Peace of the Sun

Chapter VII

The next few weeks went by slowly. I was often stressed about professor Ivanov and didn't really have the energy to talk to anybody. Kayla checked up on me often, I still didn't tell her about my childhood and why I am the way I am, but she wasn't pushing me. I appreciated that about her. She understood me.

I hadn't seen much of Oliver. Every once in a while I would pass him in the halls. He always searched my eyes when he saw me. I couldn't figure out how he looked right through me and eased my mind instantly, but I didn't know if I wanted to find out. He hadn't shown up to music theory in about a week. I thought I might have broken him. He didn't seem like the type to skip class over a girl though.

I walked into the common area that morning and only saw a head of floppy curls. Oliver's hand was gripping his hair, and he was looking down at something on his jittery leg. I took a deep breath and walked toward him.

When I got closer he looked up at me. He looked like he hadn't slept in months. He looked old, almost. His eyes were bloodshot and his hair reminded me of a rat's nest. He was wearing old, green sweatpants and a baggy, grey t-shirt with a bunch of holes in it. He looked like a mess. I looked down at his leg and saw a notebook filled with chicken scratch and doodles. His guitar was sitting beside him, leaning against the wall. It looked like he was writing a song.

"Oliver?" I asked with concern. He had a look of disbelief on his face. He didn't say anything.

"Hi," he responded with a faint smile. It looked as though he was relieved to see my face.

"Are you okay?" I sat down across from him and looked him in his sad eyes. He sighed and looked at his feet.

"I'm writing a song," he said as he stood up and walked over to the piano.

"I noticed." I followed him. "Will you play it for me?" He nodded.

"I had this melody in my head about a week ago. It only plays when I see you." My breath got stuck in my throat. He started playing a faint melody on the piano that reminded me of the sun coming out on a rainy day. It was cold and dark at first, then gradually became so overwhelmingly bright and warm. It started out very slow and in a minor key. After about four bars it switched to a major key. It was beautiful. Too beautiful for me.

After he finished playing he took a deep breath and looked up at me. His green eyes were vibrant from the contrasting red surrounding his irises. The intense look he gave me sent an electric shock through my spine. His gaze made me feel like the world was crumbling around us and I was the only person who mattered.

"Oliver, that's incredible," I complimented, but he didn't look happy to hear me respond that way. He looked hurt. Like I stabbed him in the chest with a knife. 

He was hunched over the piano. His posture made him look much smaller than he was. He looked away from me, so I put my hand on his. The gesture made his face look like I twisted the knife.

"Are you okay?" I asked him carefully for the second time as I sat beside him on the cold piano bench. The bench was small, so our faces were only inches apart.

"Did I do something wrong?" He replied almost in a whisper. "On our date? Did I scare you away?" His questions were pouring rapidly out of his mouth like a waterfall. He had panic in his eyes.

"No, of course not," I could feel him trying to catch my eyes with his, but I didn't have the strength to look at him. "It was the best night of my life." Once again, he grabbed my chin, forcing me to make eye contact with him.

"Then why have you been avoiding me?" His deep voice was below a whisper. As if he talked any louder he would choke on his words.

I felt a lump forming in my throat. I didn't know if I would be able to tell him the truth. I felt the tears start to pool in the corners of my eyes. The moisture in my eyes started to overflow, and a single tear fell down my right cheek.

I cry too much. He's going to think I'm out of my mind.

"Hey, hey," he was still whispering. He brought his other hand up to my cheek to wipe the tear. He left his hand there, scared I was going to break free from his grasp. "You can tell me what's going on. I will listen." I had never heard those words before. He spoke to me with such sincerity and care. His voice was so gentle and comforting. It was so refreshing. I felt wanted. I believed him.

I looked around me to see people starting to file into the common area. "Not here." I was too embarrassed for anybody else to know.

I gently grabbed one of his hands from my cheek and used it to pull him off the bench. I dragged him along as he quickly grabbed his scribbly notebook and guitar, and took him up to the roof of the building.

AN: Sorry this chapter is super short, and I haven't updated in like a month, but the next chapter is hopefully going to be juicy :)