A Soul's Windows

Her slender fingers reach out towards the dark curtains, drawing them just a little bit just so her timid eyes could wander outside. The all-too-familiar square window sat a few feet away from her vision, and so did the boy that occupied it.

He was propped up on the edge and he held an old, battered-down, acoustic guitar in his arms. Her gaze focused on the instrument, studying it intently as she did each time she had the chance.

She felt her jaw drop slightly upon watching his hands move fluidly across the frets and strings. The sound it created eventually reached her ears, giving her a calm feeling. It reminded her of her sweet childhood, when "freedom" was still part of her vocabulary.

The way the strumming and plucking was played gave her a sense of carefree and independence. It felt as if, just by listening, she was brought back to--wait.

It stopped.

Her eyes that unconsciously closed themselves snapped open only to see the boy staring straight at her.

Dark tousled bangs hid half of his caramel brown orbs as a warm and friendly smile crept up his face.

"Hey," one word flew out of his lips causing the half-frozen girl to instantly come back to her senses.

With one quick motion, she pulled her window shut and drew the curtains back to where it was supposed to be. Only now was she aware of her heart jumping into a faster pace. It was strange. It was something that she never really used to feel.

Questions started to fill her mind, inquiring about her actions, when a rough voice sliced through the air and called her name. Well, it wasn't exactly her name, but it was close enough and what she was taught to respond to.

"C-Coming!" She stammered and proceeded to run out of her room, down the stairs and towards the dining room, where she knew the voice came from.

On the other side, the boy still sat on the ledge of his window with his eyes locked on the closed on in front of him. The silence that previously left came back one he had stopped playing his guitar and it started to bother him again.

He let out a sigh, placing his fingers back on the arm of his wooden instrument and started forming a variety of chords that displayed pure intricacy. The girl's beautiful visage stayed in his mind and he couldn't help but feel confused on how she acted.

Nevertheless, another smile appeared on his lips.

The girl's eyes locked with her father's. Well, at this point, she now seemed to look at nothing. Her father's mouth moved and shaped words, yet the only thing that reached her ears was the same calming sound of the boy's guitar.

Though she knew the music emitted from quite far away, it felt as if it was just nearby, judging from the clarity of the sound in her ears.

A voice started to seep into her head, overpowering the guitar's sound. And then soon enough, she could clearly hear her father repetitively shouting more names that he made-up just because he didn't want to say her the one given to her by her mother.

The girl blinked once and her right eye twitched at the sour look the middle-aged man wore.

"Weren't you listening?" Her father asked angrily.

"N-No," she stuttered again as her hands began fiddling nervously under the dining table. Her eyes moved down to look at the round plate of steak and beans, visibly untouched.

A groan of utter annoyance was heard from her father and from her peripheral. her mother could be seen wearing an tired expression. She was still quite young of age, but because of her sunken cheeks and the subtle gray color exhaustion painted on her skin, she's made to look ten years older.

The young girl isn't sure how any of this happened. She can't explain why and how this once almost perfect family suddenly turned into something broken and hopeless.

Maybe, it's the bankruptcy her father experienced, which soon followed with disastrous arguments in the middle of the night. Or maybe, it's because of the fact that her mother is ill, and medical bills are growing more expensive by the second.

Whatever it is, it's making each day harder to live through. Fortunately, every night gave her the chance to hope and pray that things do not take a turn for the worst.

But sadly, hoping and praying only uses words, and words cannot change the fate of reality.

"I said, tomorrow we are leaving. This house is too expensive for us to support and we need to get out of here as soon as possible. We're going to live in another town called, E-Em--something, I don't really know the name. I don't care. I know a relative residing there who is offering us a small apartment to stay in.

Now, tonight, you will pack your bags with only clothes and other necessities. Leave the rest of your things. We don't need all those stupid music sheets on your wall. Throw them away, you understand? And don't even think about bringing that useless piano along with us. I already found a buyer and it's going to be sold the day after tomorrow. Clear?"

"Leave everything?" She spoke in a volume no higher than a whisper.

"Did you not hear anything I said?" He is getting angrier by the second. "I swear--"

"I-I did. I just..." she trailed off.

She didn't care about leaving her current school, nor the friends she learned to make while studying in it.

However, abandoning her most prized possession would be incredibly ridiculous. It would be an act she would've done if she were out of her mind.

The piano is her home. The only object she dared pour her entire soul into. Music was the only thing that kept her sane, hanging on to a loose piece of thread.

She knew that single string was bound to break. She just didn't know it'd happen this soon.

"Are we clear?" Her father repeated, using a harsh tone.

"C-Crystal," she choked out, trying her best to keep in the tears starting to pool in her eyes.

~~

Her soft hazel orbs stayed still on the smooth black and white keys of her piano, obviously holding a gaze of longing. Her hands slowly inched closer towards it only to halt once interrupted by her father's voice.

"Leave it! Stop being so moody and just get over it!"

She sighed, feeling his words sharply impale into her bruised heart. Hesitantly, she stepped away from her piano.

Only a few minutes had passed and the family of three were already standing outside. The girl's parents were busy loading the car so she decided to take her time and give her house one last sad look.

The girl quickly looked away before she could get emotional about leaving her home. Seconds later, she started taking her time to observe the house where the boy lived instead.

Her eyes widened a little, seeing the main door open with him stepping out right after. Miraculously, their eyes met. He smiled but the girl only returned a frown.

"Let's go," her father said.

She breathed out a heavy sigh and turned to the car. She didn't give the boy another glance, fearing his image will hang onto her for a long while, together with his musical piece of nostalgia.

She could see and hear his love for music, and she understood it very well. She didn't want to be reminded of this short memory of him. She is afraid she wouldn't be able to destroy her passion for music.

The engine revved on and her eye's said one last goodbye to everything outside her small car window. Everything except the boy.

He watched the vehicle speed away, disappointment glazing over his soul's own windows. He wasn't able to introduce himself to her.

But that's okay.

"I'll just do it next time, I guess," he mumbled to himself.

He'll do it tomorrow. Surely, she'll be back by then.