Hourglass (NateWantsToBattle & Cristina Vee)

Chapter 8: The Orphan

We went to his house after the events at the bridge. 

It's closer.

But everything was different while walking to his house.

There was a different aura around this boy.. I couldn't make it out.

Like, something happened today, that made it brighter. 

"You're uniforms in the Dryer." I hear him say from down the hall.

"Thank you." I say, stepping out of the bathroom. 

He had given me some clothes to wear, while mine were drying. He still had his uniform on.. For the most part. His jacket was hanging up on the coat rack in his laundry room, as well as the sweater vest that was mandatory for Fall and Winter at our school. He still had his tie on, as well as his dress shirt.

"Are you not going to change?" I ask him, using the towel he had given me to dry my hair.

"Yeah, I will. Just want to make sure you're dry." He said to me.

"I'm fine, thank you." I smile.

He looked over, looking down at the wood floor. "Can I get you anything? Tea, Coffee? Anything?"

"Tea sounds nice." I answer him.

He only nodded, wandering off into the dark, leaving me in what I assume what his living room.

This house he lives in, is huge.. It's beautiful. 

It was very open.. Like it was a hotel or something before, and just had the walls knocked down.. The floors were dark wood, and the walls were 90% windows. The main room was all windows. Standing at the front of the house, you can see directly to the back, where the lake was. He lives by the lake. Looking around the room, I see his violin sitting on a Black Acoustic Grand Piano. Beside the piano, on a stand was an acoustic guitar -- but the piano kept my attention.

I'm thinking this house used to be a dance studio or something. Looking around, I couldn't but notice railings everywhere -- and I mean everywhere -- not just on the stairs, there in the hallways and in the main rooms.

I wonder why those were never taken out.. 

With a sigh, I look back to the piano before slowly advancing towards it. Like his violin -- it was in Mint Condition..  Very well kept... Unlike mine.. his isn't covered in books and dust. Beside the piano was a shelf, full of sheet music.

Cautiously, I reach my hand  out, touching it. As soon as I did, a sense of urge pushed through me... Why is this one different.. Different than the one at school.. Almost like this one is compelling me to play it.

Nate's words at the bridge must of really gotten to me.. If this were earlier, I'd be too scared to touch this thing -- let alone wanting to play it... Did he really convince me? With one small insparational speech?

"Here you go." I hear Nate say to me. 

Looking up, I see him hand me a coffee cup with tea.

"Oh, thank you." I say taking it from him. 

"I don't know what you like in it, so.. Help yourself." He said, gesturing to a tray on the Piano.

looking at him, I noticed he had changed. He wasn't in his uniform anymore.

He was wearing a pair of jeans, with a black t-shirt.. He had a scarf on as well.

"This house is amazing." I say to him, as he sat down at the piano, only using the bench as a seat.

"Thanks." He said quietly, leaning forward.

"Where are your parents?" I ask him, before taking a sip of my tea.

He looked at me before looking at his hands. "... I don't know." He answered me, making me pause.

"Huh?" I ask, setting my cup down on the tray. 

"I never met them.. I was taken from them at birth. They gave me up.." He answered me. "I lived with Foster Parents up until my 11th year.. They went out one night -- and they never came home."

"So you live here alone?" I ask.

"Sort of.." He seemed to zone out as he answered me. "Hunter only lives next door -- his parents check on me daily -- as well as the nurse my foster parents hired years ago."

"Nurse?" I ask. "Were your parents sick?" I ask.

"Something like that." He refused to look at me as he answered that.

"I'm so sorry." I say to him, realizing our past is similar.. I at least life with my aunt.. Him... Well he has no one..

"Don't be." He stood up, relying on the railings I pointed out earlier for supoort. "It's the past." He looked up. "The past is behind we, focus on the future."

"Yeah," I sigh. Looking at the piano.

"Hey." I say quietly, looking at him. "Is it too late to practice a little?" I ask, resting my hand on the piano.

He looked up, utterly confused. He was completely still, but I saw his hand slightly twitch. "You -- You actually want to practice?" He asked.

"As much as I know I'm going to regret it, you did say to be afraid later.. This is me pushing my fear aside.." I answer. "Look, I was being selfish in not wanting to help you for the concert, when you're taking time to mentor me back to what I once was.. So I thought about it... And I will stand by your side no matter how crazy the ride is."

My words made him smile a little.. That's all I wanted.. Was to see this boy smile.. 

Because when he does -- my world just gets that much brighter..