Summary: After digging around, Anon makes an unsettling discovery…

Just a few days after my little breakdown on the roof, and things are already a bit better. School is… deffinitely going. Can’t say if it’s good or absolute shit, because i mostly don’t pay attention and just talk with the group. I think im warming up to them. “-ut Xrox overall is my favourite too.” Reed finishes his intelectual thought about gaming consoles while i munch down my burrito. “Figures, rock ring is too fun to pass on.” I still can’t wait to beat his ass again tomorrow. We’re gonna play in the auditorium after class. Speaking of playing there… i plan on going there and getting that melody down, once and for all. It’s been worming it’s way behind my thoughts for a few weeks now and i can’t bear it any longer. After we’re done with lunch, i make my way down there.

Sitting down at the piano, i make sure one last time im alone. And then, after opening it up, i play… The song and notes come from me almost naturally. Some parts could be improved on, but not like i have anywhere else to improve them. I don’t even know for how long i played. About 5 minutes pass and my inspiration dims down until i play the last notes. I sit there in complete silence. Until that silence gets broken by sharp sounds. Clapping. But from who- i turn around and see Lucy at the door. “Wow. That was, that was great Anon. Did you write that yourself?” She makes her way down the auditorium and stands next to me. “Y-yeah. How long were you listening?” She smiles. “About the entire time minus 20 seconds. Saw you walking here alone so i wanted to check what were you up to.” I look at the piano and sigh. “That song was in my head for a long time.” Lucy looks at the piano and then at me. “Think you could teach me?”

We spend the next half an hour at the piano. I try my best to teach Lucy the melody, but even i struggle to remember. We call it a day after our finger joints start hurting. “See ya tomorrow Anon.” Lucy then quickly hugged me and smiled as she walked away. I stood there in utter shock. “S-see ya, Lucy..” As i walked home, my mind went WILD. I kept thinking about the past few weeks with me talking to Lucy so much. I started to wonder. Do.. do I l-like Lucy?

After i got home, i couldn’t keep Lucy out of my thoughts. The way how much i warmed up to her and her friends.. our casual chats… i didn’t think much of it in the first place, but now when i think about it more… does she feel something for me too? I spent too long thinking just about myself and my own problems but now… i can’t help but feel bad. I need to talk to Lucy more, and make up for my own selfishness. Im not letting her down, not like i did my own parents. Talking about them… i am still mad about them treating me like shit, but, they’re still family. At least for now.

A month goes by like the wind. Not much progress has been made between me and Lucy, thanks to my own introverted mind, i can’t figure out a proper first move. I keep overthinking my situation - what if she was just friendly? I know - i’ll dig around with her friends. I haven’t had many encounters with her other friends - the two gardening club presidents, Stella and Rosa. I met Stella once, but that was just a bump-in in the hall. She mumbled some cryptic mumbo jumbo and handed me a card which said “upright strenght” with the picture of a muscular arm. Didn’t think much of it at first but now it seems she’s into this kind of stuff.

I find Rosa outside - as always. I make my way to her and after a quick introduction and smalltalk, i begin my research. “So, have you known Lucy for long?” “Oh yes! Since elementary. Always so cheerful and caring.. shame she doesn’t help with the garden more often..” Rosa looks at the flowerbeds covering the front and left side of the School. “Maybe i could help? And we could talk in the meantime?” “Oh, really an-on? That would be amazing!” Rosa immediately gets a happy look on her face. For the next few hours i helped with all kinds of greenthumb slavery. Carrying fertilizer, weeding, cutting vines, you get the idea. I’ve talked with Rosa throughout the work a bit here and there, getting stuff out from Rosa about Lucy. Turns out, her brother almost had an accident when he was younger. Luckily, she was there and saved him before he hurt himself. Apparently her parents are very protective of her, and more than her and her music they support Naser in his athletic activities. It’s a shame, i liked the stuff they played at the concert. Then, Rosa finally drops a huge piece of info which leaves me shattered. “Ha, no, Lucy isn’t much into dating. Her last boyfriend was an abusive asshole, and she’s been… a bit awkward around newer people.” “Really? I didn’t even notice when i met her.” “She tries to hide it behind that smile of hers, being nice to others, being supportive but i know deep down she’s afraid. A lot.” Well fuck. This ain’t good. I honestly have no idea what to do now. Was all that talk before just her being friendly? Shit, man… out of all the scenarios, this isn’t what i thought about. After im done, i say bye to Rosa and head to my place.

I sat on the bed just eating noodel ramen, binge-watching the latest series of nautilus game. If i want to help Lucy overcome her fears, it feels like i should firstly deal with myself. But… how? What even ARE my problems? Lets see… my parents feel like im a failiure, but why? Because they’re not very succesful themselves? Maybe. I didn’t have many friends myself back at Icehorn ridge, but.. i guess im just not a social type. Thankfully, my part-time summer job paycheck keeps my fed and on two feet, so money is not a problem.. what is it then? I thought i had a hard time socializing, but i made friends with Lucy, Trish and Reed… i sigh as i lean back. This is gonna take me a while, i feel. For now, i lay back in the bed and sleep.

Next day, i stopped trying to push myself onto Lucy too much, but i think i was too silent and she noticed. “Anon? Something wrong, dude?” Lucy’s voice takes me back to reality as i snap out of thought. “Uh, n-no im fine.” “You’re… awfully quiet all of a sudden. You ok?” “Yeah, of course, no worries.” Im absolutely shit at making up excuses, but this seems to satisfy Lucy for now. Im getting somewhere in the meantime. Even before, playing the piano was my escape from life. If it helped me then, why not now? And so i finally decide, after i rearrange my appartment, i’ll get a smaller piano. Heh, maybe i could even get into the groups band.. *don’t get too ahead of yourself* the voice in my head finally has a point. One thing after another. For now, after School finishes, i head home and put my hands to use.

Took me about a few hours, but i do have space now. But before i buy a piano, i could get myself a steady source of some cash. I go to a job site and respond to a few job inquiries. Im not expecting any of them to talk to me anytime soon today, so i boot up the old xrox and kill time with rock ring. Off to another adventure, master Grug!

[NOTES]
Well, chapter 3 is here earlier than i thought. Luckily, i found myself some inspiration and im back on track, with chapter 4 to follow soon. I finally know where i want this fic to go, which is a huge relief and i can finally aim towards a set point in the future.