♔Afterwards: Falling For Aspen♔✔️

Chapter 15: Calmness

~~~America's Point of View~~~

It's been a week out of the month that I'll be staying in the palace. Only three more long and dreadful weeks to go. It's currently the morning after the party, Wednesday. I decided that this day would be a day of calmness and relaxation. A day of where I'm going to try not thinking about what's all happened within the span of a week. Hopefully, today won't be so bad.

I8t's currently 10:00 am at the palace and breakfast just ended.  During the whole thing, I couldn't help but look at Kriss every now and then. I have to set my guard up extremely high since there are two Southern rebels, maybe more that are unknown. The leader, Kriss, and the unidentified spy.

I walk out of the Dining Hall and began walking towards the Great Room, where there was a Grand Piano, waiting for its keys to play a melody once again. The piano is normally centered a little to the right of where the Royal Family sits for any party or celebration.

I arrive at my destination five minutes later. I see out of the grand windows the light snow of January cascading down like light feathers. I walk towards the piano, ready to play any piece of piano music to calm my mind.

I sat down and softly moved my fingers over the delicate keys of this instrument. I started to play one of my very favorites. It's an old, yet beautiful piece. Not many people know about this piano melody anymore, but it was once widely known many generations ago, before all the Ill'ea family and kingdom went crazy.

The composer of this beautiful piece was from South Korea, now known as a part of New Asia His stage name is Yiruma. He has had many successful pieces. I am one of the few who has learned and memorised this piece. I started to learn this when I was 12.

I already knew how to play the piano from one of my dad's family friends at the age of five. The name of this piece is called, 'River Flows In You'. This piece has lyrics as well, but I believe it sounds better without the words.

The music echoed throughout the enormous room as I played he piece over and over again. I was taking a short break, ready to about to play another piece until I heard a loud creak. I quickly turned my head towards the noise,  feeling startled.

"Who is it?" I asked loudly so whoever it was could hear me. There was silence. I asked once more and there was silence. I was about to ask one last time until I heard a voice respond. A too familiar voice that I absolutely didn't want to see right now.

"It's me -" the voice responded. I had an immediate reaction.

"Go away." I commanded.

"I was just-" the voice started to say again until I cut them off.

"I said, go away Maxon!" I commanded, my voice escalating higher and louder.

" Please, let me explain." Maxon pleaded as I saw him walk out from behind the door and closing it back.

"Fine." I sighed, already wanting to get this over with. "What do you want?"

Maxon walked closer to me and when he reached me, his eyes were asking if he could sit next to me. I sighed and rolled my eyes and moved over to the right, giving Maxon enough space to sit down. He looked down at his folded hands, twiddling with his thumbs, thinking about what to say.

"I was taking a break from my work and happened to pass by to hear this beautiful music. My curiosity took over so I peeked in to see who it was, it was you." Maxon explained. He looked up at me when he said the last three words, 'it was you.' I've known Maxon long enough to know that he saw this as an opportunity to try and tell me something important.

"Just spill it, or I'm calling Celeste over to kick you where the sun doesn't shine, again." I threatened.

"I was actually wanted to see how you're doing." Maxon confessed. "You seemed to be acting different lately ever since Kriss announced that you'll be staying here for a month."

"Well, there's obviously nothing wrong with me that you see right now, right?" I asked, feeling a little aggravated. Maxon must know that I'm hiding something now. Why did I ever let him get this close to me?

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" Maxon asked, still looking at me. I turned my head in defiance in the opposite direction, staring out the window.

"If you really want to know what's going on with me, I'll tell you how." I stated, my voice starting to shake. 

Come on America! get it together! You don't need to shed tears for this person no more! I thought.

"Really?" Maxon asked with a hint of excitement in his voice.

I took a deep breath in, turn back around, and replied, "Yes. If you really want to know what's going on wiht me, wait. You can't expect for someone to tell you right out. So just, just, go away!" My voice escalated with anger again at the last statement. Maxon flinched.

He stood up, smoothed out his clothes, and said, "Okay. I'll give you some space." He turned around and walked out. 

So much for calmness. I thought. What was supposed to be a day of peace and calmness is now ruined, all because of a certain someone. I feel kind of guilty for yelling at Maxon, but he needs to know that I can't and won't talk to him right now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The MV up top is 1 of my favorites! It's sad, yet very beautiful! It's a piano song called, 'River Flows In You' by Yiruma. MV came from YouTube.