Eclipsed Echo

CHAPTER THREE

IYAN

I kept peeking at her from the couch. Even though we're sitting just a few feet apart I don't think she even noticed that I'm here.

"Did you two get any closer?" Grandma asks, coming from the kitchen.

"Not yet. I don't think she likes me." She hands me the mug of milkshake she's holding.

"Don't think like that. Nobody can dislike you. You're such a pretty and lovely boy" 

I smile and try to peek at her again. 

"Trust me, she just needs some time. So, don't give up on her", I mouth a okay to grandma. She smiles and goes back to the kitchen. I've been trying, really trying my best to get close to her. But she isn't letting me. She's covering herself with a leave me alone wrapping paper and I know she needs time. But I can't help myself. That's why I've been coming here every time I get some free time from school and part time jobs.

   I try to observe her as I desperately want to know her. I try to make a small talk every time I get a chance. But she never replies much. I'm afraid she might get annoyed with me very soon. I have no idea how many time she has caught me staring at her. But still, she doesn't say anything. 

    So, I push my luck a little further. I finish my milkshake quickly and stand up from my seat. Slowly, I walk to the table where she is sitting and playing some games on her phone . She doesn't even look up when I pull a chair and sit down beside her.

"Hi." I say while trying to keep my voice as much normal as possible. She doesn't need to know how nervous she makes me.

    Finally, she looks up from her phone for a second, gives me a dry smile and looks down again. Does this girl know how much her eyes can talk? I think she does. That is why she never makes eye contract for long. One week ago, when I came here to check on grandma, I discovered this girl laying on the couch putting her head on grandma's lap. She was crying I don't know for what. But the moment she noticed me, she ran inside. She is my son's daughter, grandma said.

    Her parents used to live here with grandma. But nine years ago, when she was still so young, they realized they can't live in this small town forever and they needed better jobs. So they left for the city, leaving grandma here, alone. Now when they had to shift abroad for their job purpose, they now left their daughter to grandma.

"Do parents always leave their child for their own wellbeing?" Grandma stays silent at my question.

"She has been crying since they left last night. I don't know what to do. Will you help me my pretty boy?"

"How?"

"Go to her. Stay by her side." I stare at the room she ran to earlier. "She doesn't have any friend here. Be her friend. You're the only one who can understand how she is feeling" 

She didn't need to tell me because I have decided already. I'm always gonna be by her side. She looks too lonely, too much in pain to be left alone. And, in her, I can see myself. So there's no way I'm going to leave her alone.

      "What game are you playing?" She is playing some video games like it's a life or death situation. "Will you let me play, too? I promise I won't lose" I'm not even a little bit interested in the video game she is playing. I just wanted her attention. Her devotion is all I seek. She hands me the phone silently still not looking at me. Her all focus is solely on the video games. Now, I wish I were a video game.

"Where were you since morning?"

I froze. This is the first time she asked me something. Other times, she just used to answer my questions. Her voice is so sweet that it makes me want to answer anything she asks. But, I don't know if I should tell her or not? Even if I do, how much should I hide. Because I don't want to hide anything from her at the same time I don't want to scare her telling something she doesn't need to know now.

"I was at the mall.", I pause. "I work there." She finally looks up at me. And, damn, her eyes, her chestnut brown eyes really do some funny things inside me.

"How old are you?"

"Fourteen"

"You're same old as me. Why do you work then?" Of course, she is surprised. The way she was raised, I don't even think she ever needed to wash her own clothes. For her, a fourteen years old boy living all alone and working to live his life, is quite unbelievable.

"I live alone. So, I need to pay for my own things. That's why I work." I expect her to be shocked. "This is not a child labor, I swear. I work at a bookstore. The owner is very kind. I just take care of the books, tidy up the books in order and sometimes look after the bookstore when he is not around. From that, I get some money what helps me with my expenses."

I'm prating. Shit, that's what I was afraid of. I talked too much. I don't know if she even understood what I'm trying to explain. Because, most of the people doesn't. When I expect her to question me more about why I am living alone, she just simply nods. And I let out a sigh of relief.

"You're losing."

"Huh?" 

With confusion I follow her gaze and look at my hand, in where I'm holding her phone. And, I realize I totally forgot about the game. I look up at her with my guilty eyes. She sticks out her hand to take her phone from my hand before giving me a smile so vivid, so pretty. I think she smiled like this for the first time since she came.

And I know, I'm melting, sinking and drowning more and more. I might even die if I don't save myself right now. But I don't want to. I would be content to drown in her forever.