Behind That Door

16 Years Back

I held out my hands from the safety of the mansion to feel the rain. A giggle escaped my lips when teeny tiny raindrops descended on my hands in quick succession. Like the bubbly child that I was, I sprinted down the stairs and ran towards the garden to dance under the rain. I knew I was going to get punished for it later on but the opportunity was too tempting to pass.

Without caring about the consequences, I jumped in the puddle, kicked the soiled water in all directions, and twirl around, completely oblivious to a set of brown eyes watching me secretly with keen interest. I didn't know you were there, hiding behind that giant tree. Nor did I know that I had caught your interest also. You should have come out of your hiding the instant you saw me but you didn't. You took your own sweet time observing me playing with the rain. What were you thinking, Ethan? Why were you watching me like that? With so much interest and adoration. 

Unmindful of your undivided attention, I frolicked in circles all the while giggling at the stupid rain. I liked the rain more than sunny days. And from that day on I started loving it and the reason was you, Ethan. It only took me years to realize that. 

Still spinning with my eyes closed, I didn't notice you stepping out of your hiding and walking over to me. You resembled a moth drawn to a flame. I was your flame.

You stopped two feet away from me, waiting for me to notice you. But how could I? My eyes were closed. When you realized that they were going to find you in a few minutes, you decided to take things into your own hand because there was no way you were going to leave without letting me know that you exist and that I belong to you.

You leaped into the puddle and tapped on my shoulder. The soft-touch of your fingers had me stilled. I was expecting my Mom to be standing behind me to give me an earful.

The rain was cascading in earnest, interrupted occasionally by the crackling sound of the thunder. I turned around definitely not expecting to meet the love of my life. The one true passion of my soul. I had no expectation of meeting you that day. But as they say, the best thing happens when you least expect them to. There you were standing, dripping wet from head to toes. Your wet brown locks were covering your forehead but thankfully, they fell short of your hypnotizing brown orbs, allowing me to see them. 

Do you remember, that we didn't talk for a good ten seconds, just kept staring into each other's eyes? You were peering down at me through your heavy lashes and I was looking up at you with a confused expression. My curiosity to know more about the little boy compelled me to withdraw from our cute staring contest and study your appearance. You were wearing a cream-colored shirt and black jeans. And very expensive-looking shoes that you had ruined the moment you joined me in the puddle. I also noticed a red rose that you were clenching in your right hand. You must have plucked it just now from this garden. Were you nervous? But why? And why were you holding a rose? I didn't have to wait long to find out, though.  

You answered my unasked question when you held it out for me. There was no expression on your face but your eyes spoke volume. 

I accepted your rose that held a promise. The meaning of which I learned 16 years later. It must have been quite a sight. A ten-year-old boy giving a rose to a six-year-old girl in the rain. Quite romantic, eh? For a second you made me forget about everything but us. What was that secret power of yours? 

I was tempted to ask you your name or maybe just to hear your voice but for some reason, I remained quiet. The full-blown rose was looking quite giant in my tiny hands but, surprisingly, there was no thorn on it. Did you remove them for me, Ethan? Of course, you did. 

I settled on saying thank you but you beat me to it. And said those words that continue to echo in my head to this day. 

"Will you be my friend?" You asked me. Hesitation clear in your voice. I was taken aback by your innocent request. No one had asked me to be their friend before. You were the first.  Actually, you became my first for many things.  

I was tongue-tied wondering why did you want to be my friend. Did you not have any? Despite being the only son of the owner of the mansion, why did you want to be a friend with a maid's daughter? Why were you not revolted by my unkempt appearance? Why didn't you turn up your nose at my dirty dress and soiled feet? I was barefoot. 

Your eyes peering into mine. I could see hope blazing in them and something else too that I couldn't really decipher as I was too young to understand those feelings at that time. 

Yes. I wanted to be your friend. I had my answer on the tip of my tongue when someone grabbed you by your arm. 

"Leave me," you bellowed irritatingly. You struggled to get out of the hold of the bulky man who was holding you in place. 

"Let me go," you tried again but the man with the giant frame ignored you. He pulled you up in his arms and took you back into the mansion. 

"What are you doing here, little girl? Scram back to your home," the bulky man said to me in a business tone.  

You screamed, thrashed, and even tried to sink your teeth into his arms but to no avail. The man was too strong and tall in comparison to you. I stood rooted to my spot, seeing him dragging you away from me. You didn't want to go and I didn't want you to go, not at least before you had my answer. I tightly clenched the rose just the way you did before you had given it to me. Was I nervous, no? An acrid was swirling in the middle of my chest. Right where I was feeling fuzzy a few moments ago. And I didn't know how to make it go away.

But before he took you inside the mansion, your eyes found me and fastened themselves with my blue orbs, making my heart skip a beat. That was the first time it had happened. The first time, I felt a heart inside me. And just like that, you disappeared behind that mansion's door.  

That was the last time I saw you. 

I heard they were keeping you locked behind a door as an evil spirit had found its home inside you. I also learned that the evil spirit residing inside you had made you kill your father and two maids. Your action forced your family to admit that letting you stay out was no more a safe option and so your family deemed it fit to keep you caged inside a room.  

Now I understood why were you hiding that day. You were hiding from that bulky man who wanted to put you back in that room. 

I heard people calling you a murderer, an abomination, a curse on your parents and believed that killing you was only the way out. But thankfully, your family didn't agree with that. They wanted you to be alive no matter how many sins you had committed.   

Come to think of it, I wonder was it you who wanted to be my friend or the evil spirit living inside you? What is your story, Ethan? Are you as innocent as your family claims you to be or did you enjoy committing those crimes just the way the spirit living inside you did?   

If only I knew there was more to what met the eyes. If only I knew. 

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