Adrienne's Duet Pt. 01

Adrienne hated herself for not being honest with her friend, and didn't understand why she simply couldn't admit the full truth. But Juliet's reaction let her know she'd screwed up.

"Why, pray tell, would I be angry? Because you didn't show? Or because you're lying to me?" Juliet's face was clouded with anger, and Adrienne quickly looked around to see if any of the pit players were watching them. When she looked back, Juliet let her have it.

"For fuck's sake, Adrienne, I saw you at the club! I watched you leave with some other girl. You were there the whole time and never even bothered to come over to our table. Why? Because you were with that other girl? It wouldn't have mattered to me if you were with someone. You could have brought her over and introduced me to her. I mean, what is she, your girlfriend? What the fuck, Adrienne!"

Adrienne was devastated. She felt terrible for having been caught out in a lie, and to someone who she really liked and admired. "No, she's not my girlfriend, we just met at the club. But you're right, I should have come over. It's just that I saw you with that guy, and I didn't want to be a third wheel."

Juliet rolled her eyes. "That guy was my brother, doofus! I was waiting to introduce him to you. I'd told him all about you, too, and how I loved playing with you and how good you were. But instead, you stood me up so you could hang out with someone else." After a pause, Juliet's tone changed. "Wait! You just said you met this girl at the club. So, what, did you hook up with some random for the night? Adrienne, are you gay? Because if you are, and you're too ashamed to tell me, then I don't know what to say. Why would you think I'd have a problem with that?"

At that Adrienne's eyes grew wide. There were too many questions for her to answer, and certainly not in such a public place. "No, I didn't hook up with that girl, and do we have to talk about this right now?" Adrienne started to hyperventilate. She felt she was treading in water that was way too deep, and needed to get her emotions under control. She wanted to explain everything to Juliet, but they had a show to do, and she sure didn't want such a personal conversation to be overheard by any of the other musicians. Her eyes kept flitting this way and that, unsure as to where to settle.

"I'm sorry, I should have come over." Adrienne felt her eyes tearing up. She had betrayed her friend's trust.

"I thought we were friends, Adrienne." Juliet now seemed more hurt than angry.

"We are!" Adrienne quickly corrected. "I just messed up. Look, the house is going to open. Can we please finish this conversation after the show in a more private place? I promise to explain everything. It's important to me. You're important to me."

"I'm important to you?" Juliet asked, as if not quite believing her.

"Yes. Very important," Adrienne stated emphatically, not daring to break their eye contact. Adrienne saw Juliet's expression soften and felt she'd repaired some of the damage. Or at least stemmed the tide.

"Alright," Juliet said, pursing her lips as she stood up straight and took a deep breath. "After the show. I'll meet you here. Deal?"

"Deal," Adrienne agreed with a firm nod of her head.

"Great. I better get backstage."

Juliet started to turn, when Adrienne called out. "Hey, break a leg."

Juliet turned back like she was going to say something snide. But when she saw Adrienne standing in the pit with a goofy smile plastered on her face, she smiled back and muttered, "You too. Or is it 'break a string?"

"No, don't say that," Adrienne gasped. "I'd much rather break a leg," Adrienne joked back.

Juliet laughed as she disappeared through the backstage door.

Despite their pre-show tiff, both girls turned their attention to the performance. It was only the second night, and yet the house was full. When it came time for the duet, it flowed seamlessly, and received another ovation. In fact, it seemed even more charged with energy than it had on opening night. Adrienne sensed that Juliet's whole performance had been dialed up a notch and she wondered if their slightly heated exchange had something to do with that.

"Whatever works," Adrienne mused with a smile, as she packed up her cello and waited for Juliet's arrival. In preparation, she began replaying the events of the previous night as well as their confrontation prior to the show, and realized there was a good deal to process.

Juliet, who always took longer to change out of her costume and make-up, finally showed. When she did appear, she was all smiles and practically skipping up to where Adrienne stood with her cello case in hand.

"Let's go," Juliet said.

"Where?" Adrienne asked.

"To eat, I'm starved. And then you get to spill your guts."

Adrienne stowed her cello in a rehearsal room, and the girls walked to a nearby restaurant. They got a booth near the back of the room, and after ordering, Juliet folded her hands and leaned forward.

"So, why did that girl think you were gay? Are you gay? I don't have a clue. Spill."

Adrienne felt as if she were on the witness stand. "Wow. You don't waste time beating around the bush, do you?"

"No, but apparently you do," Juliet replied with a wicked smile. "Sorry, but you handed that one to me on a silver platter."

"Yeah, yeah, very funny. To answer your question, your Honor, I don't know if I'm gay. But Lilith thought I might be. Maybe she has gaydar," Adrienne joked.

"Lilith? Is that the girl at the club?" Adrienne nodded. "So how long have you been into girls?"

Adrienne shook her head. "That's just it. I haven't been into girls. And not many guys either. Look, Juliet, I'm not very experienced in the relationship department. The only meaningful relationship I've ever had is with my parents. And my cello. As for being into girls..." She paused. "Not until I met you...."

Adrienne nervously took a sip of her wine. She's basically just confessed, and could feel her hand shaking. "Anyway, that girl at the club, Lilith, said she saw me staring at you and said that I was into you."

"You were staring at me? When?"

Adrienne tried to choose her words carefully. "At the club. I saw you with your friends, and you were talking to this guy—who I didn't realize was your brother, I know, I'm stupid—and I suddenly got cold feet, so I sat down at this table and just watched you for a bit. I listened to you sing Adele. I'd never heard you use that low register before."

"Adrienne, how long were you there for?"

Adrienne sensed Juliet's growing concern. "Not that long, really. Anyway, Lilith said that she could tell I had a crush on you. Then she said you were probably straight, and invited me to come home with her."

