chatroulette's stranger

Chapter sixteen : Try a little music

I set a foot on the first rung of the ladder and started climbing down as fast as i could even though i was afraid to fall, once i made it to the balcony i started looking for esteban. First in his room, then the living room and the kitchen , i even knocked on the bathroom's door, but i couldn't find him. On my way back to his room, i noticed that the light was on in his dad's office, gently, i pushed the door and saw him sitting on a piano bench trailing his fingers on the keyboard, i came in and sat next to him, he turned to look at me but i kept staring at the piano score, until i broke the silence and said :

" i'm sorry, i didn't mean to hurt you, i do trust you, it's just that Laken was there in the right place, at the right time ", still he didn't respond : " Please say something..." i pleaded looking at him this time. Realising it was pointless, I sighed and was ready to get up, when he said : " i understand...i guess i should be the one who's sorry for reacting like i did " 

Hearing what he said made me laugh, this mood swing was so sudden that it was funny,

" so do you or your dad play piano ? " i asked

" No, he doesn't , it's mom's, she used to play whenever she could, and she showed me some chords ,but i don't remember them well, unfortunately, I just brought it from buenos aires, because she loved it, and i wouldn't like someone else playing on it, as she used to, as if she never existed " he answered.

The sad tone in his voice was so visible that  it made me regret not having a mom as great and present as he had , " you know what ? I'll teach you the basic chords " i anounced. He was surprised by my offer, i could tell, at least he doesn't sound so sad anymore.

" you play piano ? " he asked incredulously

" yes, i used to live in my aunt's house for some time and she had it, one day i wanted to give it a try and started learning with some books at first then with the help of an online teacher " i explain, in a way e

he kept staring at me, as if waiting for more infomations but realising i wasn't going to say anything else, he asked " play something for me " Oh please no !

"Are you sure ? I mean it's your dad's office after all, he may not like me playing on your mom's piano-"

"Come on, i just miss hearing its sound" 

"okay" , I stood up to take a pencil from the desk in my right, pulled my hair back and made it in a bun with the pen in the middle of it, to secure everything. Then i ran my fingers on the keys, while deciding which song to play. When i finally chose one, i put my fingers on the first keys i was going to press , and finally started playing one chord, after the other, getting back that fullness and peace, feeling the chills on my skin, forgetting about every problem, every trouble, every misunderstanding. And i quickly realised why i loved it in the first place,  time seemed to slow down, and i felt lighter. Without knowing, i started humming along, imitating the sound of the violin in the song, and then i sang softly the lyrics :

If you've never been

In love, and your longing
For the happiness it brings
Try your wings

If your hungry for the 
Sound of a lover
saying sentimental things
Try your wings

Even the tiniest
Bluebird, has to
Leave its nest to fly
What a bluebird can 
Do you can do too
If you try

If you've always had
A dream, and you've
Been afraid that it
Would not come
True hither to
Fall in love and
You will find that it's
Just what you've been
Dreaming of

The first love never
Comes twice. So
Take this tender advice
When it comes 
Try your wings and
Fly to the one you love

Once i finished, i felt ashamed and planned on making a quick escape, but esteban was staring intesely that i couldn't turn my eyes away from those enchanting hazel eyes of his.

" It was awsome, i wish i could play like you someday " he said the last part,  more to himself than to me . " it's crazy how overwhelmed you were by the music, you were into it body and soul " he marked a pause then continued " feel free to play whenever you want to, please , it's good to hear it again"

"okay, i will " , what impressed was how, he was perfectly able to describe how playing made me feel when , even i could never explain it to Caleb. 

" Well, we need to go prepare your room, but i'm hungry, let's eat first" he then brought his phone out, and asked me befoe dialing a number, " Is pizza alright ? " are you kidding me ? it's more than alright !

" Yeah sure, choose whichever you want, i like them all " , i joked, and his laugh was more than welcome, seeing him joyful, made me happy, i wish i'll never see him as sad as he was , when he talked about his mom...After i closed the piano lid , we left the office, to go to the room i was supposed to be sleeping in, th smell of paint, had already faded, although i did like it a bit, we had to put all the furnitures in place and prepare the bed, finally i did some dusting and we were finished. We lied on the bed, looking at the ceiling, smelling the fresh air in the room, that reminded me of vanilla, lost in our thoughts, and exhausted with all the chores, then the bell rang, and  i hurried downstairs to open the door, thinking it was the delivery guy, but what i saw, was a middle aged man with a black suit and tie, smiling at me.

" You are Amelia, right ? " he started

" Y-Yes , i am, sorry I don't -" i said, but i couldn' finish my sentence, when Esteban came and said " Oh, dad ?"