Midnight At The Grand Hall

I actually looked forward to this part of the day because secretly, it meant I could get away. Going out to party on my own wasn't shit, so this definitely took the cup.

After locking the car, I was already on my way inside the museum. It didn't matter that it was late, Ma was home with the kids so I could take all the time I wanted, although I felt a little guilty about the fact that she didn't like me staying out late almost every night.

                The first thing I noticed once I got in was that there were far less people than the last time I was here.

               I somehow gravitated towards the biggest painting I'd ever seen. Right where Julian had first tried to talk to me. I had been in such a bad mood that I nearly lashed out when he spoke to me. I'd never know how it would have turned out if his dad hadn't interrupted.

It was a replica of 'The Wedding Feast At Cana' by Paolo Veronese. A painting so huge that I could easily be part of it if I stood still enough. My phone dinged with a sound and I ignored it.

               As I was lost in thought, it felt like someone was standing right next to me, but when I looked, there was no one.

               I saw the shiny dress shoes next to my sneakers just before I could carry them to the next painting. One quick glance couldn't hurt.

"It's you," I almost exclaimed when I saw Julian. I wasn't excited but rather surprised. Not once did I think I'd ever see him again. And yet somehow deep down you still hoped.

His eyes lit up when he turned to look at me. "It is," he replied in his way that just sounded proper for no reason.

"What are you doing here?" I asked before I could think better of it.

"Oh I'm just here for a swim," he replied cheekily. He seemed more composed than I remembered.

I smirked before I could control myself. The Grand Hall was suddenly almost emptied out and I figured it should be so, because it was really late. Julian wore slacks and dress shoes and I couldn't figure out why he was so dressed this late in the night.

The collar of his formal shirt peeked out from his black hoodie as he looked directly at me but not quite meeting my eyes, with both hands in his pockets.

Our eyes finally met for the briefest amount of time before I looked away. "I'm Kayden," I said.

"You're nicer than I remember," he replied. "I'm—"

"Julian, I know," I told him. I shook my head at the surprise in his face. "I'm guessing he was your dad? He called you that last week. I have good memory."

"Oh," he replies curtly.

At this point, we were the only two people left inside the entire building. Us and the staff that kept glancing our way as if to say 'just leave already, goddamnit!'. "We should probably get going," I told Julian.

He looked around before focusing his gaze back on me. "Oh, um...I suppose."

               I couldn't shake the feeling that he was a little upset as we slowly made our way through the gigantic doors.

               "Are you into art?" Julian asked. "Or is it just history?"

               "Not exactly," I replied. "But you could say that now." I didn't know how best to describe it either.

               "There's no way you're here at this time out of sheer boredom," he replied. "I think not."

               "I have a lot of time on my hands," I said as I stopped and sat on the stairs before the entrance. I looked at Julian expectantly before he sat next to me. "I was expelled."

That seemed to grab more of his attention. "Huh, what did you do?"

"Does it have to be something I did?" I answered with a question.

"Then you shouldn't have been expelled, that would be unfair," he quickly said. It sounded perfectly logical coming out of his mouth, like it couldn't happen any other way.

I turned to look at him looking a little irritated. It almost made me want to smile again. I didn't smile so easily lately, but here was Julian, establishing that effortlessly.

He kept his gaze on the lights beyond us on streets as he began to speak. "Did you know that competitive art once used to be in the Olympics?"

"What?" I asked in surprise because of how random it was.

"Yeah, apparently," replied Julian. "Somewhere between 1912 and 1949, medals were awarded in sculpture, music, painting...even architecture. I guess some old men had an argument in the post-war years and just like that, the competitions were scrapped off. I still think it was a stupid move."

My eyebrows were up somewhere as my eyes remained glued to him. "Why do you know that?" I asked.

Julian leaned back and his hand brushed mine. I would wonder for the longest time if he too, felt what I did before he pulled his hand away.

"Uh...my teacher mentioned it once," he answered. "Then he went ahead to scold me for having an athletic body and not being able to 'only run half a mile' in his words."

I nearly sided with the teacher on that one. "Half a mile...seriously?"

"Well excuse me," Julian smiled in my direction. "Not all of us are as gifted," he said while gesturing to me. "As you seem to be."

"You don't have to be gifted to run half a mile," I laughed. "Two working legs would do just fine. But you think I'm gifted huh?"

"I didn't say that," he replied.

"Actually, you kinda did," I answered.

I did the most random thing right after that.

  "Wait a minute," I cupped his chin gently and turned his head to me. I did it because I was curious about the color of his ears; I thought I saw them turn pink. "Never mind," I said before letting his flushed face go.

Julian cleared his throat and looked like he didn't know what to do with himself.

"I didn't mean to be rude the other time," I broke the silence. "I was in a bad mood."

"I understand," he said. "I always have bad timing."

I didn't like the fact that he was so quick to take the blame. It was a little odd. "Let's hang out, it'll be cool," I said instead and Julian delayed to give me a response. "You ain't have to, I'm just saying."

"No, no. I was just thinking of my par—no," he shook his head again. This obviously conflicted him. "I mean yes, let's."

He put his hand out.

"What?" I asked.

"Your phone."

When I gave it to him, Julian put his number in and dialed. "There," he said. "Now I have your number."

"Where's your phone?" I asked.

"Left it in my room," he said a little defensively.

"So what's the occasion?" I asked to change the topic and because I still couldn't figure out why he was dressed the way he was.

"My mother's party. I needed to get away so I came here instead," he said and I started to get an idea of why he left his phone.

"So, you are into art then?" I threw the question back at him.

"Not exactly either," Julian said, then went quiet and flushed again.

I was so confused. "Am I allowed to ask?"

"Not yet," he said.

"Not yet huh?" I asked. "Then you have to tell me something else about yourself."

"Hm...I get a headache when I eat lemons," he said then facepalmed himself. "Forget I said that...why am I so weird?"

"I ain't forgetting shit," I replied with a grin. "That's..." adorable, it really was.

"What?" He asked after I trailed off.

"Odd," I answered. "Just odd."

For some reason it felt like I could talk to him through to tomorrow.

Julian turned out to be like a clear stream flowing peacefully and taking some of your dampened spirits along with it. I lost track of time just talking to him. And maybe he could be the friend I needed at the moment.

He was something new and seemingly so pure that I found myself trying to handle him delicately so he would just stay that way.

"Shit, I have to go!" He suddenly said. "I need to go."

He was suddenly so worked up but through it all he still managed to ask if I needed a ride back home. For someone who wanted to leave so badly, it was generous.

"I actually came driving," I said, already wondering what to do for the rest of the night. Go home? Go out and grab a drink? Party a little? Fuck that.

"I uh..." want to see you again. "I'll see you around I guess," I said.

"Yes, well, bye," he said and disappeared from sight and into his car parked several feet away from where mine was.

He came back shortly.

"Actually," Julian started. "There's an art show. Do you want to come?"

"I'm down, sure," I replied immediately.

"Okay, I'll let you know of the details. I've got to run," he chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Drive of course...I mean..."

I watched his expensive looking car drive away as I sat behind my wheel, a little tense for no particular reason. I kept watching the direction his car had disappeared into even long after he had left.

There was nothing else in my head but the thought of seeing Julian again. He didn't fit and yet he did. But he was from outside my world, and maybe that was what drew me to him.

He was like a form of escape, and escape was something I wanted badly.