Chapter 6

Skyla

(Past)

I froze in my place. He was coming toward me with long strides. His grey eyes were bloodshot. I was terrified to see him that was. Did I make him angry? I thought. It felt like danger was coming toward me. I decided to run away from him, from that room. I immediately turned my left, and I was about to run, he caught my left arm in a tight grip and shoved me against the wall. My back hit the wall, and in fear, I closed my eyes. He caged me in between his arms. I felt his hot breath fanning over my face. I could feel his face was a mere inch away from my face. He was so close and our chests were touching softly. 

I didn't dare to look into his eyes. I was shaking uncomfortably and biting my lips to stop myself from sobbing. I bit my lower lips that hard that I could taste a metallic taste of my blood. I felt a finger over my lower lips. Then that thumb slowly parted out my lower lips between my teeth. He ran his thumb over my lower lips and wiped blood in which I winced in pain. I was dumbfounded. Wasn't he come to lash out at me for entering his room without his permission? And why am I feeling a weird sensation in my stomach? I thought.

My thought broke when I heard him saying in a deep voice, "Open your eyes."

I didn't listen to him. I refused to face him. He ordered me in a kind of threatening way, "Are you defying me? I said OPEN. YOUR. EYES." He emphasized every word gritting his teeth.

My eyes flew open, and I jumped in frighten. My heart was beating erratically. I looked into his eyes in horror. He was glaring at me that made me shaking like a leaf. The next thing, he did something, made my jaw drop on the ground. He pulled me into a hug. My eyes widened, and mouth hunged open. He was soothingly rubbing my back. I heard him saying, "Breath, Skyla." I followed his instruction like a good child. I gulped a good amount of air through my mouth. "Breath." He whispered. I took a deep breath. I wrapped my arms around him, and I calmed down immediately. 

When I realized what I was doing, I became mortified. I was hugging my senior, who happened to be my violin teacher. I unwrapped my arms from him and put my palms over his chest. I tried to make a distance between us. But he didn't let me. The way he was holding me as if I would run away from him if he leaves me for once. I could hear his heartbeat which was thumping loudly. His body was stiff. Why? I didn't know. So I wrapped my arms around him again and started rubbing my palm all over his back. In my touch, his stiffness was gone. How could we calm down in one of us's one mere touch? 

He pulled away and locked his grey eyes with my hazel once. He rubbed his thumb over my left cheek, and his left hand was still wrapped around my waist. I leaned my face toward his palm. It felt comfortable. I liked that. He felt safe somehow. After granny, if I wanted to give a place to someone in whose arms I felt comfortable would be Carl. Why was I feeling that way, I didn't know. Was I allowed to feel that way? What if my stalker target Carl seeing me getting close to him! My heart sunk, thinking about those possibilities. 

He lifted my chin and said, "Don't try to run away from me. Am I clear?"

I wanted to deny him, but his hard gaze stopped me. I said timidly, "Y-yes."

He told me in a serious tone, "You are going to listen to me from now on. We are late today, but I am going to teach you some notes today, and you will learn little by little how to play the violin. I want you to take part in the New Rising Star Violin Competition, which is going to happen in a few months." I was about to say no, but he put his forefinger over my lips and gave me a stern look. My protest went in vain.

He continued, "I won't allow you to disagree with me. You will follow my instructions. I am giving this lesson for some purpose to fulfill. If you ask me why I chose you, then listen to me very carefully." 

He leaned closer to me and whispered, "I know you are the one." My heart skipped a beat. I again felt that weird sensation in my stomach. No one, I mean no one gave a value to me before. He didn't know me, but he still had faith in me. I felt worthless whenever my foster parents, my old school classmates, and teachers. But this man! My granny was right. Instead of showing my gratification, I was muttering bad things inside my head. I am very ungrateful, I thought.

My eyes welled up, but I took a deep breath and stopped myself from crying. I gave a smile and said, "I am going to give my everything to learn violin from you and will win the competition. I promise." I was determined to look forward. My decision was final. I prepared mentally to learn with great concentration and try not to make any mistakes in that process. 

He saw the determination, and his lips curved up a little. He knew I wasn't lying. He took my hand and led me toward the violin. He started giving me lessons for hours. With determination, I followed every instruction and started to play carefully. I didn't make any mistakes. That was progress, maybe 2%.

When I was done, I looked up only to see him staring at me with a different emotion that I couldn't understand. I cleared my throat to gain his attention. Without blinking, he said, "You did great, but you need to practice a lot. Come here every day at the same time." 

I said, "Okay."

"You may go now." He dismissed me. 

I stood up before keeping his violin on the desk. Turning around, I went to my backpack. I pulled down the zipper and brought out the sweet packet which my granny gave me for him. 

Turning back, I went to him with slow steps. He was staring at me like before. My cheeks heated up. I kept that box of muffin in front of him over his desk. Peeking through my eyelashes, I said, "Uh- my granny sent this for you. T-this is from us b-both. And she told me to thank you for giving me lessons playing the violin. And I am truly thankful to you for giving me this opportunity to learn this. Thank you." 

I didn't wait for a moment to hear him, and I hurriedly left that room, not before hearing a husky chuckle. My cheeks burned, and I knew my face turning like a tomato. I had no classes that day after the break, so I left my school on my bike and sped off toward my granny's cafe. I felt a familiar gaze on me, which I ignored. I couldn't live in fear anymore. I decided to look forward and try to forget about my stalker.