Forbidden Melody

"Come in please." She leads us inside with clumsy feet. "What tea do you prefer? I have three types."

She's excited and nervous. The way she talks sounds refreshing... Like a girl who has no idea about the world outside and suddenly she meets a bunch of people.

"You look famous too. Yeah like I saw you somewhere." She laughs shyly. "It's just I don't don't watch TV."

"I'm Loretta Knight."

"No way! Now it makes sense. I probably saw you on newspaper. The pianist family. I haven't even introduced myself! I'm Liana. How can I be of help, please?"

"Actually..." I show her Nero's picture. "You know him right?"

She looks deeply at it-her eyes wearing a melancholic nostalgic gleam.

"You were his classmate right?" Aiden asks this time.

"Nereus..." She releases a breath. "How could I forget him..?"

"Then tell us anything you have to say about him," I ask. "Like the way he was and..."

She let out a clear laugh. I catch a wallowing sadness in that laugh. "He hated me."

Did she like him?

"We were mostly on competitive terms. Similar position, same grades... He called me plain one time. He was right though," she said. "He was a natural and I... worked hard to be like him. I wanted to. But people liked us both which I believe he didn't like."

"If you know of any places where he used to go for a change or you know..?" I ask again.

"Is he gone somewhere?" Liana asks with a perturbed expression.

"In a way. Please can you give us anything?"

"He never allowed me to accompany him. I wanted to but... He was-"

"A lone wolf?" I add.

Liana nods. "Young talented and beautiful. yet...so alone...brooding. You know Loretta, many girls tried. But he was just not interested in those things. At some point I came to conclusion that perhaps he already got someone in his heart."

She takes a sudden pause. But continues again, "often on weekends he'd leave the campus and return several days later. I asked one-time... He said, 'It's a place that clings to my soul without my consent. We often go back to places from where we wanted to run...and we succeeded.'"

She said again, "I didn't understand what he meant back then. There you go. What I have of Nereus are these little memories."

"Thank you Liana for your time. Really," I said.

"Has something bad happened? Is he okay?" Liana asks worriedly.

I force an innocent smile. "He's just a little upset with us."

"His phone? Is he not picking up?" She asks again.

"Not reachable," I add. "We're family and we can't help worrying about him."

"I never knew Nereus had family...and so beautiful too. He was such a... Ugh... There's not even a proper word to describe someone like him."

Her details of Nero has piqued my interest more. I need to know what was wrong in his life. Like, was he suffering?

"Loretta... I think we should leave now." Aiden taps my forearm with his finger.

"Alright Liana. Thanks again. Goodbye."

"See you again someday Loretta," Liana says happily. "I feel glad that I got to meet Nero's family. It's been like ages since I saw him last. Knowing he got people worried about him is a relief."

••••

My mind swirls back to her words. 'Places from where we wanted to run...' From where?

"Hey... The food's going cold." Aiden's voice draws me back to the current state of my mind. It's 9.30p.m and we're sitting in a diner. And I'm still not hungry.

"Ah yes.. I was just..."

"Want me to feed you instead?"

"Huh?"

When I look up he's holding the spoon near my mouth. "Quick. Now do I have to say aa-aah?"

I feel my face heating up. "You-you don't have to."

"I want to."

Ah his face looks adorable! Does he still have the same feelings? But I don't sense any cheesy romantic vibes from him. As if he just wants to return the favour I'm doing him. Is this the start of a good relationship? I never had any friends before.

I let him feed me. Some girls and couples stares this way but it doesn't bother me. Whatever crazy love Loretta had for Aiden or anyone-I never experienced in my life so it's difficult to tell...

••••

When we part ways it's almost midnight. I can't believe Aiden did all the driving. He must be tired. Tomorrow, Levi will want to come with me. I guess Aiden can take a break. Suddenly these guys have become something I never had. It surprises me everytime I think of that.

I try to open the door as noiselessly as possible but the first thing I see is Levi's frowned face and crossed arms.

"Seriously? It's 12a.m. Loretta."

I quiver under his intimidating gaze. "I... It's a long day Levi. It was quite productive too." I make a sorry face.

"I'm tired. Everyone's asleep right?"

"No. Myria was awake fifteen minutes ago. Now I don't know. I'm going upstairs."

I follow him quietly. He goes to his room.

I undo the long jacket and hang it loosely on the chair. He won't leave it that easily.

"You're going to tell me what happened today." His voice makes me tremble. I didn't hear him come. 

"Levi! Just leave me for ten seconds gosh! I need to change."

He examines me from head to toe and his fierce gaze pierce through my heart causing it to pound rapidly. Instead of leaving he unashamedly saunters towards me. My hands which was still behind my back attempting to undo the zip of the short one piece, freezes. Oh no!

He catches my hands with one of his hands then pulls the thin zip of my dress with his index.

"Wh-what are you..?"

"Shhh..." He brings his lips closer to my ear. "Aren't you tired?" He whispers.

