Chapter 3

Skyla

(Past)

My life can't be more perfect, can it? No. I don't think so. My new-found granny is an amazing woman. She takes care of me as her granddaughter. I help her with house chores and also in her bakery. I started to find jobs nearby, but my luck wasn't with me. She told me she would take care of my school fees this year. But I felt like I was using her. She got me very well. One day, she took me to a nearby school and admitted me immediately using her resources. She was quite wealthy as her husband left a lot for her. She had a daughter who died at her very young age in an unfortunate incident. Not for so long, her husband died in a heart attack. She has been running that bakery as her daughter's dream to open a sweet shop and would make it famous in her town. In her name, my granny is running that shop, putting a big smile on her face.

I started building trust in her. I eventually told her what happened to me before, but I didn't tell her that someone was following me from that place to this town. I didn't want to make her worried. Listening to everything, she told me that wasn't my fault, and if the police come after me, I needed to tell them the truth. But that never happened. I started to go to school and stayed away from everyone. I didn't want to get close to anyone, as every student in that school were rich and used to wear fancy clothes, where I used to wear a hoodie over my shirt and jeans and ride my bicycle to go to school. Everywhere I go, I feel like someone is following me. Even in my classes, I felt someone's eyes were on me. When I looked in that direction, I felt like being watched I found no one. Even if there were, I find no one's gaze on me. 

A few days later, I joined that school, I was roaming around the whole school. As I about to pass a classroom, I heard a sweet melody coming from that room. I peeked through the door, and I watched a boy was playing the violin there alone. I was listening to him playing that melodious song. It was a sad melody like he was showing his emotions through that song. I leaned my body toward the door and engrossed myself on it with closing my eyes. Once I wanted to play the violin, but I knew I could never afford to buy that as I was poor, and still, I am. But there has no problem with listening to that when someone is playing the violin. 

I didn't know for how long I have been standing there in that way, but when I opened my eyes, my breath hitched. The boy who was playing that song, I found him standing in front of me. His cold grey eyes were boring my hazel eyes in a way that made me think he was looking at me through my soul. I didn't know why but he looked kind of familiar. I was scared, thinking what if he thought I was invading his privacy! I immediately decided it would be best if I apologize to him. So, I did. When I started to ask for an apology, I became a stuttering mess. 

I said, "I-I a-am s-so s-sorry. I-I d-didn't m-mean i-invading y-you p-personal s-space. Y-you are a-a g-good v-violinist. U-uh I-i a-am g-get g-going." I gave him an awkward smile, and as I about to leave that room, I felt myself pulling toward him, and my back bumped into his chest. He closed that door and locked that from inside. I was shivering in his holds. 

I felt him pulling my hoodie down and brought his mouth near my ear. He asked in a calm yet threatening tone, "Did I ask you to leave?" I shook my head in denial.

"Use your voice when you speak to me. Am I clear?" He asked in a hard tone.

I nodded in fear, but I immediately said, "Y-yes." He hummed. I felt him sniffing my hair, but I shrugged that off, thinking why he would do that. I wasn't someone special to him.

"Did you like what you heard a few minutes ago?" He asked.

"Y-yes. T-that w-was g-good." I told him. I couldn't describe to him how I felt after hearing him play.

"Just good?" He asked with a sadness laced tone. 

I immediately said, "No! that was the best melody I ever heard in my life. It felt like you are showing your emotions through your music." I felt bad when he asked me in that way. 

He turned me around and made me face him. His face was too close that I had to leaned back my head a little. He looked at my face for a while. Under his gaze, I felt uncomfortable. His watchful gaze also familiar like- how could that be possible? I am imagining things for sure.

He asked, "Do you want to play that violin?"

I hesitantly said, "Uh- I don't know how to play the violin."

Tilting his head, he watched my face for a moment and said, "It is simple." Taking my arm, he dragged me with him toward his instrument by saying, "I am going to help you in it." He didn't even ask whether I wanted to learn that or not. But who I am to say no to playing Violin when I got the opportunity that way.

I dropped my bag on the ground and looked at him, bringing his violin toward me. He gave that to me. I hold that carefully and didn't know what to do next. 

He came behind me and told me to lift my hands a little. I did. He instructed me to hold the violin with the left hand and bow with my right hand. As he touched my left hand, I felt a spark, but his arms were cold. I gulped hard and tried to calm myself down. He put my first finger on a string, he called that the G string. Then the second finger the D string, the ring finger the A string, and the pinkie the E string. 

Then he set the violin over my neck and hold my left hand with his. He held my right hand in which I was holding the bow, and he put that over the strings. That made my back touching his chest. I had never been this close to anyone. But surprisingly in his hold, I feel safe. I better focus on learning to play the violin. Then he guided that bow with long movements to feel the down and up-bow directions. My eyes lit up when I heard the magical sound coming as we move the bow over the strings. We repeat that several times on each string, playing it soft and loud, fast and slow, gentle and harsh, sad and happy, wild and mysterious. 

We stood there like that in the same position. He made me play a soft melody while holding my hands. I was so engrossed I didn't notice when he left me and sat in front of me on a chair. When I was done, I looked up and found him staring at me without blinking. I felt uncomfortable again. So, I cleared my throat and put the violin on the desk. I said, "Thank you for this lesson. And I think I should go now?" I wasn't sure if he again threatened me like before. 

"How are you feeling after learning to play this?" He asked in a deep voice without blinking. 

I gave a soft smile and said, "I have a great time."

Giving a firm nod, he ordered me, "Come here every day at the same time you came here today."

I startled, listening to him, "Huh?" 

He told me, "You need more practice to learn it properly. So, don't forget to come here tomorrow. Else- " He gave me a dark look which made my feet got cold and hands started shaking in fear. Biting my lips, I said, "O-okay. I-i w-will c-come." I stuttered again!

Standing up, he said forwarding his hand to shake, "This is Carl."

Shaking his hand, I said, "Skyla."

He took my right hand and kissed the back of the hand. He said, "Hope you come here on time." His hold tightened around my wrist. I could only say, "Y-yes."