Alec opened the door to his house for me to enter. As long as I was inside I couldn't help but look around. It was huge. Screaming rich into my ears. It seemed as if the XAN trio was supposed to be a rich friend trio. All the three of them having whole load of money.
I had a small apartment, for gods sake. And I still feel lonely there.
"Mrs Brown?" Alec said moving around his house as if trying to find someone.
I took a few steps forward before standing there awkwardly as he continued calling for Mrs Brown.
Not even a minute later I saw a woman in her forties or something entering the room. She looked at Alec before her eyes slid to mine. I could see her smiling to herself as she looked back at Alec,
"Your brought your girlfriend?" She asked with a knowing smile.
I coughed as I choked onto my own saliva. What did she say? Brought what?
Alec looked back at me to give me a look of concern but I waved my hands at him letting him know that I was alright. He nodded his before looking back at Mrs Brown and shaking his head,
"She is not my girlfriend, Mrs Brown. We are just doing a project together." He laughed.
She looked at me again before apologising with her warm voice.
"Serenity?" I looked at Alec in a questioning way, "I'll be back, just make yourself comfortable until then, okay?"
I nodded my head at him letting him know that I was fine. He went upstairs where his bedroom was most probably. I went and put my bag on the table and sat down on the couch.
I could see Mrs Brown from my peripheral vision as she came near and sat beside me. I looked up and passed her a smile which she returned just as warmly.
"Serenity?" She asked.
"Yeah. That's me." I chuckled lightly.
"Would you like to have anything?" She asked.
I shook my head abruptly, "I am totally fine."
She nodded before falling silent. I looked around marvelling paintings hung up on the walls as white as a snow.
"Alec love those paintings." She said looking at them with me.
Without removing my gaze from the painting I asked, "He does?"
"Yes. He chooses them on his own after all." She chuckled lightly.
I looked at her in surprise, "He chose these paintings? Does he paint?" I couldn't help but be interested to know.
It would be a surprise to know if he painted too. Because I didn't take Alec to be an artistic type of a person, but again people can be full of surprises.
"He doesn't paint. But I don't see what he sees in these paintings." She said trying to figure out as she stared at one of the paintings which was on the wall in front of us.
"Why?" I asked sitting more comfortably now.
"He would come here often and sit for hours just staring at these paintings." She squinted her eyes.
I looked at the painting again and I could almost see why he chose it. I could feel the emotions the painting was giving me. I felt myself getting overwhelmed as I tried clearing my throat,
"He gets lonely, doesn't he?" I asked.
Her eyes snapped to mine, "How do you know? He told you?"
I sighed before shaking my head slightly. We didn't know each other enough to talk about loneliness.
"The paintings, Mrs Brown. Maybe, he sees them in a different light than me but to me, these paintings shows the desire to be with someone. To not be left alone. The fright. Missing someone. They comfort you in an odd way."
I looked at Mrs Brown and found her looking at me with wide eyes.
"Do the paintings really say that?" She asked unsure.
"To me."
She was silent before I heard her sighing, "To him as well." She continued, "I can see why he sat here for hours just staring at them."
I looked at her in a questioning way.
"As you said, he was lonely." She closed her eyes, "Ever since he lost his mother, he has been lonely. Mr Alan tried coping up with the loss by immersing himself in his work while Alec was just left alone. I tried to be there for him." She opened her eyes and looked at me with a sad smile, "Obviously, I wasn't enough."
I took her hand in mine and gave a little squeeze, "I am sure you did your best."
She gave me a reassuring nod, "He has matured so much since then, don't you think?" She asked me proudly.
I chuckled lightly, "I would like to say he has but I haven't been here long enough to notice the change."
She looked at me surprised, "For how long have you two been friends?"
Friends? I am not sure if we are even friends. I have only met him a limited amount of times to be exact.
"Two days, maybe?" I said unsure.
She seemed at a loss of words as she looked around, "Two days?" She asked again to make sure.
I nodded at her, confirming her uncertainty. She got up from her seat, putting her hands on her waist and looked at me again,
"Did he tell you about his mother?" She asked.
I shook my head. He didn't. We haven't had that kind of relationship to talk about these stuff.
She ran her hands through her hair. I could see she was a little frustrated. And I could see why. She thought I knew about his mother that's why she opened up to me about it. But to know that he didn't tell me anything about it, to know that we started talking just two days prior and she was the one to tell me about it, she was feeling guilty.
"I thought you knew." She whispered finally, "I thought you knew because he doesn't bring anyone home except a few of his friends."
I got up from my seat and went to her. Putting my hand on her shoulder I tried comforting her.
"It's alright, Mrs Brown. I won't tell him that I know anything about it."
She looked at me gratefully, "Thank you. I don't want him to think that I going on spilling about his personal life to anyone."
I knew how he would feel if that happened . I didn't want anyone to know about my personal life. Imagine, a random person you came to know not long ago know all about it. Yeah, I would be mad.
"What were you two talking about?"
I looked behind and saw Alec walking in. He was changed into casuals and was wearing baggy clothes as he moved about.
"I was just looking at the paintings." I explained.
His gaze turned to the paintings before looking at meâ smiling, "I have a great choice, don't you think?"
"Of course you do."
Anyone who can find a painting to reflect their emotions has a great choice. And the fact that something about these painting speak to me, makes it better.
"Should we start with the project?" He asked coming and sitting on the same spot as mine.
"Sure." I said enthusiastically.
He pulled his phone out and put it on the table, just beside my bag. Lifting his sky blue eyes to mine, he fixed me with them.
"You were gone for two months, Serenity Halls. Which means you are lagging behind."
I- I am pretty sure I didn't need a reality check right now in this moment.
He saw me looking at him with confusion. He shook his head lightly, "I am just saying that we need to clear your concepts first. It's chemistry."
"The project doesn't have to do with the concepts, right?" I asked unsure.
He looked at me as if I had gone mad.
"Of course it does! Since you were kind enough to let me be your partner, I will make sure that you catch up with everything you have missed. And then we move to the project." He sounded so excited. And I don't even know why.
Can a person really like a subject so much to make them this excited? He was being excited to teach me, for heaven's sake.
He cracked his knuckles. Literally. And asked me to take the chemistry book out. Without any questions I took it out of my bag and placed it in front of Alec.
He patted on the space next to himâasking me to sit down. Slowly, as if not sure I sat down beside him. By now, Mrs Brown had already gone to do her work and it was just me and Alec.
"Studying from me won't be the most pleasant experience. But it will be worth it." He smiled.
It wasn't the warm smile which he always gave. No. It seemed like the kind of a smile which you give before knowing you are going to do something cynical.
I tried looking into his blue eyes for any kind of emotions. But there were none.
I have a bad hunch about this.
___
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