Suddenly he turns me back to face him. "Why don't you take a bath first? It'll relax you." He releases me. "I'll be waiting in my room."

Gah! I scurry to the bathroom with tippy toes. I feel my insides bubbling like boiled water. What's this excitement?

Once inside, I open the door slightly to peek into my room. There I see him sitting on the bed crossing his legs. I shut the door again. Ahhh! Why were you awake anyway? Why did he do that?

Finally I get to rest my back on the bed. Ahm..my muscles are stiff.

He lies next to me. "You can sleep now. I'll hear all about it tomorrow," he says.

"What about you?"

"Oh I'm going to sleep as well unless... You'd like me to watch you while you sleep."

"Levi!" My cheeks redden but I ignore it. "What're you saying..." I pinch his arm lightly. "No thanks. I can't afford having you with baggy eyes. I'm not that cruel."

He gets up awkwardly as if he wasn't expecting me to brush it off so coolly. "I guess I'll leave you then."

He hopes down when I catch his hand. "Levi-"

"Yeah?"

"If I stay here alone tonight... My head won't let me grab a bit of sleep," I state with a hint of request.

He pushes a wet lock away from my eyes. "I will stay..." His voice hoarse and smooth at the same time. "As long as you need Loretta...with you. I only need you to stop overthinking."

••••

There's a broken door. It's old-covered in soot and dust. Facing the door stands a tall figure. From his back side I realise he's just a young man. I'm standing five feet away from him. The sky is darkened with thunder clouds. The guy takes a step backward. I ask, "Why are you standing there? Who are you?"

"Do you know why I'm here?" He turns back at me. 

Nero!!

"Do you have any idea what I had to go through Loretta?" His blistering voice emanates contempt. "You were born on lotus petals with golden spoon in your mouth. Oh Loretta, how could you ever know?" 

He's now very close to me. He grabs my shoulder then digs into my skin roughly. "You never realised! You never returned my affection. You never had it for anyone. You're selfish, cruel and ignorant. Someone who considers that the world revolves around them."

"Nero... It hurts."

His hand now goes behind my neck and he takes a fistful of my hair-his breathing like fire into my face.

Suddenly the darkness dissipates and I see Levi towering over my body. "Loretta are you alright?" He sits me up. "You were trembling in your sleep. I had to shake you. Are you okay?"

I open my eyes widely to get hold of my surroundings. "A dream..." I run my hand through my hair. A faint ache remains in the back of my head.

He peers down at my face. "Hey, what's the matter?"

"Nero... I saw him, Levi."

I only saw him in pictures. A guy I never saw before in front of me. How come he's in my dream? More importantly he accused me-of being selfish, cruel. Why?

"Tell me about it."

"It wasn't very clear." I say to avoid telling him every detail. It can't be possible that these were Loretta's previous memories. She's dead. Whatever she felt for him or did to him-it has nothing to do with me. She was a real bitch...she should be in hell. I don't care. Still, I can't help feeling curious. Whatever idea I've gotten till now about her character, I don't know how to say it- I'm intrigued by her evil nature.

I drink some water then look at the clock. I was off for only four hours. "I need to find him asap Levi. It's a sign... That I'll be able to join the pieces in order."

"What do you mean?" He asks.

Should I tell him that Loretta didn't even try to commit suicide? It was someone else. But that will make things more complicated if the word gets out-it will be harder for me to find the culprit.

"Levi I don't think I'll be able to sleep back again" I lie down facing him.

He stares back at me. "Then tell me what happened with Aiden's case. Who knows, you'll be drowsy again if you talk a while and relax."

"Aiden and I went to the academy where Nero studied Art."

"Ugh even talking about Aiden brings Nero." You don't have to talk anymore Loretta.

"It's okay. I'm fine now. We talked to the teachers. Gathered some of his batchmates' number and we visited them. They all said similar things about Nero. He was underrated despite being perfect."

"I've seen so." He opines. "People these days have no taste for real stuffs."

"I wonder..."

"What?" He curiously blinks at me.

"What did you want to do in life Levi? I mean there's still time."

He boops my nose. "Some other time."

"Why?" But I don't probe him further and finish telling him the rest.

He listens very attentively but I yawn. "Guess your idea worked."

"Good. Now sleep. Tomorrow we'll have to go again."

"But to where..."

"We'll find a way."

But Levi's words along with Nero's dream kept playing in my head. I wake up at 6.35 of the morning again. The first thought that comes is to check the box.

I find Levi sleeping soundly beside me. I leave the room without making a sound. I remove the cloth wrapped around it. A small bronze box decorated with colored papers. It has a lock too. I have to break it now.

I get a hammer then start hitting on it.

Suddenly I feel a breath on my shoulder and the lock breaks open.

"You sneak up on me quite often Levi."

He doesn't look like he minds my words. Instead he questions, "What's in there? What are you hiding?"