In which they meet

'Why does he have to be here now!?"

Alvara thought to herself,her hands sweaty all of a sudden. It wasn't that she was afraid of Rupert. Heaven's no! She would pummel the man if she could! It was just that she was never on her right mindset when new people come around the boutique that she feared that she might do something stupid,making her hate herself for a month or so again!

Taking a deep breath, she urged herself to crawl out from the counter and felt her cheek hurt from the fake smile she put on. She could now see that her aunt was furious beyond words,she had to do something about this,and quick!

"Rupert!" She called but her voice cracked, but even so, atleast it diverted their attention to her, effectively stopping her aunt from exploding,and yet she also regretted it. Too many eyes were watching her.

"I-I think"

'Shit! She was having a mental breakdown! This is all messed up!'

Not wanting to make more of a fool of herself she gathered herself and marched forward. She decided to not say a single word as her voice would most definitely betray her and instead do what needed to be done.

Her aunt was surprised as she knew her niece well. Infact she expected Alvara to stay hidden because of their guests.

She kept on walking putting one foot infront of the other. Everyone stayed quiet looking at what she would do next, she was now at arms reach to Rupert,When she reached out, grabbing the man by the collar dragging him out of the boutique and flung him unto the streets.

Now that she was out of the door and out of their guests prying eyes she breathed in as true courage flooded her veins. She looked to Rupert staring him down head to toe and she must've looked intimidating since he stumbled on his feet upon her gaze.

"Go away and never come back! If I ever see you again near my aunt's boutique I will no longer be as patient as I am today. Good day!" And just like that Rupert went on his way, feigning his anger while dragging his sorry *** with him.

Dusting her hands she went back inside the boutique only to see her aunt and the guests look at her dumbfounded.

Her face heated up in an instant that she knew her cheeks had probably turned red by now.

Nobody spoke for a few seconds before her aunt finally broke the ice.

"Well umm,this is my niece Alvara. Alvara this is Mr. Guidecelli and his son Mikeal. He will be here as an exchange student in your school, with us being his foster family." Matilda chuckled at her niece's horrified face. "for the meantime."

she added.

As if that would calm Alvara's nerves!

This tall handsome guy would be with them for the school year! Matilda gently tugged Alvara breaking her out of her frenzied thoughts when she felt his eyes on her, she couldn't help but do the same. It was quite possibly a staredown which she knew meant literally for the guy since she barely reached his shoulders!

He had a thin chiseled face, with a prominent brow bone which casted shadows on his Cobalt blue eyes. She saw something glimmer on his ear but couldn't make out what it is for his long black hair covered it.

"So how old are you?"

She suddenly blurted out.

'Real nice way to remember your first meet Alvara. Sure ask him his age!!!'

Mentally scolding herself she stood frozen in place the guy was surprised too, but a faint grin showed that he was slightly amused.

"I'm 20." He replied,his deep voice rang in her ears like a melody. Then he spoke again. "How about you my lady?"

"M-My" she was taken aback by his sudden use of words. Flustered she cleared her throat and looked away,his charming smile was too distracting for her to even make out a single word!

"19." She said plainly trying to control her pounding heartbeat. She felt her hands sweat again as she realized that she had been hanging on to her aunt for dear life!

'This was embarassing! '

"Well then, excuse me for I have reciepts to list down, shoes to hang, dresses to organize, Oh the list goes on!" She sounded awkward,her words coming out all jumbled and wrong as she waved them goodbye disappearing to the back of the shop.

Finally by herself she breathed out a sigh of relief. She switched the light on to her left illuminating the messy state of her auntie's studio. So she decided to clean up than go back outside.

Neatly rolling the cloths, pulling stray threads, picking up countless sequins and beads on the floor. She didn't even know how much time has passed until Alice came.

"I leaving now." Aliced poked her head into the room with her sling bag hanging on her shoulder.

"Its that time already?!" She replied shocked at how fast time flew when your occupied.

"Uh yeah...." raising a brow Alice let herself in and helped her carry a mannequine clothed with a nearly finished ball gown. It just needed a long draping sleeve to match its right one and sequins on the skirt to complete the image of a poison Ivy which went from the waist down to its rim and all around.

"This is heavy!"

"You can say that again! Might wanna ask Matilda what this dress is made out of It's as heavy as carrying my uncle's Great dane!" Both of us were winded out.

"Well, See ya tomorrow Alvy!"

Waving back at Alice she looked out the window to see the busy streets of Edinburgh. It was almost night and the city was coming to life.

Her aunt left a few moments after she hid so she was left alone to close the boutique. With everything secured she decided to walk home and stop by at a bakery to buy some bread.

All was going well until a group of people passed by her. There was atleast 5 of them, hooded and alert with eyes scouring the streets as if they were looking for someone. One of them bumped her with nothing short of a sorry, this person glared at her which gave her a good view under the hoodie. It was a woman. She had a tatoo which looked alot like a wolf with its jaws open wide,ready to eat her right eye.

All she could do was back away as a chill ran down her spine. Something told her to stay as far away as she could from them. They carried themselves with such menace that people started parting as they walked by. She couldn't tear her gaze from them though and as if the woman sensed her staring she looked back again this time Alvara thought that she was probably tired from all the work and was seeing things! For she could swear that the woman's eyes turned to yellow with slits for a pupil looking very much like a cobra's. Stunned her mouth fell to a gape as she saw the group retreat.

