He searched the halls for her the next day. He looked everywhere for a glimpse of black hair and did a double take at every girl that had a similar hairstyle. His friends took notice of his unusual behavior, taking the opportunity to pick on him while he’d just smile and shake his head.  The entire day he couldn’t get the song out of his head. The melodious tune was playing in his head over and over again, it made him restless. He felt like there was something missing in the song. He found the piece beautiful indeed but he thought that maybe it needed something, something extra to make it all the more extravagant.

He wasn’t the kind to bunk classes but then again, he had been doing a lot of things recently that weren’t a part of his norm. He found a wooden bench in the secluded garden and made himself comfortable. The tune had embedded itself into his brain and refused to get out. After nights of replaying the piece in his head it suddenly hit him, like an epiphany. He knew just the thing that would make the song perfect. He spent hours composing a tune that would match perfectly with the piano. He didn’t know why he was so anxious about this. It was just a song played by a random girl who he didn’t see again. This is what surprised him the most though. He had searched every corridor and every class yet he still couldn’t find a trace of the girl with jet black hair. He shook his head and heaved a sigh before he ran his fingers through the cords once then twice before he started strumming the tune that he had played countless times already.

He straightened his back after the last note and stretched with a yawn. He stopped mid way though when he heard almost inaudible shuffling coming from behind him and he was almost able to see an escaping figure.

The figure of a girl.

A girl with jet black hair.

Chasing her, he knew he lost her after he turned the corner. She just vanished. He could have sworn he saw her, but then where was she? It couldn’t possibly have taken him that long to catch up considering he’s the vice- captain of the soccer team. He let out a heavy sigh; maybe his mind was playing tricks on him. Sighing for the third time that day, he his heels and walked towards the cafeteria with slumped shoulders.

She exhaled as she saw his disappearing figure from behind the corner. Her heart was thumping hard in her chest and she could still feel the adrenaline rushing through her system. She was scared. She was afraid he’d see her, she was afraid he’d ask her questions. What would she reply with? She couldn’t. She couldn’t answer any of his questions. She built the reputation of an introvert for a reason, to avoid any kind of contact with any of her school mates. That was in her view, the best way. Today she almost blew her cover, and she won’t let that happen again.

Now if only her aunt would think the same. She was burning holes in the woman’s head and had mentally cursed several times already because the woman was just not cooperating. Her aunt was the only one willing to look after her dear sister’s precious daughter. Her other relatives had blatantly refused and were even audacious to enough to state that her cold behavior would get her nowhere. She paid no heed to their petty comments for she was fighting a more difficult battle, one that not many people were aware of. Her aunt however, brushed off the child’s glare, being too used to it and preceded with conversing with the head teacher of music department. With the school’s annual winter festival soon approaching, preparations were being made along with negotiations of a special performance by the seniors.

“One representative from every club would be lovely and I’m sure you know how well my niece can play.”
“ Yes I am aware of her skills and I would love to have her in the performance. I’ve heard her play during our class and she is exceptional. And as for the candidates, I have just the people. I’ll send them to your office in a moment.”

And with one handshake between her private tutor and her aunt, she knew she couldn’t do anything about the situation. Seeing the glare of her niece, the principal’s smile instantly fell. She knew what the girl had been struggling through and she let her have her way for almost 2 years now. But her aunt refused to let her ruin herself any longer and stepped in before the girl could succumb further into the pit of darkness that was nothing but cold and lonely.

“Honey, I’m doing this for you. How long do you think you can stay like this? Look at you, you have no friends, you look like the walking dead and you have this amazing talent, why won’t you showcase it?”

She didn’t reply, instead kept staring at the older lady as if she expected her to see the answer to her question herself. The woman sighed, but she wasn’t going to let her go that easily. She needed to overcome the incident from 2 years ago.

“Look. All you have to do is collaborate with a few people for one performance, just one. This is your final year in high school and I want you to leave with at least a pinch of happiness from your last days here. Please?”

Stuffing earplugs she turned away from her aunt and walked back to the single sofa in her office. Her aunt, stood defeated but she was determined to have her participate whether she liked it or not. It pained her to see the little flower she saw prospering beautifully all these years, wither away leaving a remainder of thorns. She didn’t want that future for her niece.  The buzzing of her phone caught her attention. It wasn’t the text sent by the teacher she conversed with a few moments ago indicating the arrival of the senior talents that made her jump in joy, rather it was the second text that was sent by her niece that read said 3 words she’s been dying to get out from her, “I’ll do it.”

Walking down the hall way towards the principal’s office with his friends he wondered what they had done. Their teacher didn’t bother to mention why the principal had suddenly wanted to meet them. They mentally replayed every deed they had done earlier the day and yet still came out blank. Twisting the door knob, he pushed open the door and was greeted with a sight of a bone crushing hug. The woman, he assumed it to be their principal, had a girl enveloped in a bear hug which looked rather painful by the looks of it. He could see the victim squirming inside the hold and caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a strand of jet black hair. The hair that he was certain belonged to the anonymous piano player he had been searching for. While his friends were gaping at their principal’s unprofessional behavior, he was too busy absorbing the fact that he had finally found the girl.

“Uh……”

His friend’s interruption caused the woman to jerk up and unclasp her hold on the girl in the process while also snapping the boy out back to reality. Their principal smiled sheepishly and straightened her clothing while speaking short sentences of apology before she explained the reason for their arrival. While the lady explained, he could not help but sneak glances at the girl. He had found her. He couldn’t believe it himself. The only time he was brought out of his daze was when his friend nudged him for not paying attention.

“And if you boys don’t mind, I’d like her to join the performance as well. She’s my niece and I expect you all to take care of her.” She ended with a smile and looked around form the boys to her niece who still had her earplugs on. Her aunt took the liberty to pull them out by the cord, earning yet another glare from the girl, however this time he aunt retaliated with her own. The girl narrowed her eyes before sighing in defeat and turned towards the stunned boys, giving each of them a nod of acknowledgement. She froze as she caught the eyes of the last boy and her eyes automatically widened. She remembered him, she still remembers her reckless move and she only hopes that he doesn’t remember.

“I don’t remember seeing you around school. Are you new here?” his brown haired friends asked. He expectantly looked towards the girl, hoping for a response but he wasn’t in luck since her aunt answered for her. “She’s actually been going here for a while now. She just takes special classes. She doesn’t speak much. I hope you don’t mind” she added with a nervous chuckle. The boys nodded their heads in acknowledgement and continued with their questions for the festival while his eyes were glued to the girl. She felt nervous under his gaze. It felt like he could see right through her that he could read her soul and see her secret that she tried so hard to hide. She felt vulnerable and she didn’t like it.

The ride back home was silent as usual. However, unlike before she was actually thinking about something other than what happened two years ago. In fact, she was thinking of the event that occurred merely two weeks ago. She remembered the way he looked at her, like he had seen her before, but she was positive that he didn’t see her face. Then why did he look at her like that. There was a knowing look in his eyes that made her feel self conscious. He knew something, she was sure of it. The only thing driving her off the edge was what. What did he know about her?

“Hana? Darling were you even listening to me?” she looked back at her aunt who pulled her back from her reverie with a blank look. Her aunt gave her a worried look before she brought her arm up to pat her head affectionately. “I know you don’t want to do this but trust me, you really need to get out of your shell and this is the only way, I’m sorry darling.” She gave her aunt an assuring smile and pulled her arm back from her head and continued to look out the window. She knew she had to get out her shell. She just didn’t know how to.