That Peculiar Feeling | Mphfpc ~Enoch O'Connor~

Chapter Ten

My eyes snapped open. I was still here, it wasn't a dream. I didn't know if I was relieved or worried for my sanity. I lay still for a moment, I wonder what time it is.  Grasping blindly for my watch on the dresser beside me, I found it and checked. It said six o'clock. Hang on, wouldn't the reset have messed up my watch? Or would it matter? Whatever time it was, it was early, the sun was only starting to peak over the trees and hedge animals outside.

Getting out of bed, I slipped on some socks to quieten my footsteps. My stomach made a groaning noise. I remembered how little I ate at dinner yesterday. I made a mental decision to silently make my way down stairs and find something to eat in the kitchen. Closing the door slowly behind me, I head down the stairs. Luckily, there were clocks and calendars in almost every room, and I was indeed six in the morning.

I enter the small kitchen and start the hunt for something to eat. I end up finding some whole meal bread and marmalade. I put the bread in the toaster and wait, turns out toasters in 1940 took considerably longer than modern day ones. While I'm waiting I hum a song I danced to before I left Belfast. I loved dancing, contemporary was my favourite. My parents however despised the very thought of it.

To quote them "We will not have our daughter be come one of those underprivileged show girls."

I did it anyway though, I snuck out to a nearby dance studio and got taught by an instructor in-training, her name was Anita. She was Norwegian and I could barely understand her little English but I learnt from her nonetheless. In total, I had been doing it in secret for seven years. Nobody except Anita and occasionally Samuel had ever seen me dance, and I prefer to keep it that way.

The toaster popped and I spread on some marmalade on it and ate it hungrily. I stood at the bottom of the stairs and listened for movement, then was none. Still humming the song, I automatically started to dance, turning and leaping silently in my pajamas. Any stress or worries melted away as I listened to the song in my mind. A smile crept onto my face as I danced, this was my happy place.

Enoch's P.O.V
I jerked awake. I swore I just heard the toaster pop. It was six in the morning, nobody could be awake at this time, I told myself. Go back to sleep. Then I heard it, it was almost inaudible, it was someone humming. Slowly, I got out of bed, rubbing my eyes. "Who in birds name is up at this time?" I muttered. I walked to the basement door, and opened it. As I went up the stairs, the humming got louder, and I could almost hear uneven footsteps.

I was almost at the top of the stairs when I saw her. It was Eden, in her pajamas, dancing. I she leapt and twirled like gravity didn't affect her, like she was floating on air. I immediately stopped walking and leaned against the wall, hoping she didn't see me. Luckily, her eyes were closed. I watched mesmerised, it was incredible to watch, even without music. Her shirt flaying out with each spin, her curly hair flying in all directions. She was practically doing gymnastics, midair.

I stood and watched on, not daring to say a word. Then a loud creak came from the step I was standing on. She immediately stopped and looked all around. When she saw me she just stared. 

"O-oh, did I wake you up?" She stuttered.

I shook my head, coming up the rest of the stairs.

"I woke up early, I just came down to get something to eat." She added. "I made toast if you'd like some."

Before I could reply, Miss Peregrine appeared at the top of the stairs. "Is everything Ok down here? You're both up quite early." Her glare focused on me.

"Enoch, you better not have-"  Before she could finish her accusation Eden interrupted. "Don't worry Miss Peregrine, we were just talking." She then stuck out her hand for me to shake. I looked at her baffled as to what she was doing. She looked me dead in the eyes, then gestured to Miss Peregrine by tilting her head to the side.

I took her hand cautiously and shook it, then she added; "See? Friends."

The headmistress seemed satisfied with this and smiled. "Good, remember Eden lessons start at ten." She walked past us into the kitchen to begin preparing breakfast.

Eden exhaled, relieved. Stilled utterly confused, I asked her "What'd you do that for?"

"What?" She replied.

"You lied to her."

"It's what friends do, and I didn't want you to get in trouble." She said, then she quickly went upstairs, presumably to get changed. Leaving me alone in the hallway.

This girl always left me in a state of immense confusion, but I guess we were friends now.

A/N~ Another short one, sorry 😐 Updates are a little all over the place but I'll get into a pattern eventually