Eclipsed Echo

CHAPTER EIGHT

 
                            
IYAN

"Stop moving. You're making this harder for me."

I try to sit still, but almost twenty minutes in the same position feels like torture. Every muscle in my body aches to shift, to stretch.

"I'm trying, Syha."

She narrows her eyes. "You don't look like you're trying at all."

    It's not entirely a lie. No matter how much I try, excitement courses through me, buzzing in my veins. There's something about sitting in front of Syha, her face so focused, her fingers working so effortlessly as they glide across the canvas. I can't help but fidget.

"C'mon, Iyan, you can do it. Just ten more minutes."

   Ten minutes feels like forever when she's watching me so intently, her eyes flicking between me and her work. My heartbeat quickens every time her gaze lingers on my face, and I can barely breathe from the tension building inside me. Her furrowed brows, the way her wavy blown hair falls over her face, her lips pursing as she concentrates, completely absorbed in her art, it's more than enough to unsettle me.

   Finally, after what feels like more than ten minutes, Syha gives me a small, satisfied nod and a thumbs-up. I let out a long breath I didn't even realize I was holding, stretching my stiff limbs. She carefully lifts the canvas, her eyes shining with excitement as she turns it to face me.

    When Syha called me earlier telling me she wanted to make a sketch of me, I wasn't expecting anything like this. I was aware of her talent for drawing, but seeing myself through her eyes, in the lines and shadows she's created, feels like I'm discovering a new side of me, a side only she can capture. I stare at it for so long, I lose track of time.

"How did you portray this?" I point to the canvas, my gaze tracing the lines of the painted smile.

"The smile." I glance up at her. "My smile isn't that pretty. I barely even smile."

    She gently places the canvas to the side, walks over to me, her movements slow and deliberate. Her knees brush against mine as she bends slightly, meeting my gaze.

"Are you sure you don't smile? I'm sure I've seen you smile plenty of times." She says softly. "But those smiles... they felt hollow, like they were missing something. So, I tried to give it the life it was searching for."

    Her words hang between us. It's funny but she's right. I've not realized how frequently I've been smiling lately. Ever since I met her, it's like my smile has a mind of its own, appearing whenever she's near. But the way she's drawn it—so vibrant, like a flower that blossoms in the warmth of a spring morning. It feels foreign, like a version of myself I can't quite recognize.

Her eyes flicker to my chest, searching, waiting for a response.

"I'm sure you did," I glance away, avoiding her gaze. "But, trust me, even though you've done a flawless job of making my smile vivid, this is not a smile that I own."

     Before I can retreat further, she cups my cheeks, her touch warm and gentle, guiding my face back to hers.

"Smile. Smile for me, Iyan. I want to see you smile, the real one. The one you're so afraid to show, the one you keep buried behind all those careful looks and quiet words."

    She's so close now that her breath mingles with mine. Up close, I can see every freckle scattered across her skin, like faint constellations softly glowing under the dim light. Her eyes glisten with quiet hope, urging me to give her what she's asking for. 

But fear wraps tight around my chest. I'm terrified. Terrified of letting her down. She looks so breathtaking, and in this moment, I wish time would freeze forever.

   Witnessing my anxiety, she frowns, making her nose wrinkle in the most adorable way possible. And I smile, genuine and heartfelt. For once, I don't hold back. It was a smile that whispered the symphony of my soul.

The corners of Syha's lips gently lift.

"Can I confess something?" I nod as she asks.

"You have the most beautiful smile I have ever seen."

   She smiles back at me and I try my best to fight the overwhelming urge to kiss her right away. Day by day, I'm realizing how much I'm in love with her. Two years with her was the greatest gift I could ever ask for. I know she is still sad about her parents. But, a corner of my heart thanks God every day for their leaving. If they wouldn't have left I would never had Syha in my life.

I take her hand, gently guiding her to sit beside me.

"Can I confess something as well?"

"Of course." She leans in, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"The smile only exists when I'm with you."