"And did you?" Juliet asked, her eyes narrowing as she leaned in.

"No, I told you! I turned her down."

"Why?"

Adrienne wasn't quite sure why. The opportunity to explore her sexuality had been literally handed to her, and yet her loyalty to Juliet had held her back.

"Was it because of me? Were you afraid I'd disapprove of you being into girls?" Juliet asked, seeming to read her very thoughts.

"No, it's not that," she tried to explain. "It's that...I know this sounds weird, but I felt that if I went home with her, I'd be doing it behind your back. Like I was cheating on you or something."

Juliet responded with a very confused expression, then started to giggle, but held off.

"Don't! Yeah, I know, it's stupid. Forget it," Adrienne groaned into her napkin, her face burning with embarrassment.

Juliet thought it was funny, but also knew her friend needed her support, not teasing. "Adrienne, having feelings for me is not stupid. I mean, the idea of you cheating on me is a bit funny. But I get it, I do!"

"And you're not freaked out by it?"

Juliet's response was compassionate. "Why would I be freaked out by it? Adrienne, I think the world of you and I've felt that closeness between us, too. I'm glad that you've told me how you feel, 'A'," she stated as if confirming it for herself. "In fact, I think it's sweet," Juliet assured Adrienne, hoping to calm her a bit.

Adrienne smiled weakly. "I can live with sweet." The conversation came to a halt, and after an awkward moment, Adrienne moved to change the subject. "So, what's with calling me 'A'? Where did that come from?"

Juliet smiled knowingly. "It's how you signed your card to me. With the roses, remember? Anyway, you're my friend now, so I've got to have a nickname for you."

"I suppose I could call you 'J'."

"Rhymes with A," Juliet pointed out. "Here's to nicknames." The girls clinked their glasses and drank.

Adrienne breathed a sigh of relief. "As long as you're not weirded out. The last thing I want is to screw up our friendship."

"Adrienne..." Juliet replied softly while gently placing her hand on Adrienne's. "Our friendship is solid. If anything, telling me how you feel makes it stronger. You're being honest with me. And that means everything to me. I promise to be honest with you, too. Yesterday, you said I was important to you. Well, you are important to me. I mean that."

Juliet squeezed Adrienne's hand, but pulled it away when the waiter arrived with their bowls of ice cream. After the waiter left, Juliet made a show of sensually eating a spoonful of ice cream, then licking the spoon while making seductive faces at her friend.

"You know, I did sort of wonder why you sent me those flowers," she said, helping herself to another scoop.

Adrienne felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. "As soon as I sent them, I thought, why did I do that? She's going to think I'm perving on her."

Juliet raised her spoon as if making a point. "But then I thought, 'No, Juliet, you should celebrate the fact you have a friend who thinks enough of you to send you flowers on opening night'—the only flowers I received, I'll have you know."

Adrienne was genuinely surprised. How could this girl possibly have not been sent several bouquets of flowers? "Well, good thing I sent them, then."

"It was a good thing," Juliet replied with a toothy smile. "But I'm the slacker here. I should have sent you something, too."

"Well, there's no room in that orchestra pit for any flowers," Adrienne pointed out with a smirk.

"Well, maybe chocolates, then. Though I am disappointed that you didn't get to meet my older brother. Thomas is très cool, and knows quite a bit about classical music. He was very impressed with your playing on the duet, and was hoping to chat about music with you. Just so you know, his opinion means a lot to me."

"I know, I'm a doofus. Is there any chance we might still meet? When is he leaving?"

"Well, he's staying through tomorrow evening. But we've a family dinner planned, so that won't work. And then, he flies home Monday morning. His wife, Molly is pregnant with their first child."

There was a sigh from both girls, when Adrienne grew animated. "Hey, tomorrow afternoon at three o'clock Nadia and I are running my recital as a warm up. Why don't you and your brother come listen to us play the program? Nadia has invited a few of her friends, too. We want to get used to playing the program in front of an audience. It only lasts an hour, so it will be over by four. And then I can get your brother's input on the music, and your input as well—though not just on the music, but you know, like how I come across, my hair, the order of the pieces, and any little things that might occur to you..." Adrienne suddenly realized that she was talking a mile a minute and stopped.

Juliet giggled. "You are so cute when you get excited. I'd love to come and hear you play, and I know, if he's free, Thomas would want to come as well. It's a great idea. I'll confirm with him and then text you, okay?"

"Okay. I hope he can make it," Adrienne replied, still embarrassed that she'd messed up.

The girls finished their desserts, and Juliet paid the bill. As they made to leave, Juliet pulled Adrienne in for a hug. "I'm so glad we had this talk."

"Me too," Adrienne said into her shoulder. "Thanks for being such a good friend."

Juliet broke from their hug and looked at Adrienne, as if appraising her. "You're my best friend, 'A'. And that's no lie."

She then leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on Adrienne's cheek. "Now let's blow this pop stand," she proclaimed. With that, the girls left the restaurant, both feeling much better.

~*~*~*~*

That evening at home, Adrienne received a text from Lilith.

'Hey, how are things? - L

'Busy. School, music. - A

'Want to get together for coffee or something? - L

'Can't right now. - A

'Too bad. How's your crush doing? -L

Adrienne smiled as she typed her reply:

'I think it's working out with us - A.

'Oh. Congrats. Too bad for me then. :( - L

'Sorry. - A.

'That's okay. Good luck with that. Maybe I'll see you around. - L

Adrienne felt bad rejecting Lilith. The girl actually seemed like she could be fun, and Adrienne might learn some things about herself, too. But she'd now openly admitted to Juliet that she had feelings for her. And while that friendship was still evolving, she didn't want to do anything that might put a wedge between them, and prevent their relationship from attaining its full potential, whatever that might be.

End of Part 1.