“Elina,” I recited her name.
I was lying down on my simple white bed, looking at the ceiling, hugging a white pillow with my right arm upon my chest. My thoughts were focused on her face – her dazzling blonde hair, her lovely smile, and those dark green eyes.
“Have you met the new girl?” asked my father, stretching his still young arms as he entered my bedroom. He stopped in front of me.
“I was just thinking about her,” I responded gently and confidently, pushing out of my mind the reactions that were possible.
“Why don’t you give her a ride on your white horse?” suggested my father with a simper.
“An excellent suggestion, Mr. Riddenwood,” I replied with a smile, taking it as a joke.
“I always gave your mother a ride on my white horse,” he continued, murmuring, making his way out of the room.
“Dad,” I paused, caught in wonder, “What’s your point?”
And he was gone.
Chapter 2 – The Ball
I was fourteen, and I grew closer and closer to Elina. It had been lonely being the only teenager in this place until I met her, who is younger than me by one year. But that was no big deal. What really mattered was that there was a girl who I got to share and tell stories with. Elina, she was my only friend.
That day was our birthday. That’s right. We have the same birthday only I was born at dawn, and she was born at night, and like what I said, I’m older by one year. We were at my home, and she was playing Canon in D for me on the piano. I never knew she could. And she did better than me. The same intro, the same verses, the same choruses – all was perfect. I couldn’t help but smile while she was scowling at the keys of the piano.
The piano was old. It was my father’s and he just kept playing it so it would stay in tune. Actually, it was my grandfather’s, the one who built the stables himself, and gave our family line a ‘stable’ income.
Left hand – low Re: Right hand – High La, Re, and Fa-sharp, Elina finished playing the beautiful piano piece. There was applause. She stood up from the wooden stool and came to me, smiling.
“How was it?” asked Elina eagerly as she kept her smile.
“Perfect!” I exclaimed, really impressed by her performance. “Thank you, Elina.”
“Thank you,” she happily replied, “You’re good at the violin too, you know?”
She remembered. It was already a year ago and she remembered...the first and last time she had heard me playing the violin. She didn’t give any remark at that time. She suddenly took my hand and pulled me away.
“Come on!” she exclaimed as she dragged.
Excitement was obvious from her.
“What?” I asked, surprised.
“Get your violin and come with me,” she continued.
“Why?” I asked, but with a bigger expression of question this time.
“You’re gonna be playing the same song for me!” told Elina in an excited manner, and she dragged me off again.
- - - ♥ - - -
Elina held the case of my instrument as I helped her get on the saddle of my horse at the field just outside the stables.
“This is my first time riding a horse, especially a white one,” said Elina, looking down at me.
“Yah, I forgot to give you a ride last year,” I spoke with humor.
I jumped up and took the front place on Shard. Yes, Shard was my horse’s name. I rubbed Shard’s hair and told him to go.
“Glide, Shard,” I ordered.
The horse ran very fast, surprising both Elina and me. I grabbed the grip and Elina embraced my stomach as the horse ran. It gave me an awkward feeling at first, but then I found it comforting. Dad waved from behind and shouted ‘Happy Birthday to you two!’
“Your horse can understand you!?” asked Elina with a big surprise.
“Yes!” I shouted so that she can hear me.
- - - ♥ - - -
Finally, we reached the place, and I let her dismount first before I did. She tapped off on her pink dress, which I just noticed, and pulled me eagerly into the door. I looked down on my attire and sighed. Luckily, I was wearing something considerably and acceptably decent. It was a black long-sleeved polo my father gave me for my last birthday.
I realized that we entered through the secret entrance which led to the ball room. There were people thrice as many as my visitors earlier. Her parents must be somewhere conversing with the most important guests.
Elina, who managed to resist everyone’s attention, took me to the stage which was just beside us. She told me to play without anyone’s consent. She stayed beside me, looking as beautiful as ever. There were white-clothed tables in front of me, and the floors are all covered in red carpet. There was a stupendous Grand Piano beside me too, with intimidating white color. My heart pounded faster with each second, with each look I give to things around me. I glanced at Elina and took my instrument off the case. I put the bow slowly on the strings, hands slightly trembling, and I started playing…again.
I played the song again, the one that was my mother’s favourite, the one Elina played for me on the piano. I played just like how I played the song on my violin the day of my mother’s death anniversary. The very first sound of my violin ceased the people’s chatter.
There was the intro again, and the verses, and the choruses. And, finally, there came the ending. I was relieved! That day was so lucky! I did not make a mistake! And, for the first time in my violin-playing history, I heard applause from a crowd. Well, I know that dad and a few others clapped for me, but, it was nothing compared to this.
Then, out of nowhere, Elina’s father, I think, came onto the stage. Blonde, tall, and intimidating, he stopped in front of me and Elina.
“Hello, dad!” greeted Elina to him happily.
“Who is this?” asked her father.
“Haniel, sir,” I said, readying for a handshake, “Haniel Riddenwood”
“I wasn’t talking to thee,” said her father rudely but with a respectful tone.
I stepped a foot backwards, avoiding myself to get noticed, though.
“What’s with the Archaic English?” I asked, whispering to Elina, my head was slightly leaned toward her.
“Oh,” exclaimed Elina, also whispering, “It’s sorta the formal language here.”
“Oh,” I whispered back.
“I apologize to thee, sire,” I said politely to Elina’s father, nervous as I said it.
“Hey, Mr. Eliot~,” Elina spoke in a musical tone, towards her father.
“Stop such disrespect, Elina!” hissed Elina’s father silently but seriously.
“Oh, well,” said Elina, in a happy manner, while she spun forward and stopped in front of her father.
“Good afternoon, father,” she continued, in the same manner, “This is my friend, Haniel Riddenwood, who was born during the same day I was, only, a year older.”
“Pleased to meet thee, Mr. Chancellight,” I spoke, politely, as I readied for a handshake.
“Pleased to meet such a decent, young man,” replied Elina’s father, as he was finally shaking my hand.
I’ll try and get to the next chapter ASAP, okay? ^_^
