I wake up to the sound of piano keys being softly played. I glance around the room, and a black, translucent curtain greets me from all sides. I rub my eyes, feeling myself leave my sleep farther and farther behind. Was there a bed here? I think to myself, only just now noticing the soft mattress below me. The covers feel smooth like silk. The familiar sense of my not being quite fancy enough for this place settles over me. The music continues, lifting me gently from the bed and slowly leading me towards the sound.
The music continues, lifting me gently from the bed and slowly leading me towards the sound despite my worry. This song is different than the types I'd heard before in a way I can't exactly describe. It's like... reaching out for something you so desperately want, never really getting all the way there but reveling in the thrill it gives you.
Love?
No, I respond to the thought that had come out of nowhere. I don't know if I believe that last response. Whatever it is, it's giving me goosebumps.
I continue following towards the source of the music. Once I am close enough, I can see the angel behind the piano. It's not like I was expecting anyone else, but my breath hitches in my chest anyway. I walk over to him, trying as best I can not to disturb him too much. He notices me right away anyway. His hands linger on the piano keys as he glances up at me.
"Hello, Adeline," he says when his eyes meet mine.
"Hi," I reply.
"I trust you slept well?" he asks, shuffling some papers on the music stand in front of him. "I hope I didn't wake you."
"Slept like a baby," I say. "Um... where did you sleep?"
"I didn't," he answers nonchalantly. "Keeping up with the concert hall and the music and the composition... it doesn't exactly leave me much time for other things."
"I'm another thing," I point out. "You had time to be kind to me."
He smirks. "Well, yes. That is one exception."
"I guess what I'm trying to say is, thanks."
"Don't thank me yet," he says. I see his eyes darken ever so slightly, but seconds later, his charming and friendly look comes back. He scoots over on the bench, patting the space next to him. I take it without thinking twice. My right arm brushes his left, and I feel the heat rising in my cheeks.
"Now, I know I heard a bit of your musical talent before," he grins.
"Oh, I couldn't," I stutter.
"You know you could," he says. He nudges me gently with his elbow. "Go on."
I nod, taking a deep breath. I rest my hands on the black and white keys, glancing at the man again, hoping he'll change his mind. He smiles lightly back at me.
"Go ahead."
"Right," I sigh. Warmth still radiates from the keys, pairing with the warmth of the side of his body against mine. In a jolt of electricity, my fingers move to play as if all on their own. The smooth, slow tune that results surprises me, but not enough to make me stop. I let the music flow through me instead, my breath rising and falling with the rhythm of the song. The familiar out-of-body experience returns, as it usually does when I play the piano. I watch myself from above myself. I sway back and forth, my head lowered slightly and my eyes half-closed. The man is still next to me... and I watch him bring his lips to the nape of my neck.
"Whoa!" I gasp, jumping back and almost falling over.
"Adeline, are you all right?" he says worriedly, quickly pressing his hand on the small of my back to keep me from tumbling backward. His touch sends one quick, miniature shiver through the rest of my spine.
"Yeah," I say breathlessly. I absentmindedly raise my fingertips to my neck, the daydream still fresh in my mind. He hadn't done anything after all. Still... why do I wish that he had? "I'm sorry," I add. "I'm still a little skittish after yesterday, that's all."
"Understandable." He draws his hand away slowly. "Well, we do have plenty of time before the show begins tonight."
"Are you sure you won't get in trouble for this?" I ask, sounding more concerned than I'd intended.
"No," he grins. "But what's the fun in anything if there's no risk of being caught?"
"You should write screenplays for action movies," I say jokingly. "You'd give those big-shot directors a run for their money."
"Only if you agree to be my business partner," he banters back.
"You'd never run out of snarky commentary, that's for sure."
He laughs at this, prompting me to laugh along with him. After a while, the schoolgirl giggling settles down, and I again become aware of the furious pounding of my heart against my ribcage. I glance at the man and immediately shift my gaze when I see that he is staring right back at me. His hand gently closes around mine, forcing my eyes to find their way to his again. He has a mischievous, yet genuinely content look on his face.
"Come on, Adeline," he says, leading me towards the door. "I won't watch you spend the whole day cooped up in here."
I follow him without any hesitation this time. "Sounds like a plan," I reply, smiling to myself. Daniel floats his way into my mind, and I immediately push him away.
It feels good to be treated like I matter just as much as anyone else for once. For the first time in a while, I do not feel out of place.
"I want to show you something," the man says.
"Wait, isn't the whole point of me being here so no one sees me?" I ask doubtfully.
"No one will."
Just before we reach the door, he makes a sharp left. All at once, the space surrounding us darkens and a cool breeze weaves through. I can't see a thing, left with only the presence just ahead of me as a guide. The only sounds to be heard are the muffled shuffling of our footsteps and the occasional drip-dripping of water somewhere.
"Where are we?" I question him, breaking the silence.
"We're almost there," he responds through the blackness. "You'll know it when you see it."
"I can't see anything," I point out. He laughs in reply, sending a warm tingling down my spine.
"We're here."
With this, a rush of cool air hits me and my eyes start adjusting to the lit room we've just entered. When I am able to see clearly, I gasp at the sight in front of me. The entirety of the large, open space we stand in is water. A gigantic, infinite-seeming lake. The two of us wade ankle-deep into the clear, slightly cold water as the man smiles at me, entertained by my dumbfounded expression. As if the room couldn't seem like more of a scene right out of a movie, he begins untying a small, wooden rowboat from its spot next to the dock I've just noticed we'd been walking on before. He turns to me again, motioning for me to take his hand. I do, and he steadies me as I climb into the boat. He climbs in behind me, grabbing a large oar from the dock and sending us out farther into the lake. I can barely concentrate. I can't figure out if it is due to my amazement with the room or how aware I am of his closeness yet again. I take a few quiet deep breaths to calm myself down. It's enough to keep me from passing out but not enough to slow my heart rate. After a few minutes, we approach another dock similar to the last, except much smaller. The man steps out of the boat, taking my hand again to steady me as I clumsily step onto the dock.
"Close your eyes," he whispers, his lips softly grazing my ear. I obey. The man leads me forward, and I can't help but feel tempted to open my eyes again. Still, somehow, I keep them closed until I hear him say, "Okay, now open them."
Right in front of me lies the entirety of the surrounding city, which at this point has become quiet with the timid, first hours of morning. We stand on a marble balcony, and when we take a few steps forward, we are able to rest our arms on the railing and gaze out at the city.
"Wow," I say, so surprised and out of breath that the word barely comes out of my mouth.
"I thought you might like it," the man says.
"It's beautiful."
"This is where I go when I need a break from the concert hall." I glance at him as his eyes transfix themselves on the scenery.
"When was the last time you left?" I ask. "I don't know why you wouldn't if you get bored just being stuck in here."
"It's not that simple." He looks at me, keeping the same soft, contemplative expression on his face.
"Why not?" I ask, unintentionally raising my voice just a bit. Is it his nonchalant attitude about being stuck in this place for no reason that bothers me or the fact that he won't explain? I can't tell.
"It isn't something you need to be worried about." His hand grasps mine tightly as he turns to face me. He is so close... why is he always so close? And why don't I mind it?
"Why not?" I say it more gently this time, an unspoken apology. He takes a deep breath, never taking his eyes away from mine.
"Are you sure you want to know?" he asks. I nod.
In a slow, nervous motion, the man guides my hand to the masked portion of his face. My fingertips slip under the sides that rest against his cheek. I look at him as if to say, "Are you sure?" He responds with a slight nod.
Timidly, I pull the mask off, seeing the face of the angel for the first time.