The soothing sound of the piano playing woke her sleeping soul. Bella opened her eyes and the bright morning light from her opened windows blinded her sleepy eyes. She reached for her spectacles on her bedside table and got up from her bed to close the curtains. She preferred it when her room was dim. It was unusual, but Bella could see better in the dark. She would only wear her glasses during daytime. By nightfall, her eyes would be better than the hawks that gawk in the skies. She glanced at the digital clock on her bedside table; it was only five-thirty in the morning, but the sky was already so bright.
Bella followed the rhythm of the familiar tune and it led her to the door of her room’s music studio, where her instruments were. She turned the knob and was greeted by a familiar back. Axel was seated in front of the piano and was playing like a professional pianist.
“Clair de Lune,” she whispered under her breath as she watched Axel from behind. She walked closer to him as he played. “Claude Debussy, is that you?”
Axel jumped on his seat and faced Bella with a startled expression. He stared at her for a while as he calmed himself down. Bella only snorted in amusement and replaced him as she sat down the seat. She placed her slender fingers on the keys and played Fur Elise skillfully. It was Axel’s turn to watch her. He smiled in awe as he watched; his eyes focused on Bella’s face. He thought that she looked different in front of the piano. She somehow glowed brighter though the room was a bit dark even with the windows open.
Axel clapped as Bella hit the last key. “Good morning, princess. Did I wake you? Don’t worry, I wasn’t stealing anything.” Bella only replied with a glare. Axel smiled in amusement. “I was actually looking for the bathroom and there were three doors in this humungous room of yours. The first one was a walk-in closet so I had to make a u-turn when I saw all those…um…things.”
“Things? What things?” Bella glared at him and he only laughed nervously as he sheepishly scratched his neck.
“You know, the thing you guys wear that looks like twin cups were attached together. It’s actually more similar to a coconut cut in half.” Axel stopped and coughed awkwardly as he avoided Bella’s piercing glares. “Anyway, I walked into the second door and found this baby,” he said, pointing the grand piano and hugged it like it was his long lost brother.
“You played pretty good,” Bella commented. “I didn’t know you could play,”
Axel laughed, amused. “Of course you don’t know. We just met yesterday.”
Upon hearing Axel’s reply, Bella’s eyes suddenly dilated as she remembered some parts while she was in de Lima’s mansion last night. She stood up and made Axel turn his back on her. She clutched both of his shoulders and made him stay still, her eyes focused on his familiar back.
“What are you doing?” Axel complained. “Do you have a back fetish or something?”
“Shut up,” Bella said as she pushed him down the piano’s seat. “Sit down and play.”
“Do you like my playing that much?” Axel teased.
“Just play.” Bella stood behind him, her eyes still on his back as she tried to remember where she had seen it from.
“Fine,” he said as he placed his fingers on the keys. “I composed this piece myself, but I haven’t finished it yet.”
Axel began to play the keys. The start gave off a nostalgic feel, a wistful melancholia like the voices of spring were waltzing with the butterflies in mid-autumn. It sounded like heartbreak – like seeing oneself being deprived of life, love, and laughter. The sonata of the melancholic nostalgia slowly shifted into a hopeful ballad that bees would sing as they collect nectars from flowers thrown into deathbeds of forgotten souls. It sounded like the voices of the summer rain and morning sunshine were harmonizing for the lovesick skyline. As he went on, the music once again gave off another different ambience. It was now the sound of the sea – calling one’s name into the depths of the ocean; enthralling one’s eyes to witness the waves of life: up and down, but never in the equilibrium; and embracing one’s weakness like how the sea loves the shore even when countless different footprints had marked an imperfect destiny on the world. His music sounded like the flow of life.
Axel’s fingers stopped midway. The music was at its peak, but like he said, he was yet to finish it. As he was about to turn away from the piano, a warm embrace stopped him. He was startled. It was Bella, hugging him from behind. His breath hitched as his heart began to pound rapidly. Bella’s closeness was making him nervous. Her scent sent chills down her spine. She smelt like spring – his favorite season. However, she felt like a withered flower afraid of the rain and sunshine.
“Are you crying?” Axel couldn’t help but ask worriedly when he felt warm drops dripping down his neck.
“I’m sorry…” Bella released him and wiped her tears. “It’s just… your song…” she trailed off as she suppressed a sob. “It was beautiful.”
“You’re more beautiful,” Axel said in his head as he stared up at Bella from his seat.
“What’s happening to me?” Bella held her heart, it was aching.
Axel stood up and assisted her to sit down. “Hey, are you okay?”
“You have to get out of here,” Bella said as she clutched her head with her other hand. Both her heart and head were aching feverishly. “My wolves…they’re…”
Axel kneeled and faced her. “Calm down, princess,” he worriedly said as he placed his hands on Bella’s nape, making her look at him.
Axel’s eyes widened. Bella stared into his surprised emerald eyes. Behind Bella’s spectacles were two different eye colors. The left one was purple, the other was fiery red. Her whole body was hot and her hands felt static. A searing pain was continuously exploding in her head and her heart ached in a suffocating pain. She was catching her breath while trying her best to take control of her body. Both her wolves were battling to win over her spirit.
“Axel, I’m cursed,” she said in between her heavy breathing. “You might die in my hands if you don’t leave me right now.”
“I guess you really have two wolves. I thought the rumors weren’t true.” Axel threw her a smile. “I’m not leaving you until you’re fine. Look at me and calm down.”
“Axel,” she muttered, her face creasing as she endured the inexplicable pain surging through her entirety. “Leave. There’s a secret exit behind my closet. Leave from there.”
“I felt like you cried not because my song was beautiful,” Axel said, ignoring Bella’s orders as he caressed her hair. “I think it’s because you understood me.”
“Axel, please,” she cried. “Leave.”
“Thank you for liking my song, princess.” He hugged her. “Thank you for understanding me.”
Tears once again trailed down Axel’s neck as Bella’s sobs filled the room. She was crying hard. She was pouring all the tears she was too afraid to show. She was crying all the anger she had bottled up inside her suffocated heart. She was letting out all the unsaid words in her head through her sobs. She reciprocated Axel’s embrace as she felt the pain in her body slowly going away. Axel patted her back as she cried between his arms.
“Never think you’re cursed,” he said, “because you’re not.” They both pulled away from each other and Axel cupped her face. “Your imperfection isn’t a curse, princess. Some are just born with extraordinary gifts. You just have to tame it.”
“You don’t remember me, do you?” Bella asked, her electric blue eyes glittering remnants of tears.
“Of course, I do.” Axel smirked. “I never forgot you, princess.”