Free Transcendence by C. J. Omololu Page A

Can you give me just a minute?”
    “Sure,” I say. “I’ll go inside and check on a table.”
    He smiles. “Thanks. I’ll be right there.” Griffon walks to the corner of the building and I hear him answer the call before I open the door and walk inside.
    As I stand waiting at the front desk, Veronique walks out of the dining room, speaking rapid Italian to a well-dressed man behind her. At least I think it’s Italian. I’m on my second year of Spanish II, so languages aren’t really my specialty.
    “Cole! What a coincidence!” she says in English.
    “Hey!” I say. “I heard you tell Mom about this place. We were just around the corner, so I thought we’d give it a try.”
    “Good choice. The sweetbreads are really good here.” She leans in and whispers to me. “They’re actually glands, but don’t let that put you off. According to the experts, that’s the sign of asuperior Italian restaurant.” She indicates the man behind her. “Have you ever met my boyfriend, Giacomo?”
    He gives a smile and a little bow. I don’t know if it’s the fact that he’s Italian or what, but he seems a lot older than she is. “Very nice to meet you. I’ve heard wonderful things about your musical gifts. It is not often that one meets a true prodigy.”
    I look down at the worn burgundy carpet, glad that Griffon is outside. It’s always so embarrassing whenever anyone mentions cello in real life. “Thank you. And Veronique is doing really well.”
    She rolls her eyes. “Nice of you to say, but I think we all know the truth.” She looks around the front of the restaurant. “Are you here by yourself?”
    “No,” I say. “I’m with a … friend. He had to take a call outside.”
    Her eyebrows shoot up into her bangs. “Ooh! Boyfriend material? You’ve been holding out!”
    I wish
. I wonder what it would be like to say that about him. To be able to introduce him to people as my boyfriend. To walk down the street holding his hand. “No. Just a friend.”
    “It’s always nice to start out as friends,” she says, giving me a suggestive look.
    I shrug, afraid that if I open my mouth I’ll give too much away.
    “
Dobbiamo affrettarci,
” Giacomo says, looking pointedly at his watch.
    “You’re right,” Veronique agrees. “We’re late. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
    “Yep. Usual time.”
    Griffon appears at the door just as they’re leaving, and Giacomo holds it open for him. I wave as they walk out into the darkness.
    “Who’s that?” he asks, glancing back through the window.
    “She’s one of my students,” I say. When he looks blank, I add, “One of my cello students. I teach private lessons at my house a couple of days a week. Veronique is my Thursday at four.”
    He laughs. “So the prodigy is also the teacher. Nice.”
    I make a face. “Not really. I just need the money.”
    “Maybe I can get a couple of lessons?”
    “You want to play cello?” I know I sound skeptical, but I can’t help it.
    “How do you know I haven’t always had a burning desire to learn? Maybe I’ve just been waiting for the right teacher.”
    “I might be able to figure something out,” I say as we’re led to our table, trying to suppress the thrill I feel at the thought of seeing him again.

Five
     
    “I think,” Rayne says, “that you are in
looove
.”
    “I’m not in love,” I say, but there’s no way to stop the grin on my face. I can’t help but relive moments of last night over and over again during class. The only thing that would have been better is if he’d kissed me, or even held my hand as we waited for my bus. But I keep telling myself that there’s time for that. At least I hope there is. He didn’t exactly make a date or anything, but he said he’d see me soon. That’s almost the same thing, right?
    “Don’t sit there telling me you’re not into him. I know exactly what that look means.”
    I take a bite of my apple and look around the quad to make sure nobody else is