𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗢𝗜𝗔

16

Ophelia's POV

Ten minutes ago I came back home after having a chat with Liliya at the cafe. I felt exhausted from all the emotions and memories I needed to go through to tell her the truth about me and Arden.

Thinking of Jace gave me the kind of comfort I felt while we were still friends. I blamed myself for not being with him when he had a hard time. He was there beside me when I was in my darkest times.

I remember the first time we met. It's been more than two years since then.

I had to take one of my high school exams at the school of music and arts. There I found Jace.

He sat gracefully at the piano and played with such great enthusiasm, that I had never even felt while dancing on ice.

His passion. His posture, hands, piano sounds, and his head move to every sound of the piano key. This is what amazed me and pushed my shy personality to start a conversation with this unknown young guy. I was moved to find out his name.

"Jace Nolan," he said. "What's your name?"

"I'm Ophelia Astor, nice to meet you" I nervously gave him my hand to have a handshake.

"Pretty name" his beaming smile filled his sunkissed face.

"Thank you" just at that moment - at the start of our first conversation - I knew that we will become close friends. Jace was exactly that what I needed at the time.

"So are you studying here?" he asked me.

"Me? Oh, no. I'm just here to take my exam" I explained.

"I see" he nodded.

"How about you? Are you a student here? I just saw you playing piano like a professional" I didn't even notice that we were blocking a way for other students to enter the room while having unexpected chat.

"I'm a student here, but just for piano classes. I attend high school a few blocks away from here" Jace slightly moved me from the door, to let others pass us by.

"Oh, that's cool" suddenly I felt my phone ringing in my pants pocket. I took it and saw on the screen that my classmate called me.

"I need to take this call," I said before picking up.

"Sure" Jace gave me a little space to have a call.

"Where are you, Ophelia? The exam starts in ten minutes or something" my classmate was yelling into the phone.

"Shit. I'll be there quick" I hang up the phone and approached Jace.

"I guess, I need to go now," I said. I didn't want to end our conversation there, but I was forced.

"It's okay, you should go. It's an exam right?" he was just smiling at me all the time.

"Yes, I need to be there now" my eyes were running from him to my phone.

"Can I get your phone number? I mean, it's only if you want to talk more" he scratched the back of his head.

"Of course, I want to" I almost yelled out. "Let me type my number into your phone," I asked him to give me his phone.

"Here," he passed his phone to me. I quickly put my number in there and gave him back his phone.

"Text me when you will be free," I said on my way to exit this room.

"You should better replay" he laughed.

"I will" I promised him.

As I asked him, he texted me the same day in the afternoon. I for sure replied to his text. This is how we started to get to know each other.