He stood there, dazed.
He did not expect the spoilt girl he thought would apologize to him this easily.
No girl could ask for forgiveness this easily, or admit that she was at fault. He could proudly say that he was experienced in this department.
Seeing her embarrassed expression was an amusement for him. He wanted to see that more often in the future.
Would that be called bullying?
He realized he was still grinning. Perhaps, that was because he had come back after so many years?
He shook his head and took steps near to his haven.
Thousands of memories came by in his mind about this place. Nothing had changed.
It was all the same. The familiar air, the familiar feeling.
It was the place where he took his first steps, the place where he learnt to go to school from; the place which he left to soar high in the sky, and it would ultimately be the place where he would bring his bride to.
As he reached closer to the entrance of the Anderson mansion, he saw his mother talking with the same girl he encountered a while ago.
She had hardly aged, but what was he seeing right now?
He arched a brow.
Since when did his mother who was as cold as ice of glaciers with the same sex, start talking warmly with hands in hands with them?
What about the young girl?
She looked tamed, and obedient even. She resembled a kitten. It was as if she was not accusing him without inquiring anything from him some minutes ago.
A pure sweet girl who had not done anything wrong in her life.
Yes, that would have been his first impression if he had met her just now.
'She must be a daughter of a business colleague.' He thought.
Sensing a familiar presence, Madam Anderson turned her head in the entrance door's direction.
She gasped.
There he stood with his smile.
A smile that had lit up her whole face.
Her son was finally back. After a wait of six years, he had finally arrived here.
Here to meet them.
The mother and son kept looking at each other with a longing expression. Unbeknownst to both, a certain someone was staring at them intently.
Wait.
Why her aunt was smiling at him?
He dared to make her smile and then dared to make her shed tears.
She could see her aunt's eyes glistening with the salty water which was yet to be out.
Was it true that her aunt had fallen for his young charms?
Should I tell Uncle John about it?
Lost in her imaginary thoughts, she forgot to notice the striking resemblance between both the man and woman.
She was still thinking about informing about this suspicious man Master Anderson, when he, by himself, appeared.
With his head held high with an air of authority, his left hand in his suit's pocket, his right brow arched with seriousness, his frame mighty and cold, but it was for outsiders only.
For her, he would warmly smile at her, talk with her almost on every topic, and would test her cooking skills time by time as he was himself was one of the great expertise in cooking for his wife.
He had taught Zaria cooking. Madam Anderson did not know how to cook at all. He said, 'In cooking, there is no gender involved.'
'Anyone can cook. Only a passion for food is needed.'
'They look unapproachable.' That was what Zaria initially thought when she came to their home with Madam Anderson. Much to her astonishment, she was treated differently than she thought as she were their flesh.
At first, to the outsiders, the Anderson couple did not appear to be inviting, but after getting to know them, they would feel like they belonged with them and that they were their own family.
The difference was that only some people could have this privilege in their lives.
"So, the Young Master finally graced us with his presence?" Zaria was expecting the suspicious man to start up a conversation first, but this time it was her uncle himself! She frowned.
Her uncle had never initiated a conversation, rather it was always the others who uttered first, and then suffered in the end.
She did not understand Master Anderson's sarcastic words.
She expected he would stare upon that man like what he did with others.
What Young Master?
Was he a big shot?
"Don't scold him. He must have been tired from all that travelling." It was rare for Madam Anderson to look affectionate with someone else other than Zaria.
Zaria seemed left out.
"How could I not scold him? He finally arrived in our humble abode. I can't be any more thankful than that." Albeit sarcastic, Uncle John's words were not cold at all, instead, they contained warmth.
Eventually, he let out a smile and then a chuckle, shocking Zaria. She wanted to wipe her eyes and wanted to ensure if she was dreaming.
'Has the world finally reached a new revolution?'
How could John Anderson not be happy? His son had come back.
How many years had passed when he last saw his face?
Six years ago, the son in front of him standing was an immature and a young brat.
Now, six years later he had come back to his home as a man. He could not be any more proud than he already was, with this son.
It was time for him to shoulder some of the responsibilities.
Why it was going in a way she had not expected?
Her eyes flickered to his and she saw him smiling at her. This flared her up.
Was he a hypnotist?
A male seductor?
How could her aunt and uncle fall for his charms?
Yes, they must be bewitched!
Elian was enjoying it. He looked at her from the corner of his eyes and realized that she was jealous.
On the contrary, he should have been the one jealous! But, he was not petty. Such childishness would be an insult to his character if his friends from abroad had seen that.
"Aunt, uncle, this..?" Zaria did not recognize her Elian.
"Mom, dad, this..?" Elian did not remember Zaria's appearance either, but his insides were telling him that this girl was familiar. It all seemed nostalgic.
"Ria, do you not recognize our Elian anymore?" Uncle John chuckled.
"Elian, do you also not recognize our Zaria anymore?" Aunt Mia giggled with sophistication, too.
She was, after all, Elian's mother. How could she not enjoy a rather awkward moment?
Ria as in Zaria Smith? That crybaby?
Elian as in Elian Anderson? My knight?
Elian and Zaria registered their words in their minds.
Both of them went blank for a second or two when both sides shouted at each other:
"It's you!?"
'The spring has come! Old friends have finally met after a long time.'
All the Anderson mansion servants who secretly hid just to see a glimpse of Elian, their young master, was laughing, along with the Anderson couple.
