Within Your Heart

4| sostenuto

a/n: 

i'm so sorry this is such a late update, i keep apologizing and i know it's pathetic of me, but i'm truly sorry. i had been busy during the last days of ramadan and then the feast, but here i am, though! i was so stunned that there're new readers giving this story attention. your comments are what made me write this chapter, really, so thank you lots for that !

also, i entered this story in camp nano this july. a little late, too, so i think you could expect another update in the next three days, fingers crossed. another thing, if you have any songs relatable to this story, please do comment! 

enjoy :)!

4 

S O S T E N U T O

[ sustained; a slowing of tempo ]

I'm rendered speechless for a while, not knowing what to do since I've never put in such situations before. I open my mouth once then close it shut, a hesitant smile curving to my lips that I direct it at him with a simple shrug as an apologize for raising my voice earlier.

          "It was me," I admit, my tone even. He blinks at me faster than before, raising his eyebrows. I clear my throat. "It was me who was laughing minutes ago. Sorry for that."

          The boy purses his lips and shrugs, his face giving the vibe that shouts as if I care. He turns to Hailey and frowns. "What're you doing here?"

          Hailey raises one eyebrow and shakes her head in disbelief. She faces me and draws a grim smile on her face, sitting and leaning to whisper in my ear, "That is the Gloomy One: Evan Charleston."

          I can't help blinking at her then snorting in exasperation. At least now I know the boy's name. It feels all kinds of weird that I now know his name, and I was the one who thought would never cross roads with him. But knowing that he is all alive and breathing now is filling me with relief more than anything.

          "So Evan here's gonna make us breakfast," Hailey flicks her thumb in Evan's direction, wiggling her eyebrows at him. If it weren't Hailey, I would swear she's flirting with him, but the unimpressed expression on Evan's face tells me he's used to her antics. "Oh, this is Ember, by the way – my best friend." Hailey continues, jabbing a finger to the side of my head.

          "Hey," I say, standing and extending my hand without further thought. "Nice to meet you."

          He steps closer to the other side of the table slowly, looking all kinds of bored and – wrecked. I barely make out that his eyes are a deep shade of blue as they are shadowed by dark circles under them, his hair jet black and falling on his forehead messily. He shakes my hand once, giving me a fleeting look that has never dare tell anyone in flashing red signs. I don't have any intentions of doing so, anyways, but I swallow hard.

          When he pulls away, he glances at Hailey. "I'm not making anything, by the way."

          Hailey elbows my head again that I throw a glare at her. "He makes the best pancakes on earth, no joke."

          A look of disgust naturally makes its way to my face before I can hold it back. I then shift my eyes to Evan who gives me a surprised look.

           "Don't mind me – "

           But then he's turning away before I can finish my sentence and shaking his head to himself.