Echoes of Joy
Upon entering the house through the door, a fragrant perfume fueling Austin's nose making his heart pound with joy, as he followed the scent coming from the direction of the kitchen. Sarah became happy knowing Austin was able to attend the party, filled her heart with joy. She went towards Eva's room upstairs to notify her. Seeing the look on Eva's face she could feel sense of loneliness in her eyes as she opened the door.
Sarah found her daughter lost in thought, her eyes showing a hint of loneliness, sitting in her room. With mother's instinct, Sarah opened-up to her with words of comfort, her loving arms with soft palm on her back. Signs of joy burst out of Eva's eyes with a glimpse of joy upon hearing of Austin's arrival. Prompting her with deep emotion to quickly wear her wonderful dress, gifted as a birthday present by her dad – an act of love and precious memories.
As the room was filled with anticipation, the sound of laughter and conversation filled the air. The guest started coming with present wrapped in assorted designs and colors, filling their arms and bugs. Mary, with a beautifully wrapped gift loaded in her arms, struggled to make her way through the crowd at the gate, casting a hopeful glance around, hoping to see a familiar face. Seeing Austin happily roaming in the room, offered him a gentle smile, sense of relief washed over her as he made his way towards her.
"Why didn't I make him come for it after school?" Mary utters to herself; her heart began to move with the rhythm of relief. Austin hurried to her side noticing the gift bought by his father on her shoulder. With joy buried deep his eyes, took the huge wrapped gift from her, his small but strong muscular arms lifting the weight from her shoulders. "Mum, let me help you with that." He stated, taking the gift slowly in a manner not to fall from his hands. "Thank you." Mary stated back in response, feeling the weight off from her shoulder made her way to take a seat inside.
Looking at Eva's adorable big bright and charming eyes, Sarah urged her again to hurry with her preparation, after glancing at the watch on the wall. Seeing the numerous guests appearing from the gate with wrapped gifts, through the door to Eva's room, decided to welcome them with loving arms. "I hope Eva hurries. Austin can come to her room any moment." Sarah thought, descending the staircase.
Austin's name ragged through the room like a gentle wave, as Jake called him to look at the smiles filling Lily's lips, as she talks with her cousin.
The relation of Sarah and Mary became tight as their eyes met when Sarah reached the hall, reminiscing upon their school time and the day they escaped to enjoy themselves at the Secondary level. Series of laughter burst out of them as memories of them started flowing like a fountain of water. Jake sat quietly like a lonely dove when Austin decided to go check on Eva, in her room before she descends, leaving him with the backpack in the chair.
Feeling uneased in the chair all alone, tried to cope with the faces moving about, gazing his eyes and attention on the direction of Lily and her cousin Jolene, seated at the center of the room, where most of the best decorations are, exchanging words of joy as they laugh along.
As Austin got closer to the staircase leading upwards to Eva's room, started to look at the picture album on the wall following the movement of the staircase. He started to scan through the pictures with steady eyes, while holding the metal with a soft grip at the other side of the staircase, he become more happier, as his eyes caught a picture that seem to be the childhood picture of Eva. He stopped, taking a deep glance at the eyes of the person in the picture, wearing a jam suit at children's playground, playing with the sand on the ground.
Series of laughter started to pour out of Austin's heart, as he realized it's a picture of Eva, through the deep glance process. Breeze of wind started blowing in the direction of the house, as cluster of birds, butterflies and chickens move outside the house, making the environment more siren and peaceful.
He fully climbed to the top of the staircase, capturing all the pictures Eva was included deep into his heart and soul. Austin then reduced the strength he put in his leg, making his movement become as low as an ant in the soil, when he came a bit closer to the direction of Eva's door. Trying to sneak in without her knowledge, lowered his body under the slightly opened window before reaching the door, crawling on the ground like a cat seeing a mouse from afar.
Jake seated idly in the hall, focused his attention on Lily, as he continues to wish the cousin moves from her seat to a different place. He became extremely happy in his heart, noticing the cousin prepares to stand from her seat. He prayed she moves after raising herself from the seat to a different place. He started murmuring on the words he will use to catch Lily's attention, moment he reaches her side as the cousin moves.
Upon seeing her moving to the kitchen, he celebrated in his head and heart, as he prepares to make a move to Lily's chair. Shyness and discourage sense of emotion dropped on his face and heart, seeing the cousin walked out of the kitchen to the direction of Lily, as he stood from his chair to make his move. He then moved a bit closer, behaving as if he is looking at the adorable decoration closer to their position.
"Lily, should we play some music to make the room livelier?" Jolene asked, standing straight at the back of the chair facing Lily's, as she relaxed her arms on the top surface. With the motive of making the day more memorable, Lily granted her the opportunity to turn on the music player, whispering in her ears to play the song Eva always listen to when she's in a happy mood. Smiles started becoming visible on the cousin's face, hearing the song selected to be played, is also her favorite song.
As laughter and conversation fills the room, making the room noisier, she went to the side of the music box, switched it on and placed the song disk in it. The room became as quiet as an abandoned house, as the disk started rolling, catching all the attention of the guest, with its soothing words filling their thought.
Crack sound started coming in Eva's room as Austin reached the door and opened it. He then managed to open it slowly, stopping the crack sound from being heard by Eva, who was standing at the side of the wardrobe closer to the shower. His heart stopped beating, making his body motionless, as he saw Eva's back-skin through the opened door leading to the other side of the room, the moment he fully entered the room, searching for her location.
Thought began to fill his heart, making his mind move ahead of time, thinking about a relation much better than just friendship, as he couldn't stop looking at the soft bright backside of Eva not being zipped. He hides at the chair he usually hides behind every time he wants to make it hard for Eva when playing hide and seek game. Feeling the presence of a person in her room, Eva turned with her eye opened wide, noticing the door is left opened. She thought of it being left opened by her mum after she came, then tried to search if someone entered. Not seeing a single soul in the room, she continued with the dressing of her hair while trying to tune her ears to hear the song being played downstairs.
Appealing joy burst in her eyes through the mirror, realizing the song being played is her favorite song. Sweet melodious voice came from her throat, making the room more soothing as she started to sing along with the song being played. The winds and the trees outside her window move, as her voice passed through the open window leading outside. "What a sweet voice." Austin pronounced, listening to Eva's voice as she continues to sing, while placing his hand at his chest as if he's directing the voice to his heart. A shaky noise flowed through the side of the chair making the quite room filled with Eva's voice, mix with his own as he spoke.
Turning with thought filling her head as she heard Austin's voice, not knowing the actual direction the voice is coming from in her room, Eva tried to search the room again, but stopped to recount on all the places Austin used to hide when playing the Hide and Seek game in her room. Not hearing Eva's voice again knew, he will be caught by her if he doesn't position himself well at the back of the chair. Eva then recounted all the location and started to visit there one after the other, moving slowly as if there are needles positioned all over the floor.
As Austin hides, covering his nose and mouth, his heart races with the excitement of the game, his senses sharpened in anticipation of Eva's approach. Every cry of the chairs, every swish of fabric threatens to reveal his location, sending a shock in his spine.