The Painter's Amour

His Gentle Touch

"Everywhere he touches is fire. My whole body is burning up, the two of us becoming twin points of the same bright white flame." – Lauren Oliver

7. His Gentle Touch (Dante)

The melody echoed beautifully in this room and it tingled on the touch of my fingers as I pressed them softly on the piano keys.

Emptiness was dwelling in my mind throughout the music with only my fingers moving animatedly along the harmony. I thought of nothing else and simply let my ears listened to the tunes. I continued to play until I pressed the last note I learned during the lesson. Breathing deeply, I turned my head to my gorgeous lover, Julian, who was standing beside the piano and who was giving me an innocent stare as he watched me play the music until the end.

"It's impressive," he commented but I glared at him.

"Is that a compliment?" I questioned him, a little annoyed. However, his silver eyes just gleamed at me, full of humor. Was me playing nursery rhymes really that hilarious?

Today marked the second week of our piano lessons but so far, all he taught me since the first day aside from the key names were rhymes for children. And I won't put it in details even if someone dared to ask me because just thinking about it made my stomach boil in rage.

But I had no choice, do I? He was kind enough to teach me without fee and it would be rude of me to complain about his teaching methods, however it was still plain embarrassing. Julian chuckled as he looked at my defeated face, "It's the basic lesson in learning the piano instrument, Dante."

"I suppose it is, this basics suit me so well that you probably find me ridiculous," I countered and he frowned at me.

I bit my lip, immediately regretting my attitude towards him, "I'm sorry, I'm just not really fond of musics."

I watched his frown disappeared under a smile as he went behind me. I could feel his hands snaking from my shoulders and into my neck before he tilted my head gently upward. Holding my head in place, he pressed his soft lips and moved them perfectly with mine. His loud heartbeats was resonating against my body as I kissed him back and I began to wonder, how does it feel to love someone truly? Does love makes one's own heartbeat this profound?

"I love you Dante," he murmured in our kiss. He always pointed out those sweet words to me that I already lost count on it. He never let a single day or a single hour and even a single moment passed by without declaring his love for me, and of course my chest tightened every time he do it.

Julian was really completely different from Amelia.

Unlike her who would ask first for something before telling me she loved me, Julian never asked for anything else. He was giving me all his love and all of him without asking anything from me in return. He was a selfless person which made it all the more easier for me to feel the guilt. It was because I was selfishly taking him for granted and I knew that well, still I couldn't stop myself from being selfish.

"I hope you will teach me something more significant today?" I asked, wishful.

"I do but is there something you mind to play?" he responded.

I looked at the music pamphlet on the piano rack and said, "Perchance, something splendid? I think something that will be perfect for Amelia," however, after I said it, I saw his fingers flinched on the piano keys. I was guilty again as soon as I mentioned her name.

I wanted to say sorry and do something to make up for what I did but Julian simply shook his head, silently telling me that it wasn't such a bother. Though I knew better and I could see the hurt in his grey eyes, kindling the bitterness I had for myself. How could I say her name to him? It was utterly unkind.