a soft, fluttering kiss on the lips. I was in heaven. It really was happening. Josh likes me! The question is, do I like him, in that way?
I can tell, because as the song goes, 'It's in his kiss'. I'm head over heels for Josh!
We decided to take our conversation elsewhere. As we left the coffee shop, I knew that there was no way in hell that I was going to screw this one up. Josh is mine!
To Be Continued...
So what'd y'all think? Mike and Josh are together, at last. Now, the fun can begin! Soon you will see just how much fun I have in store for Mike, Josh, Ben, and yes, even Jeff! Please email me at col_dot@hotmail.com. Suggestions? Questions? Threats? All are welcome! I have the story kind of mapped out, but you can still influence changes. Hope to hear from you soon!
I'll be taking a brief hiatus to recharge and brainstorm for later with good buddy and fellow author Khiem. Never fear, I will be back in a few days! Have a happy New Year, everyone!
Spoon Mike