Nocturne

...in which Alex and Stan share an intimate stare. ;)

***

The introduction week had been fun so far. On Tuesday, they had visited the university buildings themselves and had gotten an introduction lecture from their new professors. Not every one in Alex's group was going to study physics, so he and fifteen others would be classmates, while most of the girls in his group wouldn't. Alex thought that was a shame, since he had gotten to know some of them quite well after one day and a half. Tomorrow, he would ask some of them for their email, so they could still keep in touch. Even though he had met some of his classmates and second year students who were in the physics and chemistry study group, he didn't know whether he could be friends with those guys. Overall, he thought they were shy and distant. Of course, he had expected them to be like that, but still, he thought it was a bit extreme that Stan seemed to be the only guy he could actually have a conversation with.

A conversation? They were talking all the time, alright, but you couldn't really call that a conversation. Basically they were just throwing jokes at each other and laughed out loud when they found out they knew the right replies to every single one of them. By four thirty, they had invented their own handshake, and by five thirty, they had decided to go and watch TV at Alex's that night since their favourite shows were going to be aired. Okay, officially, there was a (boring) pub tour planned for that night, but they both didn't feel like going. Alex never drank alcohol and Stan said he hardly did so, either. Besides, being in a crowded, sweaty pub with drunk and soon-to-be sick classmates wasn't attractive at all. They agreed it was way too hot outside to walk around town, anyway.

It was kind of hot in Alex’s room, too, so he opened his windows and left the door open. Stan was hanging on his very own couch while Alex was looking out of the window, from which many interiors of other rooms were visible.
‘We really should start a band,’ Alex said, nodding approvingly. ‘I’ll just let you play the drums and the piano, and I’ll do the guitar, the bass and the keyboard.’
‘Sounds good. Or we could do quatre mains. We could practice at my place. Got a piano there.’
‘What, a normal one or a big one?’
‘Grand piano.’
‘You have a freaking grand piano at home?!’
‘Um, yeah, well, my mom used to play it, but she lets me practice on it…’
‘You spoiled little…I don’t even have a small piano!’
Alex playfully hit him on his head and Stan hit back. ‘Stop that! I never asked for it!’
They struggled to get each other off the couch, but they couldn’t do it, and got distracted by the TV, on which the commercial break was finally over.

It got eleven forty-five. There was a boring show on comedy central and nothing on the other channels. Not that they even tried those. Alex was still considering the band – scenario.

‘But when we start a band, we’ll have to write our own songs.’
‘We could always start with a few covers.’
‘I never do that when I’m beginning a band.’
Alex laughed, not believing his words. ‘How many bands do you have?’
‘I’ve been in four. And I composed something for a small orchestra once.’
Alex’s eyes almost fell out. Not fair.
‘It’s nothing,’ Stan said. ‘Really. I was just one of the twenty guys there and I wasn’t the best…’
‘You’re just evil,’ Alex said as he hit him on his shoulder. ‘You can’t be that good.’
‘Hey, use me,’ Stan laughed. ‘Convince me to be in that band. I have the time. Practising stuff doesn’t take me that long.’
‘No, I’m sure it doesn’t. How should I convince you?’
‘I don’t know. What kind of music do you want to make?’
‘Hm. Let me think about that.’
‘What kind of music do you like?’
‘Mostly game soundtracks, actually,’ Alex laughed. ‘But that’s not a style, that doesn’t get us anywhere.’
‘Electronics?’
‘Nah…’
‘Rock? Poppy rock? Pop?’
‘I don’t really know.’
‘Let me see your downloads.’
‘They’re mostly game soundtracks!’
Stan did a face palm. ‘You’re hopeless.’
‘It doesn’t matter, you could write stuff for starters.’
‘I need to be convinced. I don’t just write for anyone.’
‘I’m not just anyone, am I?’
Stan looked him in his eyes, a slight smile on his lips. ‘Do you want me in your band, or not?’
‘Well, yeah…’

Alex stared at him when he realized Stan wasn’t going to look away. Was this one of his jokes, or was he really asking him for something? If so, for what exactly? Alex was starting to feel uncomfortable now. He didn’t even know this boy, did he?
Still, he couldn’t help but notice his big brown eyes underneath these blond curls of his. His right hand on the couch, supporting him, his left hand on his knee, relaxed. Alex wondered, did he know how beautiful he was? To be honest, he hadn’t seen him talk to one single girl yet, or about them. Maybe he already had a girlfriend? Maybe he was gay? Anyway, he couldn’t just ask him that, could he? It would be awkward.

‘So, what are we gonna do tomorrow?’ Stan interrupted their silence.
Alex blinked. ‘Um, there’s gonna be some sports event… And a festival in the afternoon.’
‘Barbecue for dinner, right?’
‘I thought so.’
‘When does it start in the morning?’
‘We’re supposed to gather at the station at ten.’
‘Ah, so we have enough time. Hey, South Park is back on,’ he said while pointing at the screen.

***