Oh, God!
The Anderson mansion had become a house full of laughter.
Someone save them!
Was he her Elian? Her Elian Anderson? Were uncle and aunt joking? She flipped her head right and left to see some kind of a hidden camera, but found none. So, it was true. It was her Elian. She was floating in the air in her mind. Now that she knew it was him, she found this man more charming than before. It would not be called cheating anymore. Because this man was her knight. Not only his face she was attracted to, but also to his aura. An easygoing, understanding, and calm aura which she adored most in people around her. All the menacing intentions she had for him, turned into a pure blissful smile, bringing the angel in her out. She still remembered how scared she was when she entered here, and how he teased her calling her a crybaby.
Madam Anderson took both her son and future daughter-in-law's hands in her own and pulled them together to sit with her on different sofas. Elian alone, and Zaria with her. As usual, her husband gladly followed her and sat on another sofa. For Zaria, it was surely awkward. How could she not feel restless when Elian Anderson was sitting right in front of her? From time to time, their eyes met and Elian would smile at her and she would avert her eyes with her scarlet hot cheeks. She still could not look at him in the eyes! Why did he get so handsome? It was his fault! Madam Anderson since forever, wanted this. She resembled an excited child who had been given candy for her accomplishment and hard work after the exams. She wanted a great result. She cleared h
When Elian just left for his room, the shyness of Zaria started to fly away. But still the thought of seeing and having Elian up so near her, her cheeks heated again, so she put her hands to cool them.Foo. Foo.You are an adult, Ria. Act like one.Excusing herself to her room, a minute passed or two, she was found squealing and jumping on the bed.Elian came back.Elian talked to her.Elian smiled at her.Elian teased her.Exhausted, she finally threw herself on her bed. She grabbed a pillow and hugged it closely to her chest, biting her lips in utter exhilaration. Her eyes, glimmering with her pure, innocent dreams and hope.She still could not believe that he was here."Don't be sad. I'll be back again to you, little lady Ria." She could hear his words in her ears.It was the time he
The faster she ran upstairs in her sandals with a tray in her hands, the more sound she produced. Now, everyone in the Anderson mansion knew she was holding a tray. Not looking into their prying eyes, she kept walking forward and forward. Knocking gently on the door, she expected Elian to be awakened by now, but who would have thought that he was still sleeping like there was no tomorrow. Oh, she forgot. He was a heavy sleeper. "Elian, are you awake?" Zaria's voice was gentle and soft as a feather. Very gentle which was a little incredulous. If someone on her campus were to watch her like this gentle, they would feel dizzy. Gentle Ria was totally different from the Indifferent Bossy Ria. Everyone remembered how she beat a boy when she was in her sixth grade and
Zaria was still in the clutches of her memories when someone broke her out from her reverie. "It's amazing, right?" A low and hoarse voice entered her ear. "Yes, it is... very amazing." She was still picturing Elian. Elian, laughing with her. Elian, smiling at her. Elian, holding her hands. Elian's face getting closer to her. But other than herself, who could talk with her in her fantasies? Hold on. The revelation dawned on her suddenly. She was crouching down on the floor, face to face to his level. Amidst lost in the memories of past, she did not even realize she was on the floor at this moment and he was leaning down. He was smiling at her with half-lidded eyes indicating that he had awoken just now.
"So, shall we go now?" After finishing his morning breakfast of bread toasts and fried egg, he wiped his face from the table napkin gracefully. His movement was so elegant that it could be recorded in a camera and put on a replay button. "Are you both going somewhere?" Her aunt Mia was curious. She had not even started her plan, yet all the tides were going in her direction? Elian nodded happily. "Yes, she promised to take me out on a city tour today." His mother nodded, too, pleased with the progress. "Dear, are you planning to take a day off from campus then?" Mia Anderson looked at Zaria with an adored countenance. She really dotted on her. Her grandchildren would be so cute considering both Zaria and her son's genes. Zaria Smith faltered. The silvery knife and fork in her hand stilled. She actually
"Ah! Mathematics is complicated and tiring. Mr Alfred was boring people out." Sofia yawned, "In the whole class I was thinking of wanting to see the newly released movie, so when are we going there exactly?" Sofia Brown stretched her arms. The sun rays kept hitting her skin. With her natural auburn red hair and golden tanned skin tone, she looked radiant in the sunlight. Just like an enchantress. Her charm was overwhelming. So much beautiful that she unknowingly made a guy nosebleed and stumbled while walking straight. "I really had fun today! Chemistry is so interesting. Imagine everything being made up of tiny atoms, and then whoosh! The tiny atoms get formed into molecules and elements and at last, the compounds! Our body is made just like that! Can you all believe it?" Mason Waters was the nerd of the group. He was from another section but had a great friendship with Zaria's g
As a girl, Ria had no problem in telling everything in a long story short. This thing only took some of the minutes. Sofia was stupefied. She did not know her best friend who was only eighteen was in that deep. Deep enough to think of settling with only one person. She never took a man seriously. Thought of only a single man bored her. "As long as you're up for it." Jessica patted on her shoulder stiffly. She often got awkward real quick when cheering for and comforting people. "Are you guys done?" "Yes." Zaria nodded with ecstasy. The tense atmosphere between her and Elian had diminished a little and now she did not feel much of a stuttering person. Elian was easy-going and he made things easy-going. According to her girl friends, they could be like an ideal couple.