She wasn't that sure of herself anymore and decided to take a taxi home instead. The bread can wait till tomorrow or better yet she could bake some by the weekend.

The ride was quiet. One kid almost got hit by a car though, he was trying to catch his puppy who ran to the roads, thankfully a traffic enforcer was there and stopped the incoming cars on time.

She felt the taxi take a sharp left and saw the block of flats where her mother bought their own flat on the 2nd floor last year. Thanks to her mother's promotion as Head Manager to a food joint franchise they were able to afford it. If not then she and her mom would still be living with her Aunt Matilda.

Paying the driver with Gcash, she remembered the time when her mother had first brought her here. She could remember herself being so happy that she was clapping and jumping at the same time. Dashing around the flat as she rejoiced in having her own room!

Chuckling at the memory, the elevator bell rang telling her that she has reached the second floor.

She was so happy and thankful of the current run of things but she still couldn't shake the feeling of wanting more. Maybe something exciting, like taking a trip all by herself. That would surely be interesting.

As she reached for the key in her wallet her cat Midnight greeted her in the hallway.

Shocked as to how her cat was out she picked him up by his front legs and instinctively checked for injuries.

"Are you alright? How are you out here?"

Her cat just looked at her cutely with his deep olive green eyes. Placing a paw on her nose as she inspected his under belly.

Le chat

'What do you think you doing human?! That is private!'

Her cat meowed in protest pushing her nose repeatedly.

' He didn't seem to be injured, very perky too. How strange.....'

Opening the door to her flat,Midnight immediately ran inside going to the direction of his litter box. Poor cat was probably holding it in for a long time.

Midnight was a very sweet cat in his own little way. He always had something to say which made her love the little guy even more.

"I'll leave you to do you bussiness then." she chuckled as her cat howled from inside his hooded litter box.

Her arms ached from all the cleaning she had done back at the boutique,so she let herself down unto their single couch enjoying its familiar texture and softness, she sank deeper with a groan.

"Now this is a chair."

She was on the brink of snoozing when she heard a chair move in the kitchen.

' I didn't know mom would be back this early...' brows furrowed in confusion she slowly went to the kitchen only to find no one there,but an empty plate with residual spaghetti sauce on the island. Strange indeed for she did not remember any spaghetti in the fridge and her mother never liked ordering fast food. It was only for dire circumstances that she allows it. Ironic how she works for a fast food joint though.

Her stomach squirmed as she remembered what her aunt said back at the boutique.

"Mikeal....stay......with..."

she stuttered, struggling to catch her breath all of a sudden. Anxiety flooded her brain as she thought of how she would do her day to day things with a guy in the house......

There was only one bathroom too!!!

She mentally screamed, her thoughts flying all over the place.

Until she heard footsteps behind her.

Turning around she saw him,the same Cobalt blue eyes met her hazel ones as a blush slowly crept its way to her cheeks.

"Y-You're here?!" She sounded like she was choking! "Nice to see you again."

She should just shut her mouth,she thought.

"Yeah you too." With a smile he went past her and walked towards the living room where he made himself at home by grabbing the remote and turning the television on.

Shaking her head she still couldn't belive her eyes! School was starting in 2days and if her friends found out about this she was sure to be bombarded with questions.

"Is there something you want to tell me?"

He spoke looking at her and muting the tv. She could tell that he was amused again, the longer she stood there speechless the wider his grin became until it turned into a full blown smirk.

Unexpectedly, Alvara felt irritated and wanted to slap that smirk right off his face. 'He knew exactly what effect he had on me! This cheeky bastard!'

She shook her head, fury replacing her bashfullness. Crossing her arms infront of her she spoke with authority.

"Nothing at all, just wondering how you got in and why you threw my cat out."

She was proud of herself for not stuttering. She held her composure and maintained eye contact. Taken aback by her sudden boldness he stood up and walked towards her. She wasn't about to falter now, so she stood he ground even when he was so close and less than an arms length to her.

"My apologies. I didn't mean to throw your cat out. He was just being annoying and nibbling at my clothes while I unpacked." he shrugged ,yet still smirking.

This infuriated her that she pointed her finger at him and spoke.

"You are but a guest, Midnight has more right than you have to stay here and if you do happen to disagree with one another I assure you that it will be you at the other side of that door!"

His smirk was replaced with shock as his mouth formed into an *O*.

"Is that so?" He replied pretending to be hurt. Dropping his act he took a step back and shook his shoulders, face blank. All of a sudden the playfulness in his eyes dimmed like a dying candle. "Fine with me." he said plainly and walked away. He retreated to the room that was once empty and filled with boxes as storage, with his back towards her, she couldn't help but feel guilty of the words she said to him.

Her anger died down as his door slammed shut. It was impolite of her to shout at a guest and she doesn't even know his story, and yet here she was forgetting her manners.

"Hmph....oh well, what's done is done. And he deserved it too."

Suddenly a feeling of guilt washed over her as she walked back to her room, looking back to his door one last time she released another sigh before going in.

But then an idea suddenly popped in her head!

She hated feeling guilty even when she was partly to blame. And living under the same roof for a long time with grudges against each other wasn't all that appealing so she decided to make the first move. She could only hope that thay would get into an agreement by the end of this.

Going back into the kitchen she tied her apron around her waist and pulled her hair up into a bun. Clipping her bangs back with a bobby and she was all set.

"Here we go." She said heading for the fridge while cracking her knuckles.

This had better work.

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