DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Sound of Music and it's characters. :)
Maria was sitting next to a young man, helping him in his homeworks.
"Stefan, how's your school? You'll be graduating soon, I'm so happy." the young man's face lit up before answering his guardian. "It's good! I'm excited too, Fraulein Maria."
"That's good to hear. What happened to your examination in the University you like?" Maria told the boy she governs.
"Still no results, Fraulein. It makes me worried." he said while reading his school book, his face frowned.
"Do you think you passed it?" she asked, looking for a glimpse of hope in his face. She knows how Stefan wants to be successful someday. She heard him whispered "I hope so. I need to". It made her wonder since she never pressured him with his studies.
"Uhh, No... I- I forgot. I need to go somewhere, Fraulein." A confused and panicking expression in Stefan's face made Maria's eyebrows rise.
"Okay. Take Care. Be back before sunset." was all she said.
"Yes, Fraulein! I'll be back soon." The boy grabbed his hat and rode his bike to his destination.
"I wonder where that boy goes. It's like he needs to leave every day after school or every weekend." Maria thought.
She started to clean Stefan's desk. It was loaded with paper work from school. When Maria was tidying his books, a paper slipped and fell onto the floor. She picked it up and became curious in what she saw.
"A painting of the hill? Stefan never paints." As she looks more to the picture, she remembered something familiar.
"Where did Stefan get this?" She stocked this question into her head, waiting for a right time to ask Stefan about it.
After an hour and a half, Stefan came back. Maria was preparing their dinner that time. He helped her in preparing the food. In the middle of eating, Stefan cuts the silence. "Fraulein Maria… I received a letter this morning from Aunt Rosi."
"Oh your Mother's sister?"
"Yes. They are asking me to do something." his voice sounds like hesitating. Maria now looked at him. She sensed something serious with it.
"Uhh, nevermind. They're just asking how am I." She knew he doesn't want to talk with it so she only let him change the topic.
"Okay. Good thing they're still connected with you." Maria said. He then started his story.
"Yes. They took care of me after Mother and Father died when I was young. When I was 12, I left and lived on my own here until you took care of me since 2 years ago."
"The abbey asked me to take care of you since you're alone." Maria fills in his story.
"Yes. I'm grateful they gave me a guardian who knows me even before they take care of me. Remember when you became my teacher, Fraulein? The whole class was cheering whenever you said it was singing time then sometimes, a sister will come to us and say 'be quiet' because we're disturbing the other classes." Stefan laughs as he visualizes those days. Maria smirks as she remembers those troubles in the abbey school.
"Oh. I miss your classmates. That's when you were in the 6th grade, right?" She smiled as she reminisces those days of training as a postulant.
Stefan was silent for a few moments. He was thinking of a question that was never answered. "Fraulein Maria, you never told me what happened to you when you left the abbey."
Maria paused for a while then replied, "I told you I was assigned to another job. Sister Charlotte told you too, right."
"Yes, I know that. But where?" His eagerness to know raised. It's big question for him since Maria became his guardian. She only answered, "I- I… I don't remember anymore." then avoided his eyes.
"It's just two years since you left that job. I'm sure there's still a little memory of those days. I want to know what happened. It is so unfair since you know my story but I don't know yours." he tried but fails.
"My past has nothing to do with neither your past nor your present life. It won't do you good either." she said in a raised voice. She realized what she just said. "I-I'm sorry. I – I just don't want it to remember." she said now in a comforting voice.
"It's okay, Fraulein. I'm sorry. I won't ask it anymore." He said with a quick smile then continued eating.
Silence surrounded them and it was Maria who broke it. "Stefan… I found something when I was fixing your papers in the study room. It's a painting and I wonder where it came from. It looks like it was really made for you."
"Uhh..." Stefan was a bit nervous and Maria noticed it.
"Hmm. This might explain your actions for the past few months." Maria joked with raised eyebrows. Stefan laughed and explained everything.
"I think I can't hide it from you anymore. I met a girl last year and she is lovely. I first saw her when she came to the bookstore that I work in after school. Luckily, we became good friends. She is kind and fun-to-be with. And... I like her."
"That reminds me of…"an image of young girl appeared on Maria's head.
"Tell me more about her."
"She's 18 and she is living near the town. She's the eldest on her siblings. She loves singing and painting. She gave me that painting." He continued. Maria became more curious about this girl. She remembered someone who became close to her before.
"Stefan, can I know her name?"
"Fraulein, I want you to know it when you meet her. We planned a meeting this Friday. We want to meet each other's parent. I hope you would like to come." Stefan was a bit afraid in inviting her Fraulein.
"Me? O-Of course… for you, Stefan. " Maria only said. She can't refuse to him.
"Really? Thank you Fraulein! I will tell her tomorrow." The 18 year old man smiled brightly as Maria accepted his invitation.
The next day, Stefan came home late from school. He told Maria the girl and his father will come to meet them. It can be seen in his face the excitement but Maria feels a bit worried. She knows something will happen that should never happen.