Enthrall

Habit

She caresses her long browned hair as she shuffles along her playlist found on her phone. She then listened to songs she just downloaded recently, through loud speakers found around her room. It was another calming weekend for her as she gazes to the window.

"Emma!"

Somebody called out for her outside.

Her eyes twitches with annoyance as she then went downstairs to check who it was, it wasn't a familiar voice for her which made her more annoyed. She then unlocked the door with her face unhappy, it wasn't someone she was expecting to see, it was one of her classmate, categorized as the arrogant but talented female in her class. Face covered up with thick make-up.

"I'm here to inform you that you have an unreturned book from the library and I was sent here to take it."

She stated.

Emma then rolled her eyes and stomped her way back to her room, got the book she wasn't even able to finish reading back to her.

"Here. Take it."

"Thanks, and by the way, there's a new guy joining our school and I would like you to stay away from him."

Emma knew what happened, last year was chaotic but she already forgot about it, well, now she remembers it again.

"I don't plan on repeating what I've done, and it was just an accident."

Emma shot back as she then slams the door. She can hear her classmate grumble as she left.

She sat on the floor and leaned unto the door. She sighed for a moment but then stood up. She left her music playing in her room which was her habit. She smiled and followed the melody which was like calling her to come back.

Sunday

She went out with her hair tied up into a bun. She wore a tank top with her shorts and a small shoulder bag for her phone, and money. She was headed to San Gaetano Church, a church found in Padua, Italy, where she lives. She was headed there not to pray but to do her duty. She wasn't forced for she volunteered because this is only way to have money. She started working there as a sweeper when she was thirteen, four years from now, she sweeps alone, never talked to anyone there and wasn't even interested. She then arrived and made sure someone saw her so that she wouldn't be cleaning without anything out of it. Somebody did and wrote it on his notebook, it was Darwin, one of the knights of the altar who checks volunteers like Emma. She glances at him for a moment and headed off to get a wet cloth to wipe the confessional booths. She was there all afternoon with Darwin keeping an eye on her, after thirty minutes, she then headed off outside to sweep dried leaves around the church, it took her one hour to do it, and then her duty was finally done. She sat at a chair found outside as she then got her phone, checked the time and sighed. She got a missed call from her Mom, but she didn't want to hear her mom's voice right now. She then got her earphones out and attached it on her phone. She began playing songs she admired like Piano instrumentals. She then didn't realized, she dozed off, because of that she was woken up by Darwin with a frustrated look on his eyes as he took off her earphones and unplug it from her phone.

" Go home, its getting late."

He ordered as his hands was clutching on the cross he had around his neck, A rosary. She then got out from her chair and apologized to him and headed off.

Home again. Her mom was scolding her again but she didn't care, it was already a habit of her, it was like her ears automatically became mute when it was her mom scolding her, when she was done, Emma only replied with a smile on her face saying,

"I'm back, Mom."

Her mom began scolding her more but she stood up and headed towards her room, shut the door closed and squatted on the floor. She clutched on her bag and tried to look for her earphones but it was nowhere found inside her bag. She looked under her pillow, her bed and on her shelves, but it was gone, she then remembered, she left it back at the church.

"Damn!"

She stated as she got out from her room, into the exit of her house and ran towards the church.

"Emma! Where do you think you're going!?"

Her mom yelled although she ignored it.

Finally, she arrived at the church again. She went to where she was seated before and it was there, undamaged and present. She then exhaled a satisfied sigh and smiled, as she was about to turn, she heard a familiar tone, it wasn't clear but it was coming from inside the church. She slowly stepped forward near the entrance, the melody became clear and then realized it was a melody she recognizes the most, it was her favorite track, Nocturne no. 20 by Frederic Chopin, her eyes went wide. She then peeked to find to where the pianist was, and finally saw him, but unfortunately, she only saw his back for he was facing towards the altar. She knew there was a piano found in front of the seats but never did she saw someone playing it. He wore a checkered shirt, his hair colored light brown and he was tall, but he was slouching that time, which made her think he'd be three times taller than her. He was nothing like Darwin, he played fluently and accordingly. She never heard a live performance of a piano for she never knew how to play it, ironic. She was watching until the last note of the piece was hit, afterwards he stood up which made her flinch and did one of her reflexive action, to hide. She can hear his footsteps echoing around the quiet church and then gone. She waited for a few minutes before peeking again and he was absolutely gone.

"Will he ever come back again? If so, I'll add 'peeking' as my habit."

She stated as she headed home with her earphones wrapped around